Dr. Conn is the Chief of Ocular Plastic Surgery and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine. He is one of the few cosmetic surgeons who is a Fellow of the prestigious American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and board certified in ophthalmology. Dr. Conn’s background is impressive. Trained in ophthalmic plastic surgery, general surgery, eye surgery, and skin care, Dr. Conn specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery for the eyelids, facial skin, orbit, and tear drainage system.

He graduated from medical school in 1973 and received his training at Johns Hopkins, Harvard University, and the Wilmer Institute. He went on to complete a most prestigious fellowship in ophthalmic plastic surgery at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Before joining UCI, Dr. Conn taught ophthalmic plastic surgery to the ophthalmology residents affiliated with USC and Loma Linda medical schools. He also maintains a private practice in Los Angeles, and in Palm Springs where he has cared for some of America’s most well known political and entertainment celebrities. Most Advanced Technology: Shorter Recovery Process Dr. Conn is a leader in the use of the laser for cosmetic surgery and facial skin rejuvenation for the removal of lines, wrinkles, and aging spots. He first began using lasers in 1978. He has served as a medical consultant to laser manufacturers, and has helped train medical professionals in the safety and use of the laser for eyelid surgery and skin resurfacing. Dr. Conn’s distinguished affiliation with the Beckman Laser Institute allows him to bring to his patients the most advanced technology in the field of laser cosmetic surgery. He specializes in using the laser for the combination of cosmetic eyelid surgery and facial resurfacing.

The result is a remarkably more youthful appearance of the eyes and face. Patients literally look years younger. They are delighted with the superiority of their results and amazed at their short recovery process. Most report minimal discomfort and little, if any, bruising or swelling. A World Class Ocular Plastic Surgeon In this world, there are less than 250 certified ocular plastic surgeons. Of these, very few have training in general surgery as well. Dr. Conn is one of those few. His patients hail from every continent. The elegance of his results have earned his international reputation as a world class surgeon.

Change is always happening. I know that. Now. And I’m not talking hair. Sometimes I look back on the person who inhabited this body a decade or two ago, and I think, I don’t recognize her. She was mouthy, irritating, kind, smart and dumb (often at the same time) – but she had a good heart. She’s still here, her good parts anyway, she influences the current tenant. The person who inhabits this space now doesn’t care all that much about a slightly bulging tum and thighs that, while they don’t crinkle, do flop a little at times. (But she hates that she looks more and more like her mom.)

This one likes to cook and do crosswords and tinker with painting bits of furniture picked up at the Goodwill. This one’s learned to love sunrises a little more than sunsets. The other one used to hang out at the local, slurping wine with the other writers till the wee hours; this one likes to hang out at home and usually turns in at the end of ‘The National” newscast at 11. This one likes to do housework whilst listening to rip-roaring gospel music at high volume and Joan Baez singing her imitation of Bob Dylan…go figure. Births and deaths have happened in-between, and in spite of it all, the journey’s been fun – hope it continues for a while yet.

God willing.  Hooray for outrageous haircuts because they *are* just a temporary > transformation, a bit like those temporary tattoos, eh? May be worth a trip to Toronto just to check you out, Ingrid. And to check out Carol and Piranha too! You bet it’d be worth it! Oh Sal. Please, *do* come! You get 40 cents on your dollar up here, you know that? You gotta place to sleep – lots of space. Food and whatever. It’s just a weekend — come on! Cenk’s even gonna come…it’ll really be an *international* one now!

The ripe, old age of 40 approaches later this month, and I embrace it happily. I’m at a better place in my life than I ever was at 20 or 30, and so age, as it turns out, is a good and natural thing. I am fortunate to have a husband who loves me exactly as I am — as a rounder, older woman (I’m nine years older than him) — and that frees me from the pressures I used to feel that altering my appearance would somehow attract “the one.” Now, I know better.

BTW, did anyone see the “60 Minutes” segment the other night focusing on cosmetic surgery? I believe the interviewees were all from/in Rio. And I was appalled at two things: (1) The youth of many of the women interviewed or profiled (some of them were in their late teens); and (2) The appearance of some of the women who felt they needed surgery to improve their looks; from what I could tell, they looked ghastly, almost as if they’d been in a bad traffic accident. Yet they felt that this surgery somehow “improved” the way they look. Maybe in their eyes, but not in mine. Hey, you know what? It’s OK to look your age.

It’s not a bad thing. It’s natural, and has its own beauty. Why can’t we as a society see that? (I suspect that it’s because whole businesses/industries have built their fortunes on convincing us that we need to buy their products and/or services in order to look good, and thus be successful in life, and sadly, we’ve bought their marketing ploys. I know I did earlier in my life. I feel lucky to have moved past that phase with few external or internal scars.