If you get Botox, when did you start

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I was trying to hold out to mid thirties at least but my fine lines are bothering me a lot more the past year.

Happy with my skincare routine now, and use very high SPF.

I previously had bad acne which caused atrophic scarring and feel like that maybe depleted collagen at a faster rate. Also, because of my acne it took me ages to find a spf that didn’t make my skin feel greasier or break me out so I only started wearing spf daily from 26 (much better spf formulas now than 10+ years ago)

Have a balanced diet but admittedly used to be a heavy drinker until late twenties. Still drink now but more conscious and rare that I exceed over 10 units a week.

I had it for the first time mid forties.

I didn’t start til I was 49 and don’t wish I’d started much earlier, maybe 45 would’ve been better, but it’s ‘reversed’ the noticeable lines. I go for a ‘light touch’ so I’ve still got some movement and expression and wanted to keep my ‘laughter lines’ - I’d had a few years of unhappiness, followed by a lot of joy and wanted to hang on to the evidence of that!

I started using prescription Tretinoin much earlier and am certain this made - and still makes - a HUGE difference. It’s also really great for acne (I had outbreaks until I was 40, and still get the odd whopper) and the scarring.

Dermatica and Skin and Me are two on-line services for this, and I’d recommend looking into it. I’ve used both and they were much of a sameness. The strength of Retin A in prescribed doses is higher and better than anything bought over the counter. You sign up, upload images of your skin, detail the main issues and it’s prescribed and sent out in a daily doser so you get the exact amount needed. Over time you upload more pictures and the dose can be amended to suit. It was a game changer TBH, lines were reduced even pre-Botox and I use it to maintain now (and have Botox primarily for my 11s, because I look cross even when I’m not!).

I’m happy with how it all looks, and know I look my age, just fresher and less tired, wrinkly etc. Personally I don’t want to look totally line free, but know this is a preference for other people and it’s good we have choices now. Others will advise avoiding injectables altogether but it’s very personal.

If you go for Botox PLEASE research and be prepared to pay a bit more for someone more knowledgable. The first few times I went to was a local aesthetician and it was fine, but when I changed to a dentist her knowledge of facial structure was a lot better - instead of the 3 or 4 injection sites the aesthetician did, she does about 10 across the forehead, and around 5 for the 11s. Small doses in more positions looks a lot better in my experience.