BEFORE Val Lehman ‘I LOVE MY NEW FACE!’

The Prisoner actress debuts the results of her new facial work

Aussie acting stalwart Val Lehman recently underwent laser treatment and dermal fillers after noticing her skin was starting to sag, as she exclusively reveals to New Idea.

‘I think Bette Davis was really spot on when she said: “Getting older is not for sissies,”’ the award-winning actress says. ‘I’m now 74 and I don’t mind who knows that, but after I did I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, I lost a lot of weight and my skin started sagging. I also have another television gig coming up and it made me think about my skin. Over the years, I was never in the glamour stakes – anything I was cast in was for my acting ability not the way I looked, but all women like to look as good as they are able to.’

It was a close friend’s recommendation of a clinic in Sydney’s Dee Why that piqued Val’s interest.

‘I didn’t really want a surgical facelift. I actually had a facelift about 15 years ago. I was getting a bit saggy around the chin and I wanted to get rid of that excess [skin]. This time, I went in and had a chat to Dr Turner about what we could do without cutting me up.’

Val underwent non-surgical facial rejuvenation with fractional laser resurfacing, as well as dermal fillers to the lower eyelid, cheek region and to her lips. The results are believed to last up to six months.

‘They use a very similar laser treatment on burn patients – mine didn’t go that deep, but it’s similar – to regenerate the skin and encourage the collagen to start producing again,’ Val describes. ‘I spent my life with freckles and pigmentation. This procedure helps improve skin quality, texture and discolouration. I had a neck treatment too – it was a skin firming treatment called Velashape.

‘Dr Turner then noticed some fine lines he wanted to fill, so he did. I didn’t want anything dramatic because I think it’s a bit silly at my age, to have it all drawn up behind your ear.’

Val’s daughter Cassandra was relieved her mother was not getting another facelift.

‘My daughter threatened me and said: “Don’t you ever have another facelift,” because she gets sick to death of people asking if we are sisters. There’s only 19 years between us.’

Six weeks on, Val – who is currently ‘single but not desperate’ – is thrilled with the results and plans to visit Dr Turner in a few months for a treatment top-up.