Written by: Kristan Braziel LeBeron, Loyal Patient of L-Aesthetics & Longevity
Years ago, a friend of mine – in her 30’s at the time – told me as she was looking in her compact mirror, tugging at the skin of her forehead, that she was behind on getting in for Botox injections. “What? Why would you do that? You don’t need Botox!” Her forehead was smooth, and she had just the very faintest of lines between her eyes. She was the picture of youth, but naturally so.
She told me she’d been getting Botox for years, and that that was the reason she looked like she didn’t need it. “You get it before you need it,” she told me, “because you want to stop the lines from forming in the first place.”
Soon after that conversation, I visited an injector for Botox of my own, and I’ve never looked back.
I have hooded eyes, which means I have a strong brow bone and deep-set crease in my eyelid. As I’ve aged – I’m 51, now, gravity has forced that brow and eyelid skin to drop lower and lower, almost concealing my eyelid completely, making me look like the Angry Cat meme.
With Botox, the injector administers the product strategically to give me a tiny bit of a brow lift, opening my eyes a bit, giving me a brighter, more “awake” appearance. But there are so many other ways Botox can be used to give a more youthful look by smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, and preventing new ones from forming.
Here’s what to know about getting Botox:
It Is Temporary
My injector, L Aesthetics & Longevity’s Josh Iffla, stands firmly in his recommendation of getting injections every three months for the most benefit. I’ve tried stretching this out and going as long as five to six months out, but the longer I went, the angrier I looked, thanks to my “11’s” – the two deep, vertical lines between my eyes that make me look like I’m scowling at the world.
It Doesn’t Hurt
Some people disagree with this, but I’m telling you that I have the wimpiest pain tolerance you possibly have ever seen, and these injections are nothing to me. The needles are tiny and the injections are fast.
It Won’t Make You Look Frozen
Your injector works hard to help you have a natural look. It isn’t good for business for them to let you walk away with facial features that are frozen in place. Do your research and make your appointment with an injector who is trained and experienced.
It Is Safe
Botox is a brand name for the purified form of botulinum toxin – which sounds terrible. And while there are risks to any type of treatment, Botox is not only safe when administered by a trained professional, it is also FDA Approved.
If you’d like to see the process in action, you can watch this video for a play-by-play. And if you’re thinking about getting Botox, my first suggestion is to reach out to a well-respected cosmetic center or medspa to ask questions or schedule a consultation.
About the author:
Freelance writer and marketing specialist, Kristan Braziel writes about mental health and the messy imperfection of parenting older kids on her blog, Bring Mommy A Martini. Her work has also been featured on Huffington Post, BlogHer, Mock Mom, and Austin Moms, where she is a regular contributor.