May made an intervention And this works

‘You really have to do something about those lip wrinkles now.’ My friend D and I visit the laser clinic on Amsterdam's Cornelis Schuytstraat twice a year for some maintenance work. Our guru is everything, but on the day when tact was handed out, she overslept. She tried to make it up. ‘It's a matter of justice. You've had beautiful, high cheekbones your whole life, and the price you have to pay for that is that you get lip wrinkles earlier.’

From that moment on, I could only zoom in on that lip wrinkle when I looked in the mirror. No matter how nice my hair looked, I focused on the downsides. I read about women who got older and looked in the mirror less often because what they saw didn't please them, and I understood them. You can somewhat influence your body with exercise and healthy eating, but the face goes its own way completely.

But there was hope, so the guru spoke. A Tixel treatment it had to be. That would stimulate my skin to renew itself. Of course, there was a waiting list. So when the day arrived, I hurried to the clinic. Even though I was struck down by a double eye infection and it seemed like I had a cold coming out of my eyes, I had to go here. I already didn't look good anyway, and besides, my poor eye situation would also make me perceive any temporary damage to my skin less. So I went. Because Wil de Smet (remember her from Goede Tijden?), that's really my nightmare. I had all sorts of questions, and maybe you do too, so I'll list them for you.

What is Tixel?

It's a laser treatment where 80 small needles shoot into a square centimeter of your skin very briefly. Those needles are heated to 400 degrees, and that gives your skin a jolt and stimulates cell renewal. That's my Tixel-for-dummies interpretation.

Does it take long?

You’re under the treatment for about half an hour.

Does it hurt?

On the upper lip, it does take a little while. But as the Americans say: ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.’

Are you presentable afterwards?

Quite so. It turned a little red, and in the days after, I felt very tiny bumps on my skin. As if you were scrubbing, but it wasn't visible. And you can just use makeup.

Can you be in the sun?

Yes, but do protect yourself well. As always, I would say.

How much does it cost?

150 euros per session, and it is recommended to schedule three sessions in a row (three weeks in a row) and then maintain it once a quarter.

Does it work?

Well, honestly, I don't really believe in miracles, but I notice that I no longer zoom in on my lip when I look in the mirror. Just because it really looks a lot better. Next week I'm going for my second session, and I'm already looking forward to it.

Am I completely satisfied now? What do you think? My gaze now drops a little further down, to my chin. Because there I have something new: teenage pimples. But that's always better than lip wrinkles.