A 60-year-old woman who flew nearly 3,000 miles for a £10,000 face lift has revealed trolls have been “brutal” about her “swollen face” as she recovers.
Penelope Little travelled overseas for the procedure after feeling her appearance no longer reflected how she felt inside, as reported by Need To Know.
She had spent years considering the surgery before finally going ahead with it, despite fears about undergoing such a major operation later in life and in another country.
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Now, as she continues to heal, she says the reaction online has been mixed – with some cruel comments adding to an already emotional process.
She said: “It’s been mixed, to be honest.
“Because of the swelling – especially on one side – the reactions haven’t all been positive.
“Online, people can be quite brutal.
“When someone is behind a keyboard, they say things they would never say to your face.”
On the reasoning behind undergoing surgery, Penelope said: “It wasn’t one single moment – it built up over time.
“I didn’t wake up one day hating how I looked but I started to feel like the person in the mirror didn’t match how I felt inside.
“I still feel active, curious, and excited about life, especially living in Japan and starting something new, but my face was starting to look tired and older than I felt.”
Turning 60 proved to be a turning point in Penelope’s decision.
She said: “For me, it wasn’t about chasing youth or trying to look 30 again.
“It was more about feeling like myself again.
“I wanted my outside to reflect the energy I still have.
“Turning 60 made me realise I still have a lot of life ahead and I didn’t want to feel like I was fading into the background.”
Penelope eventually decided to travel abroad for the operation, paying around NZ$23,000 (around £10,000), after previously trusting the same provider for weight-loss surgery.
She said: “I went there for my bariatric surgery because they had great experience and it was cheaper than New Zealand and better care.
“From the bariatric surgery in October 2024 I have lost 40kg+.”
Despite carefully researching the procedure, she admitted she was wracked with nerves beforehand.
She said: “Absolutely. Surgery is a big decision, especially at my age and being in another country.
“There were moments where I questioned myself and wondered if I was being a bit crazy.
“The biggest doubts were around, ‘What if it goes wrong?’, or, ‘What if I don’t look like myself anymore?’.
“That fear is very real.”
But after committing, Penelope says she felt calm and has no regrets.
She said: “Probably just before the operation I questioned myself about what I was doing.
“But no regrets afterwards.”
Her daughter supported the decision from the start, while others were more surprised.
She said: “My daughter was really supportive from the beginning, which made a big difference.
“I didn’t tell all of my family beforehand… some of them can be quite judgmental and I didn’t want that noise influencing my decision.
“My friends were more surprised than anything – a lot of ‘really?’ reactions.”
Now recovering, Penelope says the reality of the aftermath has been far from straightforward.
She said: “Right now, it’s mixed emotions.
“It’s still early days, and there’s still swelling, especially on one side of my face, so I don’t feel like I’m seeing the final result yet.
“Some days I look and feel hopeful, and other days I’m not sure how I feel.
“That uncertainty is probably the hardest part.”
She says the so-called “in-between stage” is something people rarely talk about.
Penelope added: “You go into something like this expecting a clear ‘after’, but the reality is it’s a process.
“You’re healing, you’re adjusting, and you’re trying to be patient with something very visible.
“I’m not fully at the point where I can say I’m completely happy yet, but I’m also aware that it’s not the final outcome.”
Despite this, she says she is focusing on the positives.
She said: “At the same time, there have been supportive comments as well and I try to focus on those.
“But the reality is, putting yourself out there means opening yourself up to both sides.”
Her recovery has also been complicated after she suffered an injury.
Penelope said: “I broke my ankle and tore ligaments and tendons when I fell over.
“It has slowed my recovery and made it extremely difficult back in Japan to go to school.
“I’ll be in a wheelchair for at least two months, so now navigating Tokyo in a wheelchair.”
Originally from New Zealand, she is living in Tokyo as a language student.
Penelope said: “I wanted to show the raw truth about getting cosmetic surgery and explain the process.
“I didn’t realise so many people would be interested.”
She says the experience has ultimately taught her an important lesson.
She said: “More than anything, it’s shown me that confidence has to come from yourself.
“You can’t rely on other people’s reactions, because they will always be mixed.”
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Fat and tissue removed during Penelope Little’s facelift procedure in Thailand, shown following surgery. (Jam Press/@pennieinjapan)
Fat and tissue removed during Penelope Little’s facelift procedure in Thailand. (Jam Press/@pennieinjapan)
