The author gets injected
I had been intrigued at the idea of trying botox the moment it became a phenomena in the US. I was in my mid-20’s and not in need of a fix, afraid of needles and not in the financial situation to try it out even if I had needed it, but I always thought it would be something I would consider trying when the time was right.
Fast forward to me at age 31. I still don’t need need botox. But I am very interested in the idea of using botox in limited amounts to prevent the onset of wrinkling. I am fair skinned, already have some wrinkles (thanks to burns from the sun, furrowing my face, and genetic blessings) and after reading* about how using botox as a preventative is common practice among young (late-20s to early-30s) dermatologists in the US, thought it might be something worth checking out.
Wrinkle Prevention
That an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is an idea I wholeheartedly subscribe to. It is recommended that botox users receive injections no more than every three months. In conjunction with my other research on using botox as a preventative, I read that one could get the injections every 8 or 9 months, thus saving money and getting longer lasting results by starting before the wrinkles were deep and permanent.
The article I read in Oprah quoted a 39 year old dermotologist saying,
“I’ve been getting Botox in my frown lines since I was 28. Even at that age, after years of reading and studying and concentrating, I had pretty deep furrows. At first I did it every four months; now I only need it every six. I really believe Botox helps prevent lines from getting deeper, or even forming in the first place.”
And every single one of the dermatologists interviewed in the article used botox in some limited manner.
Botox Buddy
What I needed to go from just thinking about it to just doing it was an accomplice and a recommendation. An accomplice to go first, so I could deal with my fear of the procedure. That is where my friend J (hereafter “botox buddy”) stepped in and facilitated this new experiment.
I also needed a recommendation of where to go, because I understand that the injection of the botox is the most important part of the procedure. Quality varies depending on clinic. And the person administering the toxin needs to understand the muscle structure of the face and how injections into certain muscles will impact the outcome.
Learning that Botox Buddy did botox (she first tried botox with a physician’s referral as a way to mitigate severe headaches, only later did she discover the delight of having a smooth, un-furrowed brow) and had a good clinic in mind, we made twin appointments, allowing me to be in the room with her before my turn came up. I got to watch her go first, and she was able to share all of the information I wanted so that I would not be so afraid that I would back out.
The Injections – what to expect
The picture featured above is me just before I received my injections. The white dots signify the injection sites – I had six in all. Botox Buddy had seven, which the nurse who was administering the botox said was the usual number.
Before it was my turn on the table, my botox buddy told me of the popping sound I would hear when the needle pierced my skin. That’s right – popping. Apparently that is the noise our muscle makes when punctured, and since the injection is in our face, we can actually hear it while it is being done. Without knowing that I might have been more afraid. But I was expecting it, so it was fine.
Botox Buddy also told me about the stinging feeling that comes with the injection. The stinging felt more acute in certain locations that others. The injections near my hairline were the most painful, although the pain was tolerable. The rest were not too stingy. And the discomfort lasted a very short time.
After the injections there were some visible welts, but they subsided within the hour. It was possible to show our faces in public within minutes of the procedure. I could still move my face afterwards, because the affect sets in slowly. It took three days to see my forehead become smoother, but over one week for my forehead to fully set.
Pre-Botox Fears
I had a number of fears leading up to my procedure. Would I be able to move my face? Would I look emotionless? Would I be endangering my health by willfully injecting a poison into my body? What about the side affects?
Face Paralyzation
One thing I had been worried about was not being able to move my face. When I put on mascara I lift my forehead to make space for the wand. How would I do that post-botox? I needn’t have worried, because this is the strange truth – you can still MOVE your face after you have had botox. You just cannot move it into a wrinkle! That is because there are so many muscles responsible for facial movement, and the botox only paralyzes the ones injected, i.e. the ones causing your face to wrinkle.
Toxins can’t be good for you
I also wondered if it wasn’t bad to be injecting a known deadly toxin into my face on purpose. Researching the science of how the botulism toxins block the signals that would normally tell your facial muscles to contract helped quell my
fears in that area. If the smallest amount of the toxin required to have the desired effect is injected into a specific muscle, the risk of it spreading is very minimal. Everything in the right dose is poison, after all. In fact, the amount used is so small that it is considered a very safe procedure. Of course all procedures have risks, so it is important to be informed before making any decision.
Side-affects
The other fear I had was that my eyelids would get heavier. There is a genetic trait in my family towards heavy eyelids, and I have noticed mine getting heavier over the past year. I have read conflicting reports on how botox can lift your brow, as well as how it can give you droopy eyes as well. My treatement left me with slightly heavier eyelids, which is a disappointment. My sister noticed it, but no one else seems to (including my botox buddy, J), or my boyfriend. She could just be being nice, and he could just be playing dumb. Difficult to know. The point is that it is not so different as to be problematic. Next time I go in, i will enquire about injections to lift that area. Maybe there is a way, but it did not mesh with the treatment I had asked for.
Result
The procedure was not as scary or painful as I had anticipated and the result is very good overall. I would definitely do it again. I am looking forward to the widespread availability of Reloxin, a chemical cousin to Botox. This is expected to bring prices down.
* In Oprah magazine there was an article interviewing female dermatologists and plastic surgeons asking them what they would, and wouldn’t do, to maintain their looks. All of them used well-placed botox. None of them looked fake. You can read that article here: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/beauty_skinbody_200611_skin
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