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Not a suitable candidate for Botox?!

66 replies

SinkingFeelingSoph · 17/08/2024 13:11

So I’m 47 and have Botox and am generally happy with it (although one eye usually looks a bit smaller, it’s worth it)

My lower face is drooping and hollow so I sent some photos to a top London injector (on tv, really natural work). I actually joked that she’s say straight to facelift - and that’s what she did say! She said I was a bad candidate for Botox and wouldn’t touch me due to eye laxity (it’s never bothered me or I’ve never noticed apart from post-Botox droop) and that I’d be better off with an eye lift and also a facelift, as cheek filler could exacerbate some bags under my eyes (that I’d never noticed either). Its made me feel like absolute shit to be honest!

Surely filler is a step before surgery? Does anyone know what her issue was? I look fairly reasonable for my age - is so I thought! She mentioned it was skin laxity rather than muscle but isn’t that usual?

OP posts:
taybert · 18/08/2024 08:02

Obviously we don’t know how she spoke to you but I would just try to take it as a professional opinion. You’ve pointed out something on your face you wish to change and she’s told you how to achieve that. Like if you went to the hairdresser and said you wanted to go from brown to blonde using a bleach free dye, she’d tell you that wouldn’t work. That doesn’t mean she would look at your face and say you “need” a facelift but if you want to change the bit you’re not happy with then that’s how to do it.

You have a nice face. A normal face for a 47 year old. If you ask people whose job it is to “fix” faces like yours then they look at it through a different lens and you whilst these treatments are sold as being empowering they are the very opposite of that and in most cases they just perpetuate insecurities. I think we’re starting to forget what a “normal” face looks like now we’re getting so used to filled, botoxed faces in such young women.

SinkingFeelingSoph · 18/08/2024 08:10

blueshoes · 17/08/2024 22:05

Yes, pls post a picture. We love a picture.😆

I will get a second opinion. I’d chatted to this woman about having worked in the industry myself and she was originally keen I write something for her, and I’d said I wasn’t really up for that - so just feel weird about the whole thing!

What do you mean by this. What woman and what industry? Write what?

I used to write about beauty so thought I was fairly clued up (but that was 20 years ago and I’m clearly not!) so she’d suggested I could write about my experience and receive cost treatment. I said I didn’t want to put my face to that (this is before she saw my pics), so I’d just wondered if this was a snarky get back. I accept it if it’s a reasonable professional opinion, but as she’d said earlier most people age exactly the same way and had wanted me to come straight in for treatment, that’s why it feels a bit off. Then it was like “oh no, I wouldn’t touch you. Get an eye lift, Botox is not suitable for you and straight to facelift” !! So me and facial laxity and hooded eyes now feel even more deflated (get it) than before

OP posts:
Nanana1 · 18/08/2024 08:17

i thought the new thinking was no fillers but a facelift?

SinkingFeelingSoph · 18/08/2024 08:33

Nanana1 · 18/08/2024 08:17

i thought the new thinking was no fillers but a facelift?

Whose new thinking? The beauty industry in general?

OP posts:
Justleaveitblankthen · 18/08/2024 08:52

Oh yes, I saw a London Surgeon's website who actually charged £55K! 😱
Up here in the north it's around £9,500, but if you see someone who specialises in faces only (advised) it jumps to around £11.5k

Threads are a complete and utter waste of time and money and - if you are anything like me - you will look like you went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury for 10 days, then look zero different to before 🙄

Don't touch threads. They leave deep scar tissue underneath. Forever.

Justleaveitblankthen · 18/08/2024 08:53

Sorry, I meant to say don't touch Filler

Dressinggowntime · 18/08/2024 08:59

I think there is a point where Botox won’t help you or starts creating more problems than it fixes. I’m 40 and just recently I’ve had trouble with it causing heavy eyes etc. There’s a point where you have to choose between looking older and looking a bit odd which is all a lot of tweakments do. I think she’s probably given you a fair professional opinion

Nanana1 · 18/08/2024 09:41

@SinkingFeelingSoph yes

HornyHornersPinkyWinky · 18/08/2024 09:56

SinkingFeelingSoph · 18/08/2024 08:33

Whose new thinking? The beauty industry in general?

Yes, if you want the best result possible. Fillers have a place, for subtle enhancements: for example I have a small line in my elevenses - between my eyebrows. I enquired about botox and was told that filler would be better to smooth out the area. Similarly around the temples, under the eyes, sometimes the cheek area to sort of 'pad out' where fat loss has occurred. But only to a certain point, still in keeping with your face proportions.

