BEYOND BEAUTY: BOTOX
MY FIRST TIME & WHY I STARTED:
Following my breast augmentation, at one of my checkups, my physician pointed out that I had a prominent line forming across my forehead from raising my eyebrows. She said, "You know we can fix that, right?"
Well, yes, I knew that, but I was only 26 at the time.
Botox was something I had taken an interest in after having a facial in Houston:
My facialist had gorgeous skin and in my opinion, didn't look older than maybe mid-thirties. She mentioned how her children were in high school and college, and I (in shock) had to ask how old she was.
SHE WAS 51.
I had to know her secrets. She told me this: "I drink lots of water, use great skincare products... and started Botox when I was 23."
...K, well that would explain it.
She had started so young as a "preventative measure" and explained that when you start younger, you end up needing much less overtime because instead of trying to treat an existing wrinkle, you just aren't allowing them to form.
Makes sense, right?
So, when my doctor said she could 'fix' the forehead crease I was forming, I was intrigued but wasn't really wanting to shell out a few hundred dollars on something 'preventative.' But, that is where Brilliant Distinctions was introduced to me. Brilliant Distinctions is a rewards program by Allergan (the makers of things like fake boobs and injectables like Botox). The program is AMAZING. You spend money on procedures? You earn money back toward procedures (among other things). So, because I had purchased a set of boobies, my first round of Botox would be free. YEP. FREE. So, I did it. Dr. Kim injected 20 units of Botox into my forehead on the spot. Within a week, my forehead line was gone.
Of course I loved the look of my super smooth forehead, but was I thinking of getting it done again? Not at first. Like I said, for something preventative, it seemed a little too extra for even me at the time.
Fast forward to about a year later. I began getting nasty tension headaches. I quickly came to the realization that it wasn't that I was getting headaches, but instead, that I hadn't had a tension headache in almost a year-- all thanks to Botox. So, I scheduled an appointment for another round.
I've been getting Botox treatments now for roughly 3 years and I could not be happier with the results.
Q+A:
Q: What is Botox?
A: An injectable "toxin" (don't freak out by hearing that word) that temporarily "paralyzes" (again, don't freak out) the injected area. Botox blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. The injected muscle can no longer contract, which causes the wrinkles to relax and soften.
PLEASE NOTE: Botox & Fillers ARE NOT THE SAME THINGS. If you are looking to get 'lip injections' to try to look like Kylie Jenner, this isn't what you are looking for. It baffles me that people still think these are the same.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: In my opinion, no, not even a little. If you can handle a shot, you can 100% handle this.
Q: Is there any bruising/swelling?
A: This is totally dependent on you personally. For me, no. I will sometimes get some small "bug bite" type bumps at the injection site, but they go away in about 10 minutes. But, like I said, this depends on your body (and how you prep for your treatment). A friend of mine turns super red and her bumps last an hour or two, and a former boss of mine used to get some light bruising when they would treat her eye area. In reality, it's all very minor even in the worst cases.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: This is dependent on where you live, who you see, and what specials they may be running at the time. There always seems to be specials on Botox because it is a very popular service. On average though, I have paid anywhere from $9 to $13 per unit (specials/deals included).
Q: Where do you go?
A: Honestly, I have gone to multiple places for botox. While it's extremely important to see someone who "knows their shit," in my opinion, it's easier to find with botox because it is such a popular service. The last time I got botox, I went to see Chelsea at Julia James Salon in Pittsburgh. I love her (she does my lips as well). I have also gotten botox at SGK Plastic Surgery in the Woodlands, TX, River Oaks Medi Spa in Houston, and Blair Plastic Surgery in State College. I haven't had anything done yet in Nashville, but I will keep y'all posted with recommendations in Nash!
Q: How many units do you get? What do you get done?
A: Like I said, I personally started with 20 units, which was plenty to treat my forehead line. Typically, "layering" treatments (treating specific areas every other time) keeps me within the 20 unit per treatment range.
Q: How long to see results?
A: I normally can see results about 3 days to a week after the treatment.
Q: How long does it last?
A: This really depends on the muscle being treated itself and how much it is used, in addition to how your own body breaks down the actives.
Q: Do you feel frozen? Can you move your face? Can you still make expressions?
A: The only time I ever felt "frozen" was the very first time because I had never felt anything like that. But that feeling quickly subsides, and you can absolutely still make facial expressions, move your face, etc. Do y'all honestly think I would get botox if I couldn't kill a bitch with a look? Hard pass.
B+A
We did a very subtle treatment to my forehead and then a brow lift. You can see in the side view pictures that the tail end of my brow and arch are lifted.
