To Botox or not to Botox… that is the question… Just kidding. There was no question… I totally Botoxed! This may come as a shock to some and not at all to others…but for me, the decision was an easy one, and I thought I’d share my experience with you!
As with all things, the experiences I share here are mine and I in no way want to persuade you to do anything that you may or may not want to do. My job is to document, share, and help you to see things from my point of view… and, if you like my point of view, I’m happy to give you my recommendations and opinions on how you can have an experience similar to mine if you so chose!
So… Let me give you a little back story here. This year I turned 34, and I swear to you the second I woke up on my birthday this year I felt like I looked older. Now, I know that most of this was probably some preconceived ideas and reservations that I had about scooting closer to 35, but nonetheless, I simply felt like I looked older.
Little things started to nag at me like my makeup not going on smoothly or the lines between my eyebrows seeming never to go away. When I would look in the mirror, I just felt a little droopy, and to be completely honest, it was starting to get to me. All in all, I just felt like I wasn’t looking like myself anymore. :/
I guess now is as good as time as any to put in my disclaimer. I am a HUGE advocate for loving yourself no matter what. I 100% believe that true self-love means that you accept yourself, your body, your quirks, and your wrinkles and never feel bad about yourself for aging.
However, and you may not agree, but that is OK… I am also a huge advocate for finding and using things that help you show up as your best self. For some, that may mean putting on makeup or highlighting your hair. For others that may mean exercising daily or taking supplements that help to shape your body the way you like. And. For quite a few of us, more than you probably think, that means getting Botox.
Part of the reason I decided to write this article is to shed some light on the whole process of getting Botox. I know so many women who use it as part of their beauty regimen who either one HIDE it or two, only talk about it with their girlfriends who also get Botox. Why though? Is it a shameful secret we should hide? Are we all trying to conceal the fact that a simple procedure is helping us to look our best?
I suppose everyone has their reasons but for me, it’s literally my job to share things with you, and I always want to be honest with you. So. Again. I 100% love myself as I am. And. I also 100% love myself with the help of a little Botox because it helps me to look and feel more confident, put together, and obviously less wrinkly. LOL.
Before and After
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OK. Let’s talk about the actual procedure. I thought it would be fun to do a little TRUE or FALSE Q&A. I know, for me, there were a lot of things that I assumed were true about Botox that just weren’t. So, if you’ve been thinking about it but have some reservations, hopefully, this will clear some things up for ya!
Also, I should mention again, that my goal is not to persuade you to get Botox. I’m just sharing what I’ve learned and have experienced!
- It HURTS (FALSE): At least for me, It didn’t hurt at all. Similar to a derma roller and way less than getting my eyebrows threaded! LOL.
- It’s RISKY (TRUE/FALSE): Getting Botox does have risks just like anything else. My best advice is to do your research and use an experienced Med Spa with a nurse or doctor on staff that you trust. Most issues with Botox come from an inexperienced injector. If you’re local, I 100% recommend Afsha at Ageless Med Spa. I had a consultation before my procedure where we went over everything including risks, expectations, before and after photos, and she answered about 2548 questions of mine! 🙂 She was amazing, and I can’t say enough good things about this spa and their staff! So amazing!
- I will look OVERDONE (FALSE): If you’ve found and are using an experienced Botox injector as I mentioned above, and you take the time to do your research, then it is very unlikely that you will look like one of those celebrities whose face looks completely different and fake. The truth is, when you see someone who is extremely overdone, there’s more going on then just Botox. It’s more likely that they’ve had other procedures combined with or in addition to their Botox injections.
- Botox can PREVENT wrinkles (TRUE): So for me, I didn’t have a lot of resting wrinkles. Meaning, unless I was smiling really big, frowning, or being really expressive, you couldn’t see my wrinkles. A common misconception is that you should wait until you have visible wrinkles to start Botox… but, it’s much easier to control or prevent future wrinkles by getting Botox as a preventative procedure. Everyone’s skin is different, so the best thing to do is to go in for a consultation. Things like lifestyle choices, heredity, and how expressive you are can all affect the number of wrinkles you’ll have as well as at what age they will become noticeable. As I said, for me, at 34, I just started noticing them so I decided that I would go the preventative route.
- There’s only one kind of BOTOX (FALSE): There’s actually a couple of different brands available in the US, and each Dr. or Spa has his or her preference. I’ve done the most research on Botox Cosmetic, and it’s the only brand I would recommend as it’s the only one that I’ve used! When I started doing my research, most of the people I talked to recommended Botox Cosmetic so I went with that! The other two brands are Dysport and Xeomin, but as I said, I’ve only used Botox Cosmetic.
- It’s Expensive (Um.. Depends!): So Botox is sold by the unit, and the number of units needed depends on your goals, how deep your wrinkles are currently, and the plan you and your Dr. agree upon. The cost of 1 unit also varies from place to place so you’ll again need to do your research. I will tell you that the cheapest option is not likely to be the best option. As Botox becomes more mainstream, it is being provided by more and more spas and clinics. As with anything else, you’re going to get what you pay for, so it’s best to choose a place that you trust, has excellent reviews, and has a someone on staff that is an expert in injectables. Like I said above, I highly recommend Afsha at Ageless Med Spa. She’s been doing injectibles for 12 years, has an excellent record, and extensive happy client list! Something else to consider if you’re contemplating having Botox done is that most Med Spas offer Holiday specials! Ageless has graciously given me permission to offer my readers an exclusive Holiday discount!
Check out the Specials Below!
# ONE: Have a few girlfriends who may want to get Botox with you?! If you host a Holiday Party at Ageless this Holiday season with 7-10 friends, including you, YOU, the host will receive 50 units of BOTOX Cosmetic for FREE! 🙂 Ageless will even provide the champagne! Whoop!
(Psst! 50 units are what I got for my procedure!) Be sure to tell them you were referred by TaraCarr.Com
OR
# TWO: Want to keep things low key and all about you?!? That’s totally cool too! If you make an appointment in November and tell them you were referred by TaraCarr.Com, you’ll get your Botox at $11/unit! 🙂 That’s a fantastic deal Y’all!
Alright! I’m gonna wrap this thing up but as always feel free to DM me if you have any specific questions or are wanting help throwing a Holiday party at Ageless! Again, I want to say that BOTOX is not for everyone and that is 100% ok and!! I totally respect your decision to do it or not to do it! I hope that you found value in this article either way, that you love yourself with or without those wrinkles, and that you find zero shame in doing things that help you feel like the best version of YOU! 🙂
