Dithering about Botox. Cancelled twice. Help me make my mind up!!

[Smugsmuggler]

Right, so at 39 my 11s are starting to be quite evident. Not deep but present when my face is relaxed. And I'd like to age "naturally" (i.e. never look like I have had anything done), but much more slowly than I am doing. Some of it that I have finally lot weight, sorted out my skin, got my colours done, and I would just like to look my absolute best now...

So I keep booking Botox, and I keep chickening out..

1. Will I look obviously Botoxed?
2. Will it feel funny when I try and frown?
3. Am I starting too early?
4. Is it worth the money?
5. Is it morally and ethically defensible?
6. Will my husband notice?

I have asked few of these questions on here a few years ago when it was just a distant pipe dream, but I'm going round in circles now....

[noddyholder]

Thankyou very much that is lovely. I only have one ds think the pics may be him at different ages.

[ThePuffyShirt]

Noddy you're a beaut.

I don't have it to look younger. It makes me look fresh and not cross. I had 11s like ravines and looked permanently furious.

[eleanorofacquitaine]

The rest of your face looks fine, Noddy. Perhaps that's why the botox doesn't look odd or out of place?

[SacreBlue]

Based only on a few months working in a clinic that provided botox -

1. Will I look obviously Botoxed?
Some repeat customers did, only 'new' client I saw didn't, she was in her 20's and I wasn't aware she had it done but did noticed she looked great - no idea if she was doing other things that might have made that difference.

2. Will it feel funny when I try and frown?
I haven't had it done and didn't think to ask. During training the nurse did say that rubbing your face/eyes can make the botox move and cause a droopy eyelid if not careful.

3. Am I starting too early?
Person mentioned above was mid 20's, other clients were older so not sure. One thing is for sure (as with many things) once you start - can you stop?

4. Is it worth the money?
Really subjective. Not for me, maybe for front facing or tv type work? Prob depends on results & job role but mostly on how important appearance is to you and what you can afford obvs

5. Is it morally and ethically defensible?
Prob much the same as above. I think the upkeep might need to be a factor - once you start would you feel ok if circs meant you had to stop? The wider issue of appearance Vs personality and basic human worth is a very personal thing - unless you are diverting money from from basic living needs of course. I would be concerned if you had mental or emotional issues with appearance that might affect your judgement and health when considering any major changes to your body/face

6. Will my husband notice?
I noticed a difference in work colleague so assume a partner would notice - though I wasn't aware it was botox until she told me and again - she was a) young, b) quite fit, c) might have been just drinking loads of water, d) possibly using a new good moisturiser, e) something else, as well as the botox

Could even be good genes.

[hellymelly]

Noddy- I wrote you a really long post and nudged the keyboard and the whole thing deleted itself. (really annoying new keyboard too sensitive). I have run a bath but I will re-write it all tomorrow.

[hellymelly]

Noddy- apologies for taking so long to get back to the thread. Anyway, I am not a medical person, I used to be a stylists for tv, and I have worked with make-up and also used to paint, so i watch how light hits a face very closely and probably notice more than the average person would.
You have an extremely beautiful face, with bone structure that will see you looking lovely into old age, I don't think you need to fret about your looks at all. I can see that you have had botox from the slightly more reflective area between your brows, the lack of shadow there, although the pics are tiny so i am peering at them! I really don't think that there is any way a practitioner could avoid that, as that is how botox works, by relaxing the muscle in that area. Absolutely your face your choice, but I think as get into your mid 50s, and have more fine lines radiating down from your eyes into your cheeks when you smile, then smoothness between your brows will be more noticable and give a disparity between the different parts of your face. Right now you are young enough for that not to be an issue. Anyway, you have a lovely face ! Are you scandinavian?

[noddyholder]

Thanks for all that info very interesting. I agree when the rest of your face is more lined you have to stop. Tbh I am not particularly bothered about ageing I just wanted to try it and am approaching 50 fast and am quite happy to leave it. I do like the no tired effect though. I can't see a difference in me before botox in the turban pic but I know to a trained eye it is probably obvious ! Thanks for the compliment I am not scandinavian but am often asked that! I am Irish x

[Flo56]

I agree with Helly's point although I don't have her knowledge or expertise. I think that, if you're careful, you can get away with a bit of Botox until the rest of your face starts to go - probably when you're in your 50s. After that it just looks stupid. The problem is then that the temptation is to start getting some other things fixed, which rarely ends well.

You do have fabulous bone structure Noddy, I am very jealous.

[hellymelly]

The only way to avoid the odd disconnection between different areas on one's face past 55 is to go all Liz Jones and have a facelift plus botox plus fillers. then the whole face looks too smooth and the hands and chest look knackered. Then if you have your hands done your knees look weird! It is hard, i am nearly 50 and I do hate my frown lines. As you get into your 60s and 70s, then "work" just looks rather scary. As another poster said, people tend to look at themselves static in mirrors , they don't see what others see- the odd dimples near the nose grooves from fillers when women smile, the way that lines curve the wrong way with facelifts etc. Probably lasers at the moment are the only thing that will keep the integrity of facial features while improving the skin. Maybe that will change in the future.

[Lazysuzanne]

I don't have an expert eye Helly but I see slebs in their 50's (who've presumably had work done) and look good to me.

I'd imagine techniques will improve seeing as there's mucho profit to be made from anti aging and cosmetic procedures