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Ageless Attitude
Lila Rayle reveals the life-changing results from her Indianapolis Woman Dream Makeover

By Lindsay Eichelman
Photos by Harold Lee Miller
Photographed on location at the Estridge model home in the Village of WestClay.
Hair and makeup by Marcy J Salon. Clothing courtesy Escapades Boutique.

Click here for Lila's Reveal Party photos
The transformation of Lila Rayle starts with sharing the good news with her granddaughter, Hailee Rayle, and son, Todd Rayle, (from top); and evolves with dental work by Dr. Jack Nicewander, and a consultation with Dr. Catherine Winslow, who later performs a facelift and rhinoplasty

Lila Rayle took away a lot more than a great new look after winning Indianapolis Woman's 2007 Dream Makeover. She gained an incredibly invaluable lesson: Persistence pays off.

Although chosen as a finalist two years ago, Rayle never actually believed she would be the winner in the fourth annual Indianapolis Woman Dream Makeover. Yet, she decided to enter a second time after being encouraged to do so by friends.

As she got closer and closer to the possibility of winning, Rayle still had a hard time believing that her dream could be realized.

"I was shocked to be chosen as one of the 26 semifinalists and then as one of the 10 finalists," Rayle recalls.

"Even after I gave my speech at the luncheon, I told my son, 'This is so silly. I don't have a chance,'" she recalls of the final stages of the selection procedure. "You really don't believe it's true until the process actually begins."

The process Rayle speaks of is a transforming makeover that included several cosmetic procedures, skin rejuvenation, permanent makeup application, a fitness program, a nutrition evaluation, laser hair removal and hair styling and makeup.

All of the elements of the Dream Makeover definitely made a difference, Rayle says.

However, she adds, she never felt as if she lost a sense of herself.

Now whenever she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Rayle feels her image better reflects what she feels on the inside. "I like what I see," Rayle says. "I don't look totally different - just a little more refreshed and a lot younger.

"I enjoy the fact that people still recognize me," she adds.

New perspective

The journey to winning the Dream Makeover followed many years in which Rayle had little time to focus on herself, let alone her image.

As the sole supporter of her son, Rayle managed to work two jobs and attend night school so that she could eventually earn her bachelor's and master's degrees. The hard work paid off, with Rayle gaining a series of promotions that took her from a position as a clerk typist to an accountant at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Center, where she has worked for more than 30 years.

In addition, Rayle found the time to help take care of her parents, who were both battling cancer, during the last years of their lives and be a constant in the lives of her four granddaughters.

Rayle doesn't have any regrets. She says life has been full of blessings - a good church, a loving family and a good job.

Yet, she did believe there always was room for improvement.

Rayle had entertained the idea of undergoing cosmetic surgery and other physical maintenance as a way to battle age - long before she felt a need for it. She was in her 30s, she recalls, when she predicted she would consider cosmetic surgery when she got older.

Even then, long before cosmetic surgery became commonplace among noncelebrities, Rayle had the philosophy that women deserve to look as young as they feel. And if cosmetic surgery was an option, she was all for it.

At 58, Rayle believed the timing was right for a physical transformation. As an older employee in the midst of a younger workforce, she believed a fresher look could give her a more competitive edge.

"I do think you don't want to look like the grandma of the group," she says. "Sometimes people might have a perception that you're too old for a job."

Winning the prize

When the Dream Makeover process began, Rayle thought she knew what to expect.

However, the experience turned out to be much better than her perceptions. The surgery was less painful than she expected and her recovery time didn't take as long as she had anticipated, she says.

"There were times I was uncomfortable, but never in real pain," she says.

At every level, Rayle says, the Dream Makeover exceeded her expectations.

The biggest surprise, however, was the extra care that all the members of the Dream Team provided.

"With Dr. Winslow and Dr. Nicewander I always felt like their No. 1 patient," Rayle says. "I can see this is the way they treat all of their patients. I have received unbelievable care."

An extra bonus was that transformation that occurred within - a change in perspective, Rayle says.

"I've always been health conscious, but this has broadened my awareness of my body and my vision of being healthy," she says. "I am more energetic now. I have the motivation to continue and improve on a healthy lifestyle."

Looking back on the five months that have led up to her debut, Rayle says she's grateful for the opportunity to both look and feel different.

"This has been a really joyful experience," she says.

The Dream Team

As part of her makeover, Lila Rayle received an outfit courtesy of Escapades Boutique and a new hairstyle by Marcy J Salon.

