More and more people are having “work” done, yet it’s still taboo to talk about. The celebrity world is filled with women who are freezing their faces, yet still claim they’re 100% natural. This makes it seem like getting a little Botox to make you look and feel more confident and beautiful is a bad thing. It’s no wonder why we all feel the need to keep it a secret and feel vulnerable when talking about it. The stigma around injecting our faces to temporarily paralyse expression lines needs to stop. Younger women are now looking to Botox as a preventative to fine lines, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
I say life’s too short to spend frowning, so I choose to get Botox injections (read about my first experience here). I don’t see the point in fibbing or lying to others about this. It’s also my job to test out new things and share my experience with my audience. I just so happened to find something I’m truly happy about and I’m not afraid to tell the world.
I’ve been getting Botox for over 2 years, about every 22 weeks, and I’m quite happy about it. It’s helped to smooth my forehead lines, crow’s feet and even the fine lines in between my nose. As an added bonus, it’s also helped cure my daily headaches and bi-weekly migraines (read about how it helped my headaches here). As much as I do it for “medical” reasons, I also do it to help keep me looking fresh and young.
I’m not here to push Botox on anyone, but I felt it my duty, as a blogger, to be upfront about what works and what I love. As much as I love testing out skincare products, it’s unfair to tell women that there’s a magical cream or serum that’s going to cure or maintain a wrinkle-free forehead. When you smile, frown or basically perform any expression, lines are going to form. Once you have them, it’s only going to progress and get deeper with time. If you’re happy with that, amazing, but if you’re looking for an effective way to hide them, Dr. Torgerson is answering some of your burning questions.
How do you know which doctor to trust?
I truly believe there’s no bad Botox, only bad practitioners. My best advice is to find a doctor you trust and stick with them. I’ve been seeing the talented Dr. Torgerson, who is a stronger believer in “less is more”. This is one of the main reasons why I can still move my eyebrows, have full control over all my expressions and the number one reason why even my closest friends can’t tell I’ve had work done. He has the knack of smoothing the rough edges off, without sacrificing facial expressions. He’s a magician with a needle, no pain, no swelling and no bruising.
At what age should I start/ as a preventative for when I’m older?
There is no set age. Everyone’s skin is different, as is their wants and needs. It’s personal and varies with each person. Dr. T has people as young as their early 20’s, and also as late as their 70’s. There are many factors that go into play, lifetime sun exposure, skincare regimen, even the makeup you wear. When you’re younger, your lines and wrinkles may be less noticeable, but as we continue to age, the lines become more prominent. Botox can help prevent those lines from becoming ingrained.
Where can you get Botox?
Botox can be injected almost anywhere. Your frown lines, fine lines around the mouth, forehead lines, possibilities are endless.
How long does it last?
Botox can typically last 3 to 6 months.
How long until I see results?
Results from Botox will start to be seen around the 48-hour mark but can take upwards of 14 days to see full results.
How long can I continue to get Botox?
You can continue to get Botox as needed every 3 to 6 months, for as long as you want.
Will I have to go less often, the longer/ more I get it done?
Yes, you may find that you need less units overtime and with continued use.
Can you freeze the area I’m getting injected if I have a fear of needles?
Technically, however, is a really quick treatment and therefore most patients don’t usually require freezing.
How can I avoid side effects (like swelling and bruising)/ what are the side effects if any?
Most swelling and bruising can be avoided by avoiding certain medication, blood thinners, alcohol, supplements and habits such as smoking for about two weeks prior and two weeks following treatment. Bruising is normal and can be covered with makeup, however, these small tips can also help. In order to minimize bruising, limit your intake of blood thinning products before and after injection (up to 2 weeks). You can also try vitamin E, Ginseng, Aspirin, Ginko-Biloba, Green Tea, etc. Smoking will also increase bruising. For females, if they are having injections done around the time of their menstrual cycle, it may increase the likelihood of bruising.
How many units in a syringe, can I buy per unit or do I have to purchase a full syringe?
At Dr. T clinic, they charge by the area instead of by the unit. Typically, one area could be your forehead, or the line(s) in between your eyebrows or the crow’s feet wrinkles and would typically require 25 units.
Is it dangerous over time/ with continued use?
Only if you over-inject, which would never happen if you are in the hands of an experienced and trained doctor, like Dr. Torgerson.
