Cosmetic Surgery Timing?

Hi friends!

I am scheduled to have a lower facelift/necklift on January 24th of this year. I did have this day elected by a astrologer I trust, and even though the day is decent, she has expressed concern about doing it at this time, as has my other astrologer friend. Both want me to wait to late 2021 which feels way too long for me. I have been obsessed with the state of my neck for YEARS (my genetics mean premature saggy necks) and I just want to fix it already!! I want it off my mind as, outside this one thing, I dont think about my appearance much.

Both havent expressed a fear of something going wrong, but more of a 'you may change your mind, give it year', which wont happen. Like I have said, this has been a constant concern for quite awhile. I assume this is because Pluto is currently conjunct my Venus and Uranus is transiting my AC.

Also they mentioned, a concern that since a heavy amount of transformation is taking place for me right now, it might be disruptive to the process. Which is not something I disagree with. A LOT is shifting.

Although I understand their advice, the money has been paid and I am not getting it back, so its either now, or early 2021.

Curious to hear additional thoughts here. I have attached the chart of the date of surgery.

PDF's aren't accessible on all devices, including mine, so I can't see your chart. However, if the only reason for having this surgery is cosmetic, you won't do yourself any harm by waiting. If this were medically necessary surgery, you would have to do it as soon as possible, pretty much regardless of the astrology, but for purely elective surgery, you can always afford to wait. If two good electional astrologers have both recommended waiting, what makes you think you'll get a different--and valid--answer in a forum populated mainly by amateurs?

If a lot of transformation is taking place for your right now, that transformation might include a shift in the way you feel about your neck. Uranus entering the first house usually means a shift in self image, or in the self you present to the world, or both.

I also think Pluto conjunct Venus is a possible indicator of something going wrong. Pluto exposes the flaws in every plan. Venus indicates beauty, and self esteem, too. If cosmetic surgery is going to mangle your looks instead of improving them, Pluto conjunct Venus is an apt time for that to happen.

It's also possible that the flaw in the plan is your belief that having a facelift and neck lift will improve your life. In reality, cosmetic surgery doesn't improve people's lives much, if at all, unless they had a genuine deformity to correct--severe facial scarring, for instance. A saggy neck, which is likely not noticed by anyone but you, is not a deformity. So, you could have your surgery, it could go exactly as it should, and you could find in the end that you still feel the same way about yourself, and nothing has really improved.

If you post your chart in an accessible format--PNG or JPEG, for instance--I can say more based on the actual chart.

Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough reply.

Lets see if this attachment works!

Oh and to answer your question: neither astrologer has warned me that something awful could happen, both feel if I wait I might change my mind, much like you were saying....but considering I have wanted this for at least 5 years now, I dont forsee that happening.

Also, the rest of 2020 is out as far as electional dates, as is the whole beginning of 2021 apparently. So waiting might mean another two years, and quite frankly, I just want it done so I can stop thinking about it!

shesupsidedown said:

I have been obsessed with the state of my neck for YEARS

Click to expand...

shesupsidedown said:

I have wanted this for at least 5 years now

Click to expand...

Have you been obsessed with your neck for five years? Or even longer?

Obsession is a Plutonian thing. Five years ago, Pluto was starting to transit your Mercury, which rules your second house (self esteem, personal values, and how you spend money) and your sixth (body, health). Now, Pluto is coming to your Venus, which rules your Taurus ascendant--and Taurus rules the neck! Typically, Taurus rising people have either a stocky build with a large beefy neck, or a long elegant neck--either way, there's something very noticeable about the neck. Fixating on the neck (mildly or majorly) is also a very Taurean thing. That might simply mean a liking for wearing necklaces or scarves to dress up your neck--but in your case, it's apparently an obsession, and not a pleasant or healthy one.

Now, Pluto is, as you noted, coming to your Venus, which rules your Taurus ascendant--neck again! Second house is also associated with the neck.

And in your natal chart, Pluto tightly squares your Sun, while Saturn in a wide orb kind of sort of makes it a t-square. Being obsessive about something to do with your sense of self is very much a Pluto/Sun thing. Saturn in opposition suggests a tendency to self criticism, and/or having received harsh criticism from others--particularly parents or other authority figures--that you've deeply internalized.

Because the Saturn opposition to your Sun and square to your Pluto is such a wide orb, I would expect Pluto to have more say here. However, your Saturn more tightly opposes your Mercury, so internalized criticism may be even more of a thing for you than just the Sun opposition would indicate.

If this obsession with your neck comes from internalized criticism, surgery isn't going to resolve that. You'll just find another excuse to get self critical.

shesupsidedown said:

So waiting might mean another two years, and quite frankly, I just want it done so I can stop thinking about it!

Click to expand...

And when you can stop thinking about it, what will you fill that gap with?

If you've been obsessed with something for so long, taking that something away won't take your obsessiveness away. I speak from experience.

Wow! What a excellent and insightful explanation!

'there's something very noticeable about the neck'
-Yes, I am I guess small boned and really slender and have a long neck that is rather noticeable as a feature.

And yes to all the rest of what you said! Ha. I have historically been rather self critical (Saturn oppose Sun), and received a ton of harsh criticism growing up, AND throughout my life have felt more valued for my external beauty then internal. That said, I have worked diligently to counteract the internal criticism, as well as to begin to put less emphasis on my appearance, but, honestly, I am not sure if I will ever completely overcome the desire to do what I can to look as good as I can within reason. Never have I gone to extremes when it comes to cosmetic surgery, nor have I even done other kinds of cosmetic shenanigans, like botox and fillers except once. I barely even wear make up. But I do care deeply about fitness and being put together. I have aged well and naturally until now... I just notice the genetic tendency for neck issues creeping in early and wanted to be proactive so I can go back to not thinking about aging much, which outside of my neck, I dont consider.

Anyway, all good things to mull over.

shesupsidedown said:

I just notice the genetic tendency for neck issues creeping in early and wanted to be proactive so I can go back to not thinking about aging much, which outside of my neck, I dont consider.

Anyway, all good things to mull over.

Click to expand...

You're 45. You've just hit your Uranus and Saturn oppositions. You will be thinking about aging now. If it's not your neck, it will be something else. 100% guaranteed. As time goes on, more aging-related issues, both real and perceived, will come up.

And if you're not actually seeing your neck sag, just worried that it will happen to you because it's happened to your family members, there's really nothing surgery can do. It's impossible to correct a "deformity" that doesn't currently exist.

I'm getting the impression that what you're doing is similar to scheduling heart surgery because you have a family history of heart attacks, even if you yourself have no cardiac issues at all. No heart surgeon would ever agree to that. But cosmetic surgery is another story. In that field, the serious money is made by operating on healthy, non-deformed individuals who suffer from nothing more than self perception issues. You're a cosmetic surgeon's dream patient.

I do feel as if I have visible aging, but I hear what you are saying and it gives me a lot to consider. I appreciate your thoughts.

I think I am going to attempt to move the date to April 2021 (since its already paid for) so I can get past these transits and have more favorable positive aspects happening...in the meantime I can do some continued work around self criticism!