To wish Superdrug weren't branching out into Botox

[MrsKiplin]

Superdrug is offering Botox and dermal fillers to customers over the age of 25. They are launching it at one of their London stores before rolling it out nationwide. Treatments start at £99 and involve a consultation with a qualified nurse. They are apparently just giving customers what they've been asking for.

Aside from the obvious risks to people's health, aibu to feel slightly depressed that these procedures are being treated as an everyday beauty treatment. I know it can be quite traumatic to see your face ageing and we all want to look the best we can but surely as a society we can come to terms with it a lot better if we reject this constant narrative that tells us we're not good enough and celebrate what nature gave us and each other? Botox always looks dreadful anyway in my opinion!

It's not like it's being done for a tenner and without restriction.

If people were that determined to get Botox they would no matter if it's £99 at Superdrug or £50-100 more at a cosmetic clinic, dental surgery etc.

And it's your opinion that Botox always looks dreadful because you're only going to have noticed when it's been overdone and accompanied by cheek/lip fillers (the actual reason people can look plastic and weird) which a lot of people erroneously call Botox as well.

I hear you OP

Also it's going to make a lot more teens think it's essential - presume this is partly a long term marketing thing as well as immediately raising profits

I'm just really hoping for a backlash against all this "change your look" culture. It seems to be the worst it's ever been. If I had to attend a job interview now I'd feel like I'd need full make up and fake/done nails, while them would just pop their suit on.

So glad I didn't grow up in an age with these expectations

Without Botox I look angry/scowling all the time. I’m late 40’s, have barely any wrinkles - but naturally have very deep set, obvious 11’s (glabellar lines!?) between my brows. Its genetic, a family trait - there generations of stern looking women in my family! I could “come to terms” with it - or I could get some help & feel happier in myself & not make everyone I come into contact with think I’m angry/concerned with my scowl!

Also you wouldn’t know I’ve had it - the people with Botox you notice are the ones with bad Botox. With regard to the narrative telling me “I’m not good enough” - that’s nonsense, I’ve got confidence issues at all - totally happy in myself - just happier without a resting bitch face & would be thrilled to find it with a reliable, qualified practioner for £99.

I think it’s a reflection of the market and the increase in popularity (and maybe normality) of Botox - compared to say 10-15 years ago when it wasn’t quite so popular.
Shrewdly they are jumping on the bandwagon.

So I would say it’s more a reflection of our society and the increased demand for perfection.

Nobody notices I have Botox. I've posted before but mine was pain related. Woke up, looked in the mirror after weeks and months of pain and I had these frown/grimace lines. They aren't ageing ones, they appeared so quickly and it's because I had such severe pain for so long
So I had Botox and got rid I didn't want them there reminding me of the pain, plus I work as a model and they were showing in photos

9amtrain - this isn't just about people determined to get Botox. Putting it on the high street normalises it for everyone. It's a procedure that comes with risks of infection or paralysis and should not be treated the same as eyebrow threading or getting your nails done. It requires a medical prescription from a trained medical professional who has met with you face to face.

It makes what is a medical procedure into something akin to a pedicure.

Not good IMO.

This is the best news ever. Hope it come to my local Superdrug asap.

After catching sight of my forehead wrinkles the other day Botox has begun to intrigue me... thanks for the heads up

YANBU - it's sending a message to vulnerable young women: wrinkles are disgusting, pop over to the nice nurse and she'll sort it out. Make sure you don't brush up against anyone with lines - you might catch oldness off them.

Goodness me! It was enough of a shock when I saw an er intimate vibrating device on the shelf in full view. Well!
I now stick to Boots.

I think it's terribly sad that Botox is so commonplace it should be offered alongside makeup on the high street. Aging is natural, lines are natural, instead of demonising the things that we can't change or reverse (and that really don't matter) we should promote self acceptance. The levels of scrutiny, vanity and narcissism in our society are shocking, it's sad that women are held to such ridiculous standards of 'beauty'. Superdrug are just further popularising this, fair enough they've wsnt to make a profit for their business, but I would admire a company more if they promoted positive social change rather than a race to the bottom.

YANBU

Normalising sticking needles with toxin into your face to look younger.

But be prepared for a million people banging on about 'freedom' to do this entirely 'for themselves', while perpetuating the ideal that women should not age, that we should waste our time and expendable income on this bollocks, and to feel ok about ourselves we need to be pretty for other people.

Sigh.

Boots sell them too @Milfromhades.
Best shop in the 1930's from now on to protect your delicate lady eyes

But botox has been widely available for years and has been poorly regulated. It sounds more like a way of legitimising the industry, rather than making it 'compulsory' to have it. People have a route to have it done by someone they can be sure will be safe and high quality.

I heard about this on the radio, the nurse practitioner employed by Superdrug is probably a lot better qualified to administer the treatment safely than a lot of the random poorly qualified beauticians who may be doing it in some independent clinics.

I have previous experience of the health and safety/regulatory side of the botox, laser treatment etc clinics and while some are very responsible and employ qualified nurses, many don't and there is quite a lot to go wrong and not all clinics are regulated or follow the rules.

And I wish they'd take all this anti-ageing shit off their shelves - if it worked they wouldn't need to be offering Botox, would they?

Boots sell them too @Milfromhades*.
Best shop in the 1930's from now on to protect your delicate lady eyes*
If only that were possible.

Vanity is natural though, people have sought to improve their looks throughout thousands of years of history. Botox is just a modern form of beautifying, you may not agree with it, but you don’t have to use it. As with everything, there will be people that take it to extremes but they would do that whether available on the high street or not.

Better the high street than the black market or some unscrupulous backstreet “salon”.

How old are you, OP? Not old enough to need Botox? Personally, I can't wait! Woohoo!

Is vanity natural though milfromhades? I can't imagine cavewomen wasting time worrying about their laughter lines.
Does any other species in nature worry about appearance? (Genuine question!)

Fairly sure cave people made jewellery from shells etc, or if not actual cave people then very early examples of modern humans.

We’ve always liked to be pretty

As for in nature, take a look at a peacock strutting around shaking his stuff, the fancier he looks the more mates he gets.

We’ve always liked to be pretty

What a crock of shit.

Vanity may be natural but it is one of the 12 deadly sins as you would know if you attended church regularly like myself. As for dealing any wee wrinkles I find a good perm and a stout hat to be perfectly adequate.

I reckon Botox, fillers, et al will eventually go the way of tattoos. My son's generation is now saying that tattoos have become so ubiquitous that those without them are considered quite edgy. A few years down the line the same may well be said of unmessed about faces.