You could definitely get another professional opinion. Just be careful that too much filler may distort your features. It may 'fill out' the area, if you use enough of it - but that may end up looking weird.. What you are dealing with is excess skin, no amount of cream, botox, fillers etc. can get rid of that.

There has been a bit of a move away from fillers as a fix all in the last few years, mostly because we can see the awful results of too much filler in celebrities (who by rights should have the best results because they are paying top dollar).

Added to that the technique for facelifts has improved massively compared to 20-30 years ago. They often used to just lift the skin which gave a weird rippled effect, and also the skin was pulled back toward the ear giving a sort wind tunnel look that just seemed odd. I always think of Stockard Channing in the West Wing...her face just looks odd. Nowadays a decent surgeon will lift more upward, which gives a more natural result (it's gravity pulling your face downwards after all). They also usually lift the fascia and tissue underneath and remove excess skin.

It's not that fillers are bad, but they can only do so much - once you tip over a certain point they are either going to give you a weird result (pillow face), or not fix what you want to fix. Also, I have heard that some fillers can stay in the face for much longer than they claim - several years in fact.

That's probably why for a 'best result' the woman recommended surgery - it was her professional opinion. Possibly said rather rudely, but still not incorrect.

CatWithNoTeeth · 18/08/2024 10:35

It's a shame she was rude in manner but she won't have been insulting you purposefully (what's to insult!)-- I always trust a practitioner who says no even if it means they aren't going to make money. Shows integrity about their service, they care about a good result. I would just get a second opinion. Where are you based?

blueshoes · 18/08/2024 11:12

55K for a face lift is top top end and you are paying for their advertising. I got quoted 12k in London for a deep plane facelift. Eye lift 5K. Done in London hospital under GA. No upselling. I believe it it is less expensive outside London.

Do consult more than one cosmetic surgeon and ask to see their work if you are seriously considering it.

And don't go to Turkey for it ala Katie Price 😂

onwardsup4 · 18/08/2024 12:36

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky did you get filler in your 11s ? Mine is terrible and Botox does not work as it's etched in . I was told you can't have filler in that are though in case it slips. I'd love to get rid of it

onwardsup4 · 18/08/2024 12:38

@Dressinggowntime you're right about that I'm sure I do look a bit odd 😂 when I catch my self in the mirror sometimes. I'm not quitting the Botox yet though

HornyHornersPinkyWinky · 18/08/2024 16:37

onwardsup4 · 18/08/2024 12:36

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky did you get filler in your 11s ? Mine is terrible and Botox does not work as it's etched in . I was told you can't have filler in that are though in case it slips. I'd love to get rid of it

Hi, no I never did get the filler as it doesn't bother me that much, it's not that noticeable, but when I asked about it they said as there is an indentation they said it would need some filler to smooth it out.

I tried botox in that area a few years ago and didn't like it either so never had it again. I've never heard of fillers slipping, maybe that's true I'm not sure, sorry.

For now I'm 40 and focusing on good skincare, but will definitely be getting a facelift in the next 10 years as jowls run in my family, and no amount of fancy skincare, lasers etc. will fix them.

Each to their own, but I have no intention of growing older gracefully.

OneHeartyCat · 18/08/2024 18:18

SinkingFeelingSoph · 17/08/2024 13:11

So I’m 47 and have Botox and am generally happy with it (although one eye usually looks a bit smaller, it’s worth it)

My lower face is drooping and hollow so I sent some photos to a top London injector (on tv, really natural work). I actually joked that she’s say straight to facelift - and that’s what she did say! She said I was a bad candidate for Botox and wouldn’t touch me due to eye laxity (it’s never bothered me or I’ve never noticed apart from post-Botox droop) and that I’d be better off with an eye lift and also a facelift, as cheek filler could exacerbate some bags under my eyes (that I’d never noticed either). Its made me feel like absolute shit to be honest!

Surely filler is a step before surgery? Does anyone know what her issue was? I look fairly reasonable for my age - is so I thought! She mentioned it was skin laxity rather than muscle but isn’t that usual?

Get a second opinion. Check out Dr Jonny Betteridge on insta- he does gorgeous work on older women and he doesn’t believe in overfilling or making people look unnatural. If I decide to go down that route, I will be seeking him out!

onwardsup4 · 18/08/2024 19:45

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky
Going to find out about the filler in the 11 find it makes me look angry 😠 when I'm not.
Don't blame you for the facelift. I will in a heartbeat if I can afford it !

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