I like Botox and I’m not afraid to admit it!

I started writing this blog a few weeks ago but set it aside to finish later.  Then today I saw Jenny McCarthy on Oprah today talking about Botox and I thought “Right on sister!  That’s exactly how I feel!” and decided to finish it today.

 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I believe you need to love yourself just as you are.  But I’m also a believer of fixing whatever it is that YOU want to fix.  If you have things falling apart in your home, you fix them.  If you rip your clothes, you mend them.  I’m sure you’d have no problem with fixing a chipped tooth or getting stitches for a wound, or setting a broken finger.  And some of us (ahem) even color our hair – even though there’s nothing technically “broken” about gray hair.  So why do some people gasp when you admit to a little wrinkle reduction?  There’s no reason why you can’t fix little (or even big) things about yourself if you want to.  It’s your body and your right to do so.  This is for those of you who agree and have been thinking about Botox and/or fillers.  I thought I’d tell you about my experience so you could gain some insight. 

 

At first I was hesitant about trying Botox.  I’d seen those women that looked so fake and frozen, with faces that didn’t move.  And because I am so animated and laugh all the time, I did NOT want to have the frozen face look.  But I had a few lines starting to show - the most prominent being the “hatchet line” (not a medical term, but the doc knew exactly what I meant when I said it) in the middle of my forehead – and I wanted to do something about them.  This is where a good doctor/plastic surgeon comes into play. 

 

Botox can be great but can also turn out not so great, as we all know.  It’s only as good as the person behind the syringe my friend.  My doctor is Dr. Gregory Buford.  He’s a board certified plastic surgeon here in Denver and a nationally recognized trainer for BOTOX Cosmetic (he teaches others how to administer Botox and his techniques create a very subtle effect.)  Do your homework before deciding on who will administer your Botox!  Botox can be administered by an MD, Physician Assistant (PA), or Registered Nurse (RN), so  obviously the level of experience of these professionals can vary greatly.  Get referrals from trusted friends, then go on the internet and check out the provider before you even make an appointment.   Believe me, I did.  Ask for before and after pictures and ask how long they’ve been administering Botox.  If you’re thinking of doing any kind of cosmetic procedure, I urge you to consult a professional – look for someone who is board certified.  Don’t go to a Botox party and let just anyone inject you.  It may seem like a common procedure, but you absolutely need someone who knows what they’re doing or things can go wrong.  (You’ve seen those pictures!!)  Go to someone who’s willing to talk to you first and doesn’t try to rush you in and out quickly.  And make sure they are LISTENING to you too.  Dr. Buford listened to me, understood exactly what I wanted and gave it to me.  He has gained my trust and my business because of that professionalism.  Now back to the procedure itself. 

 

I had a consultation with Dr. Buford and told him what I wanted, less wrinkles but I still wanted to smile and laugh and have my face move.  And I did not want to look frozen!  He explained to me what he could do for me and assured me that I’d still be able to move and we went ahead with the procedure.  I was numbed a little with a topical, and then came the needle.  I’m not a fan of them at all, but I’m not deathly afraid of them either.  I just took a deep breath and felt a little pinch in each area, but it wasn’t too bad.  Over the next few days, the deep line between the eyebrows started to relax, as well as the wrinkles in the forehead.  By about week two, they were gone.  I loved the results and had no problems.  And the best part was no one could even tell I’d had anything done.  I was not frozen or fake looking and I still had movement in my face.  I looked well rested and got a lot of “You are looking great!” compliments. 

 

Since that went so well, later in the year I asked Dr. Buford about fillers for those “parentheses” lines that run from the bottom of my nose to the corners of my mouth (they’re actually called “nasolabial folds”).  He explained how fillers worked and what I could expect from using them.  What he told me next just confirmed the reasons why I go to him for his expertise and technique.  He said he could just fill in the lines with a little filler, but he could achieve a more natural look by plumping up the apples of my cheeks instead.  He explained that over time, the “apples” of the cheeks get a little deflated and by plumping that part up again, it would make my cheeks look more youthful and it would make the nasolabial folds less prominent.  This would create a better result than just putting filler into the lines.  I told him “let’s do it.”  Of course he was right.  It looked so natural and I’m so pleased.  Again I got compliments, but no one could tell that I’d had anything done. 

 

So that is my experience with Botox and fillers.  I hope that it was informative.  If you walk away with anything from this blog, it should be “consult a professional”. I can’t stress that enough.  Not only will you be safer with less risk of side effects, you will get a much better result if you go to someone who has a lot of experience.  Good luck!

 

To find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area you can use this website to aid in your search.   If you’re in Colorado and would like to check out Dr. Buford, his website is www.beautybybuford.com

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~ by jenwilde on March 20, 2009.