For getting Botox in my 20’s?

[Sweetdisposition91]

I’m 28 next month and have the most horrific frown lines and laughter lines already. I have a very expressive face and I’m really sensitive to sunlight and frown even if it’s cloudy out!

I know I should be wearing sunglasses more often and I’ve started wearing factor 50 on my face year round, but what other preventative measures can I do?!

I’m posting a pic of my frown lines 18 months ago to now... I’ve aged so much!!

I don’t smoke, haven’t got children and don’t have a very stressful life!

I had Botox the other day just waiting for it to fully kick in but my frown line is still there so I think I’ll need a top up.

How many of you have Botox and how old were you when you started?

The thing is though, it is all about men. Wearing makeup, having botox, using retin-A is all programming from the patriarchy.

I say that I wear makeup for me, and I do, I don't consciously care what other people think of my appearance but I am still making my appearance more palatable to me, within the bounds of the patriarchal programming. If we genuinely used makeup for ourselves, or for the artistry of it then we'd use all kinds of crazy colours, hot pink mascara, royal blue blusher etc.

As it is, the vast majority of makeup and hair styles fit within what is conventionally seen as acceptable by the patriarchy.
For example, how do you think it would go down for a female accountant for one of the big four to rock up to work with an "unconventional" makeup or hair style? She'd be told she was unprofessional at best.

The very point is that what we find acceptable and palatable for ourselves is dictated and decided for us by the patriarchy. From birth we have the programming forced on us, so our own ideal of beauty are stamped out.

Hence its disingenuous to say its not about men, as it couldn't be more about men, and the very fact that so many of us think it isn't about men is testimony to how goddam insidious and successful the patriarchy is.

Now I need more coffee.

EatenByDinosaurs For example, how do you think it would go down for a female accountant for one of the big four to rock up to work with an "unconventional" makeup or hair style? She'd be told she was unprofessional at best.

But so would a man!

I have Botox for the masseter muscles in my jaw to help with bruxism. I can't think many random men in the street would care if I grind my teeth or not, but it does help hugely with not damaging my teeth further and preventing the awful tension type headache that I used to get from it.

I haven't developed a shiny jaw and the muscles have weakened so that at the moment I haven't needed Botox for a year.

If you want Botox then have it. You don't need anyone's approval. Tbh you'll always get strong mixed opinions on something like this anyway.
I'm mid 40's and have it done. My frown lines are nowhere near as deep as yours. It makes me feel good and it's nobody's business. And no, you can't always tell. But who cares if you can? If you're happy with how it makes you look.

It doesn’t act as a prevention

I mean, it literally does. If you can't frown, your frown lines don't develop and you have prevented further lines.

It's not unreasonable. It's your face. Do what you want with it. I first got Botox at 26 for a frown line, once a year was enough to knock it out and keep it gone until this year. Now I'm pregnant and can't have it and very sad indeed

I've been wondering about botox for my frown line actually. Not to make me look better as such, but to make me look less cross. Whenever my face is at rest, there's a clear vertical line between my brows that makes me look cross even when I'm not. I work with a lot of vulnerable young people and I really don't want them thinking that I'm cross with them...

But OP, yours are only showing when you are actually frowning, there's nothing wrong with you.

Also, I don't care if people can tell. I amuse my work colleagues by having to explain to them that I'm annoyed at them, even if my face appears happy.

Yes, the shiny face effect is real, because botox also paralyses the muscles to the blood vessels and sweat glands of the face. So you get poor circulation to just the part of the face that needs it. Skin with poor circulation becomes dry and wrinkly (like a smoker's skin) - so you create what you are trying to avoid. Then you have to fill in the wrinkles with filler and the whole dependency thing starts.

To have good tone in any part of the body, you have to exercise. That includes the face. I also have a very expressive face and have never had any desire to have botox because it ultimately makes you look older - and there are plenty of people around proving it every day. What keeps you looking young is genetics and muscle tone, not lack of muscle tone. Wrinkles are actually not that ageing if your skin texture is good - and skin texture is down to blood supply (see above).

I also think that people who have started botoc young have put down the fading of certain wrinkles to botox, when actually it happens naturally. For example, I used to have a marked frown-crease between my brows. Disappeared completely by age 30.

And just in case - OP, frown lines are what are there when you are not actually frowning. Your face is meant to wrinkle up when you frown.

@Shinyme that's the line I had. It really annoyed me because I looked grumpy despite having been described as unreasonably cheerful.

I was frowning while I slept - I used to wake up with a sore head from frowning so hard. Wee bit of Botox and no more grumpy line!

OP, speaking as a geriatric, sunscreen (ideally even in winter) and sun avoidance are the best investment you will ever make (along with non smoking and going easy on the alcohol).

I'd say at 28 it's OK to Botox the between-brows frown line if you're prone to that.

I generally find that people who like to criticise other peoples' appearance, unless they are particularly renowned beauties themselves, tend not to be worth taking advice on beauty from, as they tend to over-estimate their own level of attractiveness.

Where did I say I criticise? What I said was quite the opposite, that I'd be polite about it. That doesn't mean you can't tell though, it's very obvious in some folk. And I've no idea what you are on about with your comment about people over-estimating their own attractiveness. Where on earth did that come from?

Each to their own, we can all do what we want with our bodies and faces, hence the OP asking whether posters have ever had Botox.

