To ask for your Botox tips?

[dollypartin]

I'm 36 and for the first time I'm thinking, yeah I do actually need a bit of help! I want to age well. I am not aiming to look 22 but also kids and no sleep for years have taken a toll!

I'm thinking forehead/between the eyes and maybe crows feet for when I smile? I don't want to look plastic or anything.

So does anyone have any advice? Absolute don't dos? Any recs on people who are good? I'm near london. 🙏🙊🤩

Yes totally posting for traffic but maybe I am being unreasonable!

Isn't it interesting that, on MN, people worry about eating produce 1 day past it's use by date but don't care about having themselves injected with the most dangerous substance on planet earth?

I wouldn’t get it as it looks really awful - big shiny head and so obvious

I think good vitamins and skincare, haircut, try and keep in shape - age dignified but be you !!
the best looking older ladies I know are just themselves - not filled

Hi, it's clear you want tips rather than comments against it, I can help you with that.

Ask for baby Botox and a cautious amount first appointment.
You usually get a 2nd appointment about 3-4 weeks later, for any 'tweaks', where you can add more if you feel it's needed. It's usually included in the price you pay at your initial session.
It takes a couple of weeks to see the settled result.
Wash your hair/go to the gym/get strenuous stuff out of the way ahead of your appointment.

On the day, once you've had your treatment, you have to try to stay 'upright' for as long as possible for the rest of the day.
No bending over lifting stuff, no laying down, no rubbing the area for 24 hours.
It needs to 'bed in'.
So it's easier to get an appointment the first half of the day, between morning and lunchtime, rather than late afternoon or evening , to then have to worry about not being able to lay down or go to bed early 😅.

Read reviews and try to check how long they've been doing it.
A nurse prescriber or a doctor is the best choice, rather than a beautician.

Good luck!

You'll get lots of pointless comments posting on AIBU. Someone will be along with face flannel and water tips soon.

Be very choosy on selecting someone to do it. Definitely avoid beauticians. I've been to surgeons and nurses before but the best person I've seen was a dermatologist who was passionate about skincare (not just a medical professional looking to rake it in).

The right practitioner will understand what you want (eg frozen vs more natural) and provide all the relevant advice and aftercare.

If you have an event, get it done weeks in advance as it's not immediate and you'll have a top appointment and you may have light bruising (I never have). Don't drink alcohol or take aspirin for a couple of days before, but that's the kind of thing a good practitioner will let you know beforehand.

When choosing someone look at the promotional pictures they use, especially fillers even if you don't want them, it gives an idea of what they think is good work.

Start with light Botox to begin with.

To avoid ptosis, listen to the advice about staying upright for the first few hours after being injected.

I completely agree with starting with the right practitioner. Not a beauty salon which has someone come in once a week to do it, or a beautician who might have done a weekend course. No disrespect to beauticians, but knowing the anatomy of the face in detail, along with a full understanding of the drug features/side effects, detailing with emergency situations- plus having the actual equipment to deal with them is a big ask for a non- health professional.

My dentist offers botox. I initially thought that was odd, but they have studied facial anatomy for years, not just teeth so would be an option. I used a Dr in London for several years at the clinic near Liverpool station. He has another clinic in the west end, but I never went there. www.capital-aesthetics.co.uk/

I used emla cream which I bought online beforehand. Its a local anesthetic to numb the skin before the procedure. You need to leave it on at least 30mins, and leave it on the skin- not rub it in to be effective. Check reviews, word of mouth and if a medical professional- look up their registration on the GMC, NMC or GDC.

Lots of hate on here against cosmetic procedure in general, I'm not sure if the masses believe it's unfeminist to adjust your appearance to fit beauty standards or if there is a certain amount of jealousy.

Either way, enjoy your botox. It doesn't look unnatural unless you get shit loads of it. I love a lip flip when I'm having other bits done, it doesn't last as long as elseware, but it relaxes the top lip making it appear fuller.

I'd also suggest starting small, especially if your forehead is what you want done. I had a friend who overdid her forehead and it made her already low eyebrows even sit lower, giving her one hell of a resting bitch face.

I get Botox once every six months or so. It’s transformed my face! I don’t necessarily look much younger but I no longer get asked “What’s the matter?”

Tips:
tell people. contrary to popular belief you don’t have a permanently frozen face but for the first week or so you do and being expressionless makes you look a bit scary if people don’t know 😂 obviously people such as colleagues, not the man serving you in the co op 🤣

Dont book the appointment for when you’re on your period. I can’t remember why but they advise against it then due to hormone surges, or something.

Be prepared for a little bruising around the eyes.

Find an aesthetician that takes their time. My lady now does and it’s great and pain free. The first person I used did it super quick and it really hurt.

Take progress pictures every day for about 3-4 weeks. It’s lots of fun comparing them!

I don’t think they inject heroin or annthrax into your head? 😂

Are you usually such a massive drama llama? Where have you got this total bollocks from?

Forgot to say OP - you will get a grilling here. MN hates women who want to enhance their looks.

Hi. I work for one of the top aesthetic injectors in London:

firstly, if you go the right person they will ask you about the areas you are concerned with and then suggest the method of treatment. You shouldn’t have to go in telling them what you think you need. I’d recommend booking a few consultations.

The best way to find recommended practitioners in your area is to check google reviews for ‘Botox in X’ (x being your nearest city/town) or ‘lip fillers x.’ Any aesthetic practitioner with a good and SOLID number of reviews (100+) will be decent with Botox as it’s a pretty standard treatment. I can recommend some practitioners if you would like to message me your location.

Make sure the person you are visiting is from a medical background to be safe (doctor, nurse, surgeon or dentist.) Also make sure to enquire as to what products they use (ideally NOT anything like ‘bocouture’).

Lastly, to whomever claims that Botox ‘looks fake’ - it shouldn’t. Botox is a minimal procedure which done correctly should not result in any dramatic difference to the face aside from relaxing deep lines and wrinkles/potentially slowing down or freezing SMALL areas of the forehead. It is very rare to see anyone with a totally frozen/shiny forehead and any practitioner worth their weight would not overload or over inject anyone like that.

OP, in the very very unlikely event you hated your Botox, it only lasts about 3 months - and I can guarantee you will love it, it’s really a very subtle change.

See:

www.rsb.org.uk/biologist-features/the-power-of-poison

Oh so you just decided to take it entirely out of context. Oh dear, how embarrassing.

TLDR; as long as no one is eating the Botox it will be fine. Your hysterical post was v amusing though.

No one needs to panic though - Botox in the context of injections into your face is not deadly.

Thank you so much everyone for your recommendations! And I'll make sure not to eat the Botox 🤭

Depends where in London, Dr Charlson at Intoskin Canary Wharf has been administering cosmetic injections for years. It is true that botox can look really waxy and also too much in the forehead can drop the eyebrows right down onto your eyes. Can use dermal filler in forehead for a more natural result.