Nearly a year ago, a group of talented professionals came together to form the Indianapolis Woman Dream Team for 2007. Each person agreed to donate their time, services and products to transform one lucky woman's life.

Hundreds of entries were received and after many hours of review, 26 semifinalists were chosen to spend a day at Winslow Facial Plastic Surgery. During this stage of the selection process, Dr. Catherine Winslow, a cosmetic surgeon, and Dr. Jack Nicewander, a cosmetic dentist, evaluated each woman. They also were pampered by Winslow's aesthetics staff.

The field was then narrowed to 10 finalists.

Dr. Sarah Sears, a board-certified internal medicine physician with St. Vincent Physician Network, then took on the task of evaluating each finalist and her health to make sure she could undergo surgery.

The evaluation included studying each finalist's medical history, including previous surgeries and surgical complications, use of medications, and detection of heart and lung problems, all of which can complicate the surgery process.

"Surgery is stress on the body," Sears says. "A preoperation physical allows the doctor to maximize medications and identify any risk for this stress. The goal of the preoperation physical is to review the patient's medical history and combine it with a thorough exam. This hopefully minimizes complications."

Sears says she was happy to be involved in the process.

"I was honored to perform the pre-operation physicals," she says. "The women were so kind and their stories were so interesting."

Once Sears signed off on the health of all 10 finalists, they were invited with their families and friends to attend the finalists' luncheon where they each shared their story with a panel of celebrity judges and each other.

WISH-TV news anchor Deanna Dewberry served as mistress of ceremonies. After much deliberation, WTHR-13 news anchor Anne Marie Tiernon, WIBC radio personality Terri Stacy, and Helen Wells, founder and owner of the Helen Wells Agency, chose Lila Rayle as the fourth annual Indianapolis Woman Dream Makeover winner. The three judges indicated they were impressed with her resilience in the process and with the steps she had already taken to improve her health and appearance.

Cosmetic surgery

Dr. Catherine Winslow and her team at Winslow Facial Plastic Surgery performed two major surgeries on Rayle, each under general anesthesia to aid in a quick recovery. The first included a rhinoplasty and brow lift. When Rayle was younger, she hated her nose.

As she grew older she realized her physical features provided a tie to her family and to who she was. "This is my father's nose, my brother's nose, my son's nose, my granddaughter's nose," she said in her application. "I don't want to lose that family tie. I just want to look a little fresher, less tired and just a little younger."

In order to avoid compromising Rayle's results and maximize healing time, the second surgery was performed a week later. This surgery focused on facial enhancements with a full face lift, eye work and the use of some injectable fillers.

"Rayle was a fun patient," Winslow says. "She never struck me as nervous, just gung ho. She had a strong sense of what she wanted to accomplish and has been very involved in her care as an active participant.

"Being able to give back to the enhancement of someone's self-esteem is so fulfilling," Winslow says. "It has been wonderful to see the light in Lila's eyes get brighter and brighter with each visit."

The aesthetics team at Winslow Facial Plastic Surgery also aided in Rayle's new look with permanent makeup application and a skin care program. Kate Chu applied permanent eyeliner on Rayle's upper and lower lash lines, as well as permanent brow makeup.

Kyle Ballard, aesthetics director, started Rayle on a program that includes cleansing and use of a gentle hydration healing cream containing antioxidants in the morning and the evening. Rayle also applies a cream containing SPF 30 in the morning and uses Tretinoin, a nightly renewal cream each evening. Rayle finishes her skin care routine with Jan Marini's Age Intervention Hair and Eyelash conditioners each day.

Dentistry

Dr. Jack Nicewander performed Rayle's cosmetic dental work, which included about 18 hours in the dental chair.

"As with any adult, her teeth were starting to look worn," Nicewander says. "Generally she felt her teeth were showing her age and she didn't like that."

The initial evaluation of Rayle's smile showed a few crooked teeth, discoloration and general wear.

After several visits to the office, Rayle emerged with a beautiful smile, comprised of a combination of porcelain veneers and crowns on her upper and lower teeth.

Nicewander is quick to point out that this would not have been possible without the hard work of his team and Keith Kamin of Kamin Dental Laboratory, who crafted all of Rayle's veneers and crowns.

"Lila is every doctor's dream," Nicewander says. "She didn't complain about anything and was very appreciative. It's exciting to help someone who is so deserving, and it makes you feel good to watch the whole process take place."

