This post was brought to you in partnership with Gill Dermatology. I love partnering with businesses that I love and trust. Opinions and post ideas are my own.
Happy Thursday!! Shifting gears a bit today to tell you a little about something I had done recently! I am going to share my experience with getting Botox, with you. I know, it’s not something that most people chat about, but I think my experience was great I definitely wanted to let you know about the experience! Here we go!
A little background, Botox has been on my mind for about 2 years now. I am a pretty anxious person when it comes to trying new (to me) medical things, so I have been nervous to try it for fear of a reaction. While those are NOT common, I was still worried and I chickened out numerous times. My dermatologist, Dr. Anita Gill, has always been fabulous about my going back and forth about trying it. She has always listened to my concerns and reassured. All four of us see Dr. Gill, so we truly do love her and her practice and we trust her. I have a super expressive face. I move my face constantly when I talk and my forehead lines have gotten deeper over the past few years. I started to stress about what they would be like in 5 years, if I didn’t take the plunge soon. It’s totally my own issue, anytime I looked in the mirror or at a picture of myself, all I could see what my main deep line. It just made me nuts. Finally, I received a picture from one of my photoshoots over that summer that sent me running straight into the arms of botox. Ha!
I don’t photoshop my face, so while a lot of times, the lines didn’t show, some days they did and I just didn’t love it. Some lighting is just better, you get it. but, ultimately, these lines were bothering me! So, I literally made the appointment for the day after my birthday and said it was my gift to myself! I must admit that I was so nervous. Like it’s all I could think and worry about for a week until my appointment. I even thought about canceling the day of. I even got to the office and thought about leaving. Ha! I am ridic. Dr. Gill is fabulous and thankfully she gets me, so, after years of discussing it, I think she knew I might spaz out. My friend also came with me, so I had support. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was NOT afraid of the needles. I was NOT afraid of the injection. I was NOT afraid of pain. I was more worried about having some sort of crazy reaction. They assured me that I would be fine and needless to say, I did not chicken out this time and I am thrilled with my results!
In fact, I had to go back for a bit more two weeks later. The first time is a bit of trial, as your licensed professional needs to see what areas need to be tweaked and sometimes you can need a bit more. I did not want to be too frozen looking, so we played it safer and didn’t put too much to begin with. They suggest waiting 7-10 days to really see how your face reacts to it before you add any more. For next time, she knows what areas need more, etc. My main deep line is really the main issue on my forehead. That is what I needed more in. And honestly, it’s still not completely gone, which reaffirms that I wish I had started Botox, years ago, when I was younger. Over the next few courses of Botox injections, we hope it will fade more. But, for deeper lines there are always other options involving fillers, but we are not headed in that direction yet! So, I’ll definitely keep you posted on that pesky line! Ha! What’s even funnier is, a lot of you have reached out and noticed the Botox because my forehead looks better. It’s so funny because now that I did it, I notice foreheads more too, so I’m with you guys. All of you that have reached out have gotten the big B or are seriously considering it. 🙂
I only did my forehead to start. Maybe someday we will tackle those crows feet around my eyes, but for now, I am pumped about my results. Ironically, I was so stressed out to get Botox and now I am ready to schedule my next appointment! Ha! I’m not saying it’s for everyone. But after trying it, I am glad that I did it and I wish I had started sooner!
If you are local and considering Botox, definitely go see Dr. Gill. She is wonderful! You can get all her info HERE to call to make an appointment!
SWEATER // TEE // NECKLACE // LIPSTICK (color: #49)
Here are a few FAQ from the BOTOX website that I copy and pasted in case you have more questions. As always be sure to speak with a licensed professional to discuss any concerns with them, as this was just my own personal experience. My responses to some of these are in bold.
Botox Cosmetic is the only approved treatment to temporarily improve the appearance of both moderate to severe frown lines between the brows and crow’s feet lines in adults.
Botox Cosmetic contains tiny amounts of a highly purified botulinum toxin protein refined from the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Formulations, potency, and approved doses vary among botulinum toxin products, which means that one product cannot take the place of another. Those are a few reasons why there is no such thing as a “generic” form of Botox Cosmetic. There have been no studies to support that other products are Unit-to-Unit equivalent to Botox Cosmetic.
Approximately 10.9 million vials of Botox Cosmetic have been sold in the United States since 2002, and millions of people have already made Botox Cosmetic a part of what they do for themselves. Today, Botox Cosmetic is the #1 selling product of its kind in the world.
How does Botox work?
Botox Cosmetic targets one of the underlying causes of frown lines and crow’s feet—the repeated muscle contractions from frowning and squinting over the years. Your specialist will inject these muscles with BOTOX