Confidence Through Aging
- Actress Brooke Shields is exuding confidence and being praised as “stunning” at 59 years old—something she’s not shy to flaunt. She recently took to social media to share some photos of herself in a black-and-white two-piece swimsuit.
- It’s great to see Shields embracing her age and enjoying life, especially after coping with a skin pre-cancer diagnosis and a horrific experience where a male doctor performed a highly invasive vaginal procedure without her consent.
- “Body image is both the mental picture that you have of your body and how you feel about your body when you look in a mirror,” Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, tells SurvivorNet.
- She adds, “As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body.”
Shields took to social media to share a handle of photos of her wearing a black-and-white two-piece swimsuit, from the India Hicks X Sea Level collaboration collection.
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Earlier this year, when Shield’ new book “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old” was released on January 14, the beloved actress took to Instagram to share the news, writing, “These are my musings on being a ‘woman of a certain age’ and how I’ve never felt better or more confident than I do at 59 years old.
“I hope these words make you feel empowered, seen, and hopeful. Here’s to getting old!!”
Shields has continued to be an inspiration to other women like herself, and it’s especially remarkable to see her being so open with her aging journey.
In another post about her book, she told fans, “I hope that this book can help start a conversation about how midlife can be the prime of life… full of possibilities and excitement. It’s honest and it’s hilarious.”
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Shield’s Skin Pre-Cancer Diagnosis & The Vaginal Procedure She Underwent Without Giving Consent
Brooke Shields, a mom of two daughters, Rowan and Ever, recently spoke about her skin pre-cancer diagnosis, which followed a lot of time spend in the sun in her younger years.
Speaking to Elle back in 2021, Shields said a solar keratosis diagnosis has prompted her to take better care of her skin and inspire others to do the same.
She recounted being diagnosed with solar keratosis, also known as actinic keratosis, after her doctor removed cells from her lips during an annual check-up. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, actinic keratosis is the most common precancer that forms on skin damaged by chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and/or indoor tanning. This diagnosis puts her at a higher risk for developing skin cancer, but luckily she’s cancer-free today.
“The shocking thing to me is I am still discovering little spots that have to be checked,” she told Elle. “The spots are results from 30-40 years ago. Thank God we are still able to address this, but the idea of preventive skincare is so important.”
Looking back on how sun screen had never been a necessity in the past, she said, “I come from a generation that was never educated on the seriousness of skin cancer. I really was shockingly and admittedly embarrassingly ignorant to it. I thought, ‘I’m not going to get cancer from this, come on.'”
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Meanwhile, Shields has more recently revealed to US Weekly how a male doctor performed a highly invasive vaginal procedure without her consent.
She also wrote about this in her new memoir, saying, “I’d be lying if I said I’m not embarrassed to share this very intimate information.
“But if we are to change the way we approach and talk about women’s health, then we need to bring up the uncomfortable but very real issues.”
After deciding to have a surgical reduction of her labia done, which was recommended by her gynecologist (Shields had been having discomfort since she was a teenager), the actress was in sheer shock when her Beverly Hills plastic surgeon “informed” her that he threw in a little “bonus” … vaginal rejuvenation (vaginal tightening). An “irreversible” procedure.
“It felt like such an invasion — such a bizarre, like, rape of some kind,” she expressed, adding that the doctor seemed “legitimately proud, explained to me that he, you know, threw in a little twofer.”
Coping With Body Image Through Health Changes and Aging
Appreciating your body and all that it has accomplished is a incredible thing, just Brooke Shields continues to do. We only get one body, and we’re partners with it for life. So, why not try to love the skin you’re in?
That being said, body positivity is easier said than done. And cancer survivors or women dealing with menopause may struggle more than others during or after their cancer journeys or body changes.
Celebrity Stylist Ann Caruso on Beauty and Femininity After Cancer
Take Ann Caruso, for example. She had 12 surgeries to treat her breast cancer and told SurvivorNet about how all of the changes really impacted the way she saw her body.
“You’re not the same carefree person that you once were, and it was very hard for me to look at myself every day,” Caruso said. “It was like I was a totally different person and didn’t fit into any of my clothes for so long.”
But time is a powerful healer. Looking back on her breast cancer experience has helped her redefine femininity and body image.
“Femininity is a state of mind,” Caruso said. “And I think that’s something that we have to remind ourselves.”
Another breast cancer survivor, Jaclyn Kaczynski, had a similar experience after her diagnosis at 37.
My Confidence Was Destroyed: Dealing With Body Image During Cancer Treatment
“My confidence was gone,” she told SurvivorNet. “My confidence was destroyed. I was always vain about my appearance and my weight, let alone losing a breast, or both.”
Some people find empowerment in going “flat” after losing their breasts to the disease, but Kaczynski found confidence in reconstruction. There’s no right or wrong answer for breast cancer survivors, but it’s important to consider all your options and go forward with whatever path is best for you.
“I just had my reconstructive surgery,” she said. “My favorite doctor was able to make it happen for me. It’s amazing how much more confidence I have within the past three weeks.”
Practicing Body Positivity and Self-Acceptance
If you struggle with self-perception and body image, you should try to look at yourself in a positive light despite how difficult it may be. By practicing body positivity, you can boost your emotional well-being.
WATCH: Accepting Yourself After Cancer
Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, also has some helpful advice. She encourages people that spending time in front of the mirror can help with body image.
Although “research has found that when looking in the mirror, we are more likely to focus on the parts of our body we are dissatisfied with,” which can cause “a negative self-view and lower self-esteem,” it’s important to look at the parts of your body that you love and the parts of your body that you don’t.
Eventually, Dr. Strongin says, doing so can help you create a more accepting relationship with yourself.
“Body image is both the mental picture that you have of your body and how you feel about your body when you look in a mirror,” she said. “As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body.”
It’s important to remember there is no one definition of beauty, and following a health crisis, patients must learn to be proud of who they are and how far they’ve come inside and out.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you’re experiencing physical changes during your cancer journey, menopause, or simply aging, here are some questions you can consider asking your doctor:
- I am experiencing certain bodily changes. What exactly is causing them?
- Are there ways to manage or minimize these changes?
- I’m struggling to cope with the changes to my body. Is there someone I can talk to about it?
- Is there a social worker here who can help connect me with a therapist?
- What resources are available to help me find a local support group?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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