@SlightlyMisplacedSingleDad - what a lovely comment to read

Perhaps all the great beauties on here criticising all those people they claim have had Botox, "shiny" faces, etc could post photos of themselves so that we can see how superior they are and just how worthwhile following their advice actually is?

I've had it on and off since I was 28,I'm now 39.If you go to a good practitioner you dont get shiny face

QualCheckBot no, that's not the point.
What I meant is, why is it that a woman wearing an "unconventional" style of makeup would be criticised, or possibly disciplined, whereas she wouldn't be if she were wearing "conventional" makeup.

What and/or who is it that decided that one style or makeup, or image was acceptable, and another wasn't?

Don't you think it's a little too convenient that what's become the conventional and acceptable norm in terms of makeup and hair style is also the "look" which by the majority is most attractive to men?

I’m 29. Iv been having it since I was 26.

Go for it.

I find it strange that you want botox at such a young age. If I was you I would start using factor 50 on your face and always wear sunglasses and you will find the wrinkles will soften. Also try Retinol (vitamin A) I have used it in the past and I look like I haven't got many wrinkles.

EatenByDinosaurs QualCheckBot no, that's not the point.
What I meant is, why is it that a woman wearing an "unconventional" style of makeup would be criticised, or possibly disciplined, whereas she wouldn't be if she were wearing "conventional" makeup.

What and/or who is it that decided that one style or makeup, or image was acceptable, and another wasn't?

Don't you think it's a little too convenient that what's become the conventional and acceptable norm in terms of makeup and hair style is also the "look" which by the majority is most attractive to men?

I do get what you are saying but I think you are assuming that all women are heterosexual and that generally beauty is about being symmetrical, whatever acourtrements may be added to that. And I do known that a man with blue hair and piercings would not be tolerated in my workplace (we have a very clear dresscode).

I also think at some point we have to admit that we are adults who have to conform in society to some extent, and that looking smart in the workplace may require some gender based stereotypes in order to look acceptably smart. At least in 2019. Perhaps in 2219 we will have evolved into genderless or perhaps even no clothing!

As for men - pfft, the vast, vast majority of them are ugly as hell so why the hell would any woman want to attract them?! Everywhere I go I see one Shrek after another. Shiny or dry and flakey skin on their faces, rough body skin, body hair out of control and armpit hair sticking out of vest tops, feet that turn stomachs, disgusting nails (ever heard of a cuticle pusher?!), shaving rash, pot bellies, weedy physiques, obesity, bad teeth, nasal hair sticking out of nostrils. Decidedly unfuckable. Doesn't do much for my dating pool.

Most of them would benefit from a season ticket to the beautician's, and should probably lock themselves in the gym. I can't WAIT for the day where they start feeling the pressure to do just that.

@LaVielleHarpie

True ...

YANBU

Prevention is better than cure, a light touch in your 20's and 30's will mean you may not need any later in life.

I started at 29, did a few adhoc treatments until I was 33.
At 33 I did the full year - every 3 months, then two treatments in my 34th year. I've had one in my 35th year and am now pregnant so won't have any for the foreseeable future but my forehead and 11 creases are minimal and I have no wrinkles round my eyes whatsoever.

I do follow a good, not faddy or expensive skincare regime as well. SPF, sunglasses, lots of water, acid toning & retinol (when not pregnant)

I'm really happy with my skin and I definitely attribute a lot of it to the Botox.

Do what makes you happy! You will always get the Botox haters who profess to be able tell everyone that has had it.
If it is done right your face will look the same, it will still move and crease but not as deeply or permanently as before.

Btw I don't think yours has fully kicked into effect yet, it can take up to two weeks.

No QualCheckBot I'm not assuming that all women are heterosexual, or that beauty is symmetrical - I'm saying that's what the patriarchy would like to be the case and would like to force on us, iyswim?

Yes, your man with blue hair example wouldn't fly, but likewise my best friend is a senior partner in a prestigious law firm here in the US, recently she shaved her head as she'd always wanted to, and many other senior male colleagues had shaved heads so she thought it wouldn't be a problem as she always looks ultra smart anyway. Ah the naïveté.
She was disciplined for looking unprofessional, and its badly damaged her standing in her firm.

Yet again what's OK for men is not OK for women. I wear makeup, I dye my hair, and broadly speaking I subscribe to conventional ideals of beauty (that I've been programmed with) and I'm a big believer in people doing what's right for them, but I don't kid myself that what's palatable to me hasn't been distorted by the patriarchy.

Why the hell would I ever wish to age gracefully?

Why would you pay money to try and prevent yourself from ageing, which is an impossibility?

Realising that the way I looked was the least interesting or important thing about me is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Do what you want to your face, but if you can’t even fathom why some people frown on it (pun intended) I’m not sure how to explain to you.

how much does it cost now? It seems to be yet another way younger and younger women are supposed to spend £££ on their appearance. The photo in the op is ridiculous - that's a person pulling a ridiculous frown. A toddler would have 'frown lines' if they did that, perhaps we should botox them. If only that money was donated to environmental charities or other charities rather than being spent on poisoning our faces.

I've got a friend who has posted similarly crazy photos of her forehead wrinkles and has been helpfully advised that you MUST start botox in your 20s, a sad state of affairs.

The pics are not even of your relaxed face, you’re frowning hard!