"Don't judge me but... I'm ageing gracefully, except for the plastic surgery."

I’m finally doing it.

I’ve always hated my chin. It is really small and it makes my entire face look unbalanced. The rest of my face is okay.

So I’m getting a chin implant. I’m 43.

You may wonder why I’m doing this later in life and the simple answer is that I’m just sick and tired of not being pretty. I want to look in the mirror and like what I see. Plus, we can afford it now, sort of. I’m going to use almost $10,000 of our emergency savings on the procedure. We’ll have some savings left, but not much.

I just really really want to get it done.

The only real concern I have is that my kids might get upset because I look different. Will they recognise me? Will they be the same around me? I'm also a little concerned at how my plastic surgery will affect my daughter. What message am I sending her by changing my face?

They are the only real concerns I have, but I'm still going to do it. I'll just have to be careful.

I have a great doctor who is giving me advice on how to help them through it. It turns out I'm not the only patient getting belated plastic surgery and worried about how my kids will react. He's going to give me a photo of what my face will look like after the chin implant to give to them so they can get used to it.

The only thing is that my friends and family are divided on my decision. My husband is fully supportive. He knows how much my chin, or lack thereof, bothers me. But my mum is horrified. She thinks I'm messing with nature. My older sister thinks I have self esteem issues and should spend the money on therapy instead.

But my younger sister and most of my friends are fully supportive. They understand that getting my chin done is a gift to myself. I've given so much of myself to everyone else in my family. This is just one little thing that I want for myself.

I'm not the first of my friends to do something like this. My friend flew to Thailand with her mum. She wanted to get a mummy tuck - breast lift and tummy tuck - to get back what she'd lost having kids.

If we really want to do it and we can afford to do it, why not? I wouldn't go into debt to get my chin done, but I'd totally understand someone's decision to do it this way.

My life is perfect. I'm still in love with my husband, my children are amazing, I live in a beautiful home and we don't have to many money concerns aside for the usual - our mortgage and trying to save for our next holiday. I just really want to get this done.

I just wish I'd done it 20 years ago.

So, should I do it? Is it selfish to spend so much money on plastic surgery? 

If, like this reader, you have a dilemma that you would like advice about, please email info@themotherish.com with Don’t Judge Me in the subject field. You will be contacted before publication, and your identity will be protected.

Want more? Try:

Ageing sucks, even when you're 3.

New wedding craze that involves plastic surgery on an unlikely place.

Follow iVillage on Facebook

When you become a parent, you don't leave your brain in the delivery suite. That's why mothers with kids of all ages come to themotherish.com; because they're still interested in news about entertainment, health, current affairs and food along with an inspiring and useful stream of parenting advice and support.

Most importantly, they come because they want to hear personal stories of parenting directly from other mothers, without fear of judgement.

[iv-signup-form]