Botox

That’s it. That’s the title. Why sugarcoat it? Especially when so many people are inexplicably ashamed to speak of it. Or rather, shamed into keeping mum about it all.

I got my first injections of *the toxin(s) that must not be named🙄* this birth year (aka 33). Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) first, then Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA). Why? Because I could see some of my wrinkles were going to swerve REAL HARD into canyon-like territory. Wrinkles are fine, but for ME, make skin care harder. When my glabella lines (“11’s” or “angry eyes”) are more intense, too much dirt builds up in them for me to adequately clean and care for the skin in there. Plus, I want movement and slight lines on my face! I just want to avoid them getting too deep and therefore unreasonably high-maintenance re: skin care time.

That’s the biggest myth surrounding botox. Judge Judies think those who WANT to get injections are all dysmorphic, shallow people who want to change their entire face. While those people certainly exist in the world, as told directly to me by my lovely injector (a licensed medical physician), most of the patients she sees just want a little zhuzh to our REAL FACES and/or to prevent deep wrinkles.

Oh, and the fact it’s a neurotoxin? Look, guys. Everything is chemicals; everything is chemistry. Even something as benign as hyaluronic acid can wreak havoc on skin. Clean beauty isn’t really a thing because ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), for example, IS STILL A CHEMICAL. When someone says re: Botox, “Ew, omg. You’re poisoning yourself!” remember this: alcohol is poison; cigarettes are poison; the SUN can poison you; plants can be poisonous; overly-processed foods are poison; etc. We all choose our poison(s), so the saying goes. And by the way, this toxin is simply absorbed by your muscles then metabolized out of your body through the injection sites and your liver/kidneys in mere months. No harm, no foul. Let people like what they like and do what they do (for the most part), eh?

“Botox [sticks] around in your face for six to eight months and then is directly metabolized by the body at the site of injection,” he says. “It’s processed by the liver and kidney and then eventually secreted.” -Sam Lin, a plastic surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. (Source: Boston Magazine)

You know I love/prefer a quick run down with links when it comes to the technical stuff because I am never THE expert. So you’re considering freezing those wrinkles a smidge? Go to the actual product’s website for lengthy information because they’re legally required to disclose all the things you’d hear in those fast-talking, 90’s rx commercials. RESEARCH EVERYTHING, especially shit like this. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: look for consistency in work across the board with the injector(s) you’re eyeing. Most injectors have social media; Do their pictures show they deliver great results on all different types of faces? If so, that injector is probably a safe bet. If you see ANYTHING that makes you second guess their training, trust your gut and keep shopping around. And finally… unfortunately… it must be addressed when discussing research: price. Prices are different everywhere, BUT they’re priced by unit across the board, so you should hopefully be able to find something for your budget. Word of warning: this is absolutely a “get what you pay for” scenario if there ever was one. Keep that in mind!

Once you get through the doors somewhere, ensure you will get a REAL consult. Like the licensed medical professionals actually speaking with you about YOUR desires kinda consult; you want to have a say in your own treatment because it’s your FACE! If they don’t listen or try to force you *immediately* into a procedure you’re not ready for, LEAVE! If they are trying to upsell you shit you do. not. want., LEAVE! The 50-60 units the actual pharmaceutical companies and sketchy providers will try to push on you are NOT the average for almost anyone; that fact is straight from the mouth of MY injector, who, as mentioned, is one of those licensed professionals. If your provider isn’t willing to tell you the same kind of truths especially when you ASK, LEAVE! If your injector passes all these tests (and any additional tests you personally feel are non-negotiable), then you will get exactly what you want in a fairly painless series of pinches with no downtime. (Just don’t LITERALLY take down time for 4 hours because you don’t want that shit to settle in the wrong places.)

SO after I went on my own journey through the research forest, I went in and out so impressed by my injector, the near barely-registrable pain level, the price, my results… the overall experience really. I felt cared for! And I def. was feeling myself s/p. A serious “treat yo’ self” moment that really did make me feel treated. Gotta love it.

I didn’t set my finish line there, as my intent was not only to relay back to y’all general facts and the experience itself, but the reaction of those in my life to something, as I’ve said, for which I think people are unfairly judged. So in the spirit of the science and research I attempt to inject (ha!) into this space, I decided to test my hypothesis that no one would notice my subtle procedure, therefore proving Botox is something people do not deserve to be judged for at all! Sneaky? Maybe. Necessary? I think so. Worth it? Absolutely.

I got my first round purposefully not telling some key people in my life who would see my face every day (or at least fairly frequently). Guess what? Not a single person I kept it from knew. I didn’t want to be secretive, but this was an experiment, dammit! And whatdya know? Instead of scoffs or judgmental sermons, all I got were some benign jaw drops and “oh, okay”s. Point easily proven that the negativity surrounding Botox truly is is mostly due to the mere mention of the name, not because of the results of the procedure itself.

Frankly, any further unfavorable narrative is created by the toxic “clean beauty” culture. (I understand that sounds ironic, but trust me bebes, we will GET to that subject SOON!) And I’m tired of it! I want the humans in my life to do things for themselves without other people ruining it. If it ain’t hurtin’ anyone, what’s it to ya? YEAH, lookin’ at you Gwyneth Paltrow.

All this ramblin’ is to say if the only reason you haven’t tried Botox yet is due to fear of those who will talk, hey. I’m here disclosing, and I’m here FOR YOU! Besides, you know as well as I do there will always be people who talk. About anything. For no reason. So uncool. Oy, get a hobby, right?

As for my personal plans moving forward with this injectable, I’m not gonna overdo it OR overuse it. As with anything foreign to your immune system, your body can build up antibodies against the foreign agent, creating a tolerance to the point where Botox won’t work anymore. Personally, I think that’s pretty cool, almost like your body keeping your expectations, your ego, and your wallet in check. What a time to be alive.

(P.S. Here are some more sources for information about Botox, including a new study showing it may help depression!: 1, 2, 3.)