Need your thoughts on dermal treatment advertising (ie Botox)

[JustineMumsnet]

Good morning all,
We have a company that wants to advertise their dermal treatment to Mumsnetters - i.e. a Botox-like filler. We have always said no to plastic surgery stuff but judging by the discussions on Talk there are many Mumsnetters who are curious about/ consumers of dermal treatments so some content/info/offers around this type of product may be of interest?
We are not thinking of sponsorship here - but maybe some content, a product test/ webchat/ a few display ads in style and beauty?

Do let us know your thoughts.
Cheers.

I was thinking a bit more about the real truth and experience as opposed to antsy thing else. I think it looks awful but I would still like more convincing not too!

I have recently had my first Botox treatment and was in fact, interested in (and swayed by) threads about it on MN.

So it's a yes from me.

I have Botox for migraine which has made a massive difference to my life .
But can't see why it's necessary to advertise. Maybe a web chat with the company instead so that those who wish to participate can?

When it looks awful it's been overdone.

I agree Alouisee, but a good doc will 'underdose' you until they see how much you need, and happily top you up a couple of weeks later.

Sorry, just saw you already have it!

Oh, these early morning starts are showing on my face so I am more than happy to be experimented upon!!

I don't see why not to advertising, as long as it was a registered practitioner. It is something that talked about a lot on here and people are doing it increasingly.

don't bet on it btw - you can have a good doc and conservative doses and still have a very bad reaction. there is no way of knowing that until you do it and months of a droopy, stroke-like face would be awful. to imply it's all good and fine unless you have a bad doc is very misleading. a good doc will tell you there can be bad results and they never know till you've tried it how you will react, that it doesn't happen to many but it DOES happen and so you sign to say you've been warned of all this.

it seems trivial risk to those who've not experienced it and who just hear the 'very rare', 'never happened to any of my clients' parts of the waiver speech but not to those who do have bad effects.

someone else on this thread has talked about actually being physically ill after it too.

this is why it can't be advertised like a cosmetic because it's not, it's a dangerous substance that can have very ill effects. you seek it out and choose to take that risk for cosmetic reasons as an adult and that's up to you obviously. but it isn't something to advertise with risks like that. it seems even people on here who have these treatments for cosmetic reasons are ill informed about risk and promoting the idea it's all perfectly safe and normal.

Not advertising, no. But I'd like an honest discussion.... Didn't read anyone had had it done, I guess if you notice it, it's not done well.

incidentally i'm not saying i'd never have botox or i am totally anti it. i am against it becoming another thing advertised on masse and bombarded at us as if it's a basic part of grooming that everyone else is doing.

bear in mind if you have a wrinkly forehead it's possibly because you have a low or heavy brow that you lift a lot, hence the wrinkles. when they stop the muscles from wrinkly and that skin smooths down where do you think the weight, extra skin of it is falling to? obviously the brow. if you have any hooding in your upper eyelids and you add a bit more skin/weight to that via botox that's really not a good look.

I can remember as a child learning that Elizabeth the First put arsenic on her face as part of a whitening powder. I felt smug then about living in a less primitive time.

Now we inject toxins in pursuit of an artificial look, instead of just smearing them on. That really is progress.

I'd suggest running the adverts, but reducing the appearance of wrinkled ethics with a "Let Perimenopausals be Perimenopausals" campaign.

yeah i guess that would be balanced even if a little confusing for the media soundbites.

Please don't.

I agree that it very much goes against the 'let girls be girls' message, and could damage the MN brand.

Advertising or even a web chat creates the impression that having a Botox treatment is normal, and something that everybody in their thirties and forties should be doing.

Also agree with those who mention the possibility of a bad reaction.

I hope you don't.

The ads for cosmetic surgery in the backs of women's magazines are so depressing. The fact that surgery and physical interference in the body in pursuit of anti-aging even more so.

I don't think it fits with your brand either. Don't you remember Edina and Patsy injecting themselves with Parralox

LOL @ "Let Perimenopausals be Perimenopausals" campaign!

I think it would be a good idea to have a webchat with a surgeon about botox, however I don't see the point of advertising it, and I think it would not be suitable for MN to advertise it. I just don't think it fits in with MN's ethos.

That said, I have had botox a couple of times now for cosmetic reasons, and I consider myself to be a feminist. I don't think I am a vacuous or stupid person for having it, yes I am vain but I don't necessarily think that is a terrible thing. Yes it is preferable to age normally, however my working life (of frowing into spreadsheets, CAD and project files for up to 10 hours a day) wasn't exactky normal, and meant that I had lines and a permafrown which made me look (and feel) far older than I am. The botox has reduced that, and also as a bonus has got rid of the almost permanent headache which I had.

I don't think every woman who has botox is a mindless and hyper-vain fool - there are valid reasons.

Nobody has ever said that every woman who gets botox is a vain fool.

I don't really think that's what the discussion's about. It's whether MN should be promoting it as a normal part of grooming, like moisturiser and nightcream.

No, I know not everyone has said it, but a few have on this thread.

But I agree with you that MN shouldn't be promoting it as normal routine.

Hear hear Getorf.

I have not had a single headache since I had it a month ago.

This is not why I had it btw, I was one big frown. Now I am serenity personified!

Justine - Are you sure you know what this ad is really for? Botox is not a filler so "a Botox-like filler" is not a meaningful description.

Cote is right of course - botulinum toxin is a muscle relaxant - extracted from venom that paralyses respiration - and has been used for decades in conventional medicine for conditions such as torticollis with good therapeutic results.
Eleanor "It's whether MN should be promoting it as a normal part of grooming, like moisturiser and nightcream." Not sure MN should be promoting grooming as normal at all - this is the only 'place' I've ever seen where women are able to challenge the whole concept.

Yes take your point noteven, I wondered if anyone would pick up on that.

Thanks everyone with your input. We will certainly proceed with caution . We have suggested that we'd be happy to have a proper, open, debate and/ or user survey on the issue but not comfortable standard advertising. Suspect this will be rather off-putting.
Will keep you posted.