aibu to consider botox / fillers? and to ask for advice and experiences please?

[queenoftheuniverse]

Firstly I am not even that sure I am even a good candidate tbh. I have no particular wrinkles as such, a few tiny ones at the corners of my eyes but I just look ROUGH. and tired. I am not tired, have a good skincare routine, use sunscreen, don't smoke, don't drink very much, and I eat a good diet etc but still I just look like shite. I am 36 with 3 dc and a physically demanding job so I blame them grin

So yeah. I just want to not look rough, ideally. If not botox, then, I need....something. But I don't want it to look obvious, I have seen some horrible examples and they look worse not better!

Anyway am in the midlands so also any suggestions of who / where to go to would be very much appreciated ;)

ps - I did post same in s&b but have reported it to be removed as would rather post here for traffic

[queenoftheuniverse]

anyone please?

[PedantPending]

I didn't have anything done until shortly before my 50th, I am now 57 1/2. The effect was to make me look as if I had had a really good night's sleep, so at your age, I would try that first.
There are a number of factors that will influence how good the outcome of such treatments is. Skill and experience of the practitioner and your genes are just 2 things to consider. I don't know about the UK, but in Europe botox/fillers can only be administered by a qualified doctor. I do know that I have very good genes, only the odd grey hair and I generally only need one botox treatment every 9 to 12 months.
If you are eating a good diet, drinking plenty of water, exercising (to de-stress) and managing 3 to 4 nights' good sleep per week, then maybe regular facials and massages would be more helpful?

[TiredButFineODFOJ]

I've been having botox for the last 5 years on and off, I get it at a discount as a friend who is a doctor started doing it. I have a few deep wrinkles and it really improves the look of them.
Without stating the obvious, do some research into exactly what it is you're trying to improve! Botox freezes the area, so basically it can't crease. Fillers plump up a crease so it's no longer there. If you go along to a salon/practitioner without a firm idea of what you want, you might end up with something expensive/not quite right.
Personally I'm very wary of fillers as they can move about. Obviously there are risks with botox too.
I'm not in your area but my advice would be to use someone who is a qualified dr or nurse who has a large client base who can talk you through it. There are so many drs and nurses doing this on the side now, I'd never go to someone who had just "got a certificate" in face injections!!!!
Really I think that if you just want to get some glow back, if you have not done so already, try a microdermabrasion and then get yourself down to the Lancome counter for some good moisturiser. Will cost less, and will be the basis of good skin going forward, rather than a 3 - 6 month fix which you have to keep doing.

[queenoftheuniverse]

*Without stating the obvious, do some research into exactly what it is you're trying to improve

see that's my problem I am not sure

I just look like shit :( I am quite pretty or used to be, so the foundations are there I think!

[TiredButFineODFOJ]

queen my doctor told me he refused fillers in the under eye bags for a girl who was absolutely determined that it would solve her dark circles (it won't). She had them done elsewhere in the end, then came back and asked him if he could reverse them as it looked terrible!
Generally it's fillers in the lip area and botox around eyes and forehead, so if your lips have started to sag at the corners then maybe fillers would help you look better. If your eyes are surrounded with crows feet, probably botox.

I really think that if you have not done so already, you should start off slow with a really good face cream/serum though, or a microdermabrasion. These will both give you a boost in about the same time as it takes for botox to kick in or fillers to settle, and are much cheaper and less committment.
Also never underestimate the power of a good eyebrow reshape...if you've never had threading, give it a go. It's amazing how much difference a reshape can make.

[queenoftheuniverse]

thanks tired oh dear re the under eye fillers, I bet they looked awful

have now booked a consultation at sk:n clinics and the lady in there said microdermabrasion might be better for me, but when I go for my consultation the dr will talk me through all the options, there is also something that they offer called "micro needling"

as for skincare, I already use boots no7 protect and perfect...and wouldn't want to spend much more, tbh I am just not convinced that expensive creams etc even do anything! Also i have my brows done and got a nice shape, totally agree they make a massive difference, i would look so much worse if i had shit eyebrows

[pandarific]

Micro-needling (or dermaroller) is amazing! Tiny tiny little needles on a roller puncture your skin, stimulating collagen production - basically the skin sets out to repair the 'wounds' and you get much improved skin texture. All youthful and glowy.

[queenoftheuniverse]

oooh that sounds interesting pandarific

although sounds painful !

[incandescentalright]

I'm 29 and I've had botox for one particular wrinkle - a frown line between my brows. I couldn't be more happy with the results, it has got rid of the line almost entirely (would need a filler to do it completely, but it's barely noticeable) makes me look a lot better and younger, I think. It does restrict my eyebrow movements a bit, but I don't really care. However, I'm not sure it's really worth it except to get rid of particular lines (and I'd be a bit nervous about paralysing the area round the eyes - you'd want someone who knows what they're doing).

The other thing that is really great for me is just really good face-washing and intense exfoliation. That really does work to make my skin look younger and better. I use a couple of facewashes - one water-based and one oil based (as I think just one or the other doesn't get everything off) and use a flannel with warm water to cleanse. I also use products from this range to exfoliate - I think they're really great - www.boots.com/en/Nip-and-Fab/Glycolic-Fix/ (the mask twice a week is particularly good).

You could also just see a dermatologist for a consultation and ask for recommendations/prescription skincare. I'm not in midlnads so can't recommend anyone.

Also make sure you're not over-moisturising or just using too much product on your skin. That does make you look a lot older and is counterproductive. The dermatologist I go to for botox told me that I shouldn't be using moisturiser at all -- exfoliation is key. I do use no seven perfect and protect serum at night sometimes, and wear spf primer and tinted moisturiser during the day. That's already plenty.

[queenoftheuniverse]

Thank you

Yeah I do the oil cleansing method so exfoliate loads with that. although I'm slacking at doing it at bedtime lately so perhaps that would help

I wish I was still 29 like you.....i looked amazing (and didn't see it at the time!)

[ToastDemon]

Would you say you think you look rough because of skin texture or has your face started to sag slightly?
For skin texture, microdermabrasion, lasering or as a PP as said, microneedling can really help.
For slight sagging, fillers but it's really important to get a skilled practitioner. A good one can pretty much perform a minor facelift with fillers. You can even get fillers in the tear trough region under the eyes. But do your research to find the right person.
If you don't really have wrinkles then I'm not sure Botox would do all that much.

Maybe find a good person on recommendation and go along for a consultation?

[queenoftheuniverse]

Eek maybe toast I'm quite thin so could well be my face sagging

[queenoftheuniverse]

Oh didn't mean to post so quick am on my phone

It's so hard to find a recommendation as no one I know has had "work" or at least doesn't admit it!

I guess I'll see what they say at the consultation ....

[AnotherTimeMaybe]

Before going down the fillers root Id look into a very good cream! I absolutely swear by creme de la mer! If you go to the relevant section here on MN some girls have posted fantastic experiences on eye creams etc

[OptimisticSix]

I had botox once and won't do that again, it looked okay (although it just made me notice wrinkles in other places) but I had a permanent headache, I don't know why. Maybe because I pull faces a lot naturally so my poor paralysed muscles were still trying to move, or it just didn't agree with me... Might try the micro needling thing though, sounds amazing :)

[xinchao]

I recently had Botox for the first time - for wrinkles on my forehead and a few around my eyes. I am 34. I couldn't be happier with the result! I still have movement in my eyebrows etc and my husband hasn't noticed (no one has). The therapist/doctor will be able to advise you what will work. My dermatologist said that Botox is her favourite thing to use (gets the best outcome) but I have also heard great things about the microdermabrasion.

For lines, I find the Khiels powerful line reducer cream also pretty good.

Good luck!

[ovaryhill]

Which actress said when you get to a certain age you have to choose between your arse and your face?
I recommend cake, and lots of it, there's no wrinkles on a balloon!

[queenoftheuniverse]

thanks everyone

optimistic scary re the permanent headache

glad worked well for you zinchao

and overyhill I do actually suspect you are right, which is very depressing ......