Fitness

As part of the winner's package, Rayle worked out about five hours a week at Mindful Movement Studio. Her fitness routine included group reformer Pilates classes, individual Pilates sessions, yoga and Zumba classes. Pilates, which utilizes weight-bearing and flexibility exercises to increase strength, flexibility and posture, accounted for most of Rayle's time at the studio.

"Pilates does a whole body therapy to improve posture," says Miriam Resnick, owner of Mindful Movement. "Every day we are working with or against gravity. Pilates exercise, over time, will improve your ability to stand up against gravity."

Prior to her sessions at Mindful Movement, Rayle was not exercising regularly.

The exercises at the studio helped increase her energy level, Rayle says, prompting her to keep up with the fitness routine and attempt to add more cardiovascular exercise to increase weight loss.

The changes she already has seen in her body have provided plenty of motivation.

"I was told when I began that Pilates would cause me to gain height and I didn't believe it," Rayle says. "I have gained 3?^4 of an inch in height. I have lengthened my spine and carry myself differently. How cool is that?"

For Resnick, working with Rayle has been fun. "I view myself as a teacher, not a trainer," she says. "What gives me such great pleasure is to take Lila, who has not taken time for herself, and help her learn about Pilates and about her body."

Nutrition

Another component of the winner's package was a complimentary consultation with Health and Nutrition Technology, an organization dedicated to health and weight management.

Registered dietitian and program director Sheila Henson met with Rayle one-on-one to discuss current eating habits and long-term goals. Rayle was then provided with a detailed overview of the diet choices that could be made to improve her nutrition and promote healthy eating habits.

The Health and Nutrition Technology team indicated that Rayle's diet was on track and that she simply needed to add an exercise program that included cardiovascular activity.

Rayle plans to continue adhering to her healthy diet and exercise program and hopes to lose 15 to 20 pounds.

Hair and makeup

A complete hair and makeup transformation was created by Marcy McCullough, owner of Marcy J Salon, an Aveda Concept Salon. Rayle was treated to a cut and color, using a double color blend technique.

McCullough updated Rayle's look by shortening her hair and adding layers, as well as softening up the color.

In addition to a new hairstyle, Rayle also received a new eyebrow design created by waxing, along with eyelash implants to fill out her lashes. McCullough used Aveda Petal Essence makeup in soft natural tones to bring out the beauty of Rayle's skin.

"Lila has been great to work with," McCullough says. "She's just really easy-going and pleasant. She knew she wanted this, and once you feel good about yourself it is expressed in everything - including the way you look."

Wardrobe

Escapades Boutique, an upscale women's clothing store that specializes in separates from casual to dressy, jewelry and accessories, provided the clothing included in the prize package.

The boutique helped Rayle find the perfect outfit for her reveal party - a dress and shrug by Joseph Ribcoff with accessories to match.

Cheryl Pearson, owner of Escapades Boutique, enjoyed being a part of the Dream Team. "This has been a fun way to help create an experience for somebody who was really looking for a change," she says.

"I suggested she work more with color," Pearson adds. "She brightens up so much with color next to her face. I also suggested that she choose jackets - which always work to make an outfit look more finished. Jackets can bring versatility to a wardrobe while also providing a sophisticated finishing touch."

During Rayle's reveal ceremony, Kaye Simmons, store manager at Andrews Jewelers' Clay Terrace location, presented her with a one-carat loose diamond.

Laser hair removal

United Laser Clinics, which specializes in laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation, arranged for Rayle to undergo laser hair removal at their Carmel location. Her package focused on body hair removal and served as a finishing touch to her physical transformation.

Getaways

To help her enjoy her transformation even more, Rayle was given a rejuvenating weekend getaway at the Villa Inn Restaurant and Spa in the historic district of the Old Northside. The wellness package includes a two-night stay, complete with meals and snacks, unlimited fitness classes and a one-hour Swedish massage.

Rayle also was awarded a weekend getaway at the Canterbury Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The package includes dinner, suite accommodations and a carriage ride.

Other partners and sponsors

The Omni Severin hotel in downtown Indianapolis provided an excellent backdrop for the various Dream Makeover events. Finalists and their guests enjoyed a tantalizing menu at the Indianapolis Woman Dream Makeover finalists' luncheon presented by the Omni Severin.

Kahlua served as the presenting sponsor for the Indianapolis Woman Dream Makeover Reveal Party at the Omni Severin Hotel. In addition to being involved in Rayle's reveal, Kahlua also engaged readers in the event by hosting a Kahlua drink recipe contest. The winner of this contest had their recipe featured as the signature drink at the party. The winning entry is published in this issue of Indianapolis Woman.