Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you've ever had Botox..and whether I should get some injected into my wrinkly old mug?

123 replies

Proudnscary · 04/02/2012 08:06

I'm nearly 42 and, while stunningly beautiful and nigh on perfect, have a few deep lines in my forehead from scowling at unreasonable people for the last 30 years.

A very rude friend of mine (gay man, image conscious and horribly honest) keeps urging me to have a few jabs of poison in my face as 'your forehead is letting you down'.

The problem is that people that have had it look like...well like they've had Botox. Smoother skinned but a bit odd and surgeried.

Any of you had it? Would I have to have it forever more?

I'm leaning on the side of 'no way', because I'm vain but not that vain and I'm afraid of damaging nerves etc.

Whaddya reckon?

OP posts:
CailinDana · 04/02/2012 15:33

Eh no, mega

megapixels · 04/02/2012 15:35

Oh dear. And here I was thinking it's a long way away.

NorthernWreck · 04/02/2012 15:36

Bwaah ha ha ha ha!

Original poster
Proudnscary · 04/02/2012 16:07

Hmm, thanks all. Re the alternatives to Botox:

Fringe - seriously I look bloody awful with a fringe (wide face, thick hair)

Less drinking - but what would I live for?!

Less stress - you are kidding, right?

Early nights - that I do manage but always wake up after five hours sleep, no matter what time I go to bed.

Eat fruit and veg - yep I do that

Be in love - I've been with dh for 17 years. Nuff said.

OP posts:
CailinDana · 04/02/2012 16:08

You could wear a mask.

GreenEyesAndHam · 04/02/2012 16:20

Not for me, mainly because I've had facial paralysis in the past and the thought of having it again scares me cold. Not to mention paying to have it again Grin

Done well it can look fantastic, though more and more people seem to be popping up with frozen faces and winged brows. I wonder if they know that we know iyswim.

escahn · 04/02/2012 16:21

People on here who have had it done - do you have before and after pictures?

Original poster
Proudnscary · 04/02/2012 16:21

Cheers for that Cailin!!

OP posts:
Al0uisee · 04/02/2012 16:24

I've got a really good before picture, I'm shouting talking to people on a boat and squinting in the sun. I had the deepest frown line going on and I look so cross, even though I wasn't.

Far more serene now, can't look cross even when I try.

EachUisge · 04/02/2012 16:27

I've had it, just on forehead and the horrid single furrow between my brows. I got sick of people telling me to "smile" when I was perfectly fine. I just looked permanently cross, mainly due to the stress of the past few years.

It had the added effect of stopping my headaches, I look and feel much happier. Everything still moves, just less so. I love the crinkles round my eyes but they are fairly light in comparison.

I did think about having fillers but have decided to keep things fairly low key. Lots of people have remarked that I look happier but not one has guessed that I've had a bit of work done.

Original poster
Proudnscary · 04/02/2012 16:27

Show us before and after pix Al0uisee!

OP posts:
EmmaBemma · 04/02/2012 16:27

littlemissnormal Botox at 29? Are you shitting me? "Just" the three jabs in your forehead?

I haven't had it, wouldn't have it, even though loads of otherwise rational women of my acquaintance seem to be going over to the other side. Someone needs to demonstrate what "normal" looks like as a face ages, and it looks like that person will have to be me.

Original poster
Proudnscary · 04/02/2012 16:28

How old are you EachUisge if I may be so bold?

OP posts:
noddyholder · 04/02/2012 16:33

I have had it 3 times. I always feel a bit of a traitor having it BUT when it is in full flow it does look good as I have no lines anywhere else and I have a subtle amount. No one has ever noticed apart from to say I look really well. Even my mum didn't believe me and you don't have to look frozen if you go somewhere good. I last had it in about october and it has worn off and that is the worst thing you do get used to not needing make up and just looking better and teh temptation is huge. No cream fringe water alcohol free etc etc can match it unfortunately. I have tried them all and still do them but botox is like magic I kind of wish I'd never tried it!

EachUisge · 04/02/2012 16:33

I am 43, Proud. My forehead looked a good ten years older before I had Botox.

Grin
EmmaBemma · 04/02/2012 16:40

I remember reading about a study recently - people who have had botox slightly lose their ability to tell how other people are feeling. One of the ways we do this is by unconsciously mirroring the expression of the person we're talking to, and botoxed-faces can't do this so well.

JasperJohns · 04/02/2012 16:41

I had it for first time on October.

Not wrinkly but frowny and cross looking.

It is amazing. It has eliminated every line and just made me look fresher somehow. As an added bonus, I have not had one headache.

No-one has noticed, but I get a lot of 'you look really well' & 'what do you use to cleanse/moisturise?' type comments.

I love it.

noddyholder · 04/02/2012 16:42

Yes I have noticed no headaches.

OneLastSoul · 04/02/2012 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

noddyholder · 04/02/2012 17:02

The surgeon I saw said many of them have it twice a month.

blenda · 04/02/2012 17:06

I've been getting botox since I was 32. I am 37 now. I absolutely love it. My boyfriend does not mind at all and I am quite open if anyone ever asks me, which is hardly ever. My face has changed from doing it, but I feel more attractive than ever and I think I am much prettier than I was when I was younger. I'm getting fillers now as well and these are great as well. Grow old gracefully? F*ck that. I'm enjoying getting older and so happy my face does not have to come with me. My advice would be to get it from a qualified dermatologist who specializes in aesthetics. My girl is literally an artist. Good luck with whatever you decide.

MrsCampbellBlack · 04/02/2012 17:08

I have it done in my frown lines so am not totally frozen and wouldn't ever have fillers.

I love it and like Alouisee think its made me more cheerful - do believe there's research out there on this subject.

I have a very good practitioner who I researched - would never do it on some groupon offer.

And not everyone looks waxy or frozen - those are the bad examples in my opinion.

noddyholder · 04/02/2012 17:10

I agree. Would never go to a cheap beautician. I also think you can still have movement and it doesn't have to be frozen. I have never experienced that.

noddyholder · 04/02/2012 17:10

Fillers for me a no no too

Al0uisee · 04/02/2012 17:20

I can't put the pics up on here because I'm on my phone. It really is about time we had an image upload facility to Mn!