After I turned 30, I really started to see changes in my skin and hair. I noticed a few grays here and a few wrinkles there. It never really bothered me because I know I’m a very expressive person. On any day of the week, you’ll see me waving at kids during car-duty and making silly faces with the kindergarteners. My face never slows down, and it shows.
Eventually, I noticed something annoying. My makeup likes to settle in the deep lines of my forehead. I decided to save a little bit of money and try Botox — just once — just to see if I liked it.
Before you start clutching your pearls, hear this: If you wear makeup, color your hair, get your nails done, or alter your appearance in any way, you are no different from me. Women spend money on their appearance in all sorts of ways. It’s no big deal. We should feel empowered to talk about it.
I want to share about my experience in case any other moms are thinking about it.
What does it do?
It basically causes your muscles to lay down and rest for a few months. This results in less movement and improvement with fine lines and wrinkles. A couple of weeks after my forehead was treated, I noticed my makeup went on so smoothly near my forehead and I wasn’t dealing with lines anymore.
Does it hurt?
Not gonna lie; it’s a needle in your skin, so it does hurt a little. Pain-wise, it’s no different than a wax. It stings a little, and then boom — it’s over!
Is it expensive?
Not really. The cost breakdown looks like this: it’s usually $10-14 per unit (but some places run monthly specials!). It takes about 20 units for the eyebrow area, forehead up to 20 units, about 24 units for crows feet area, 6-8 units for the upper lip, and 4 units for the chin. If you’re looking to treat larger areas, you can treat the masseter muscles for TMJ and facial slimming with 30-40 units and neck bands with 40-60 units. (Tip: download an app called Alle. It’s a rewards program that gives you points and money off toward your next visit.)
When you break down the cost, if you’re only doing a smaller area (forehead or brows), it costs less per year than the upkeep of eyelash extensions or a monthly mani-pedi.
Well, how long does it last?
It usually lasts about 3-6 months. After my treatment, I noticed a faint reappearance of lines in my forehead around the four month mark. For some people, it might be more or less.
Where do you get it done?
I visit Stephanie Snowden at The Wellness Room in Knoxville. Your local dermatology office probably offers it too. Really, google is your friend here! Of course, make sure to read reviews and ask lots of questions so you’ll trust whoever works on your face.
Sometimes self-care looks like a quiet moment in Target and other times it looks like a cosmetic pick-me-up. In the end, it’s all about loving yourself from the inside first.
