Botox and Injectables – Just say NO!

Botox – Just say NO to shooting up!

                Botox is a neurotoxin known as “onabotulinumtoxinA”.  Yes, you heard correctly, Botulism (the most acutely lethal toxin known!)  I have chosen to dedicate this blog entry to Botox injections as I am reaching “a certain age” now and it feels like everyone my age is sticking toxic syringes into their faces.  Even my doctor suggested them to me for my chronic migraines.  (I got my daith piercing done instead and the results have been amazing!)  Many people do get Botox injections done to help alleviate their suffering with migraines.  In fact, Botox is advertised as the answer to a variety of health issues ranging from muscle disorders, overactive sweat glands, hyperactive nerves, the list goes on.

 Of course, Botox became mainstream for its cosmetic uses.  Injecting botulism into the facial muscles will cause temporary paralysis to that muscle creating the dreaded, “Frozen Basic Face”.  You know what I’m talking about. These are the ones who, whether they are crying, screaming or laughing, their faces are totally frozen and paralyzed.  We see them, we know them and we vow to never become them.  I have watched my favorite celebrities suffer from this and it is not just the women out there shooting up neurotoxins.  Men are just as self-conscious about their wrinkles as women are.  We are in the age of instant gratification and HDTV where every wrinkle and dimple are magnified and pixelated.   So instead of adjusting our lifestyles, diet changes or adding a different supplement or serum, its faster to inject a toxic bacterium into our skulls!  Inches away from our brains!! Unfortunately, I am in the minority here, as millions of people in the United States get these injections each year as they have become readily available and affordable.                        

According to WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, and the FDA, known side effects of Botox injections are the risk of the Botulism spreading into other facial muscles, causing brows and lids to droop, I read several reviews by different women reporting thinning hair on their heads and that even their brows and lashes were falling out!  Bruising, blurred vision, flu-like symptoms, headaches, backaches, and dizziness were just some of the most common side effects on these sites.  Just Google “Botox gone wrong”…yikes! The scariest thing I discovered about Botox is how long these effects can last.  Botox injection results can last from 2-6 months with an average of 4 months.  So, say you go try Botox at some trendy little boutique spa because they offered a killer Groupon (DON’T DO IT!) and they inject too much/too deep/wrong spot, and in a few hours, you develop the most horrific pain down your neck.  Guess what?  You are stuck with that pain for the next four months!  Same thing applies for droopy eyelids.  I read a heartbreaking story online about a woman wanting to look young and rejuvenated for her son’s wedding pictures.  She came out of her Botox session with a drooping eye and there was nothing that could be done about it.  People were whispering at the reception asking if she had a stroke. Even now, she can barely look at the pictures of her son’s wedding pictures without bursting into tears. 

The consensus seems to be that the best way to decrease your chances of something like this occurring with your Botox experience is to have it done by a phenomenal plastic surgeon at an actual medical office.  This is the most expensive option as well; but, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for and cosmetic procedures are no exception.  Even so, we have come so far in our advances in skincare.  We have better creams, serums, and masques now than ever before. 

I never say never. Given the choice, I would rather my doctor stab me with a syringe for injectables than slicing me with a scalpel for a face lift. After reading so many horror stories, I do not think I could ever bring myself to get Botox injections.  Another thing I say to people who are considering getting Botox is that this has not been out THAT long.  Do we really know all the risks yet?  What about the long term effects?

I encourage you to do your own research before you jump on the Botox bandwagon.  Take great care of your skin.  Take the money that you were planning on spending on the Botox and get an amazing facial.  While you are there, have your Aesthetician recommend a fabulous skin care product to address the wrinkles.  I guarantee you will spend less money on that and be pampered in a spa rather than being stabbed in the face with botulism in a cold doctor’s office and risk all the above mentioned scary side effects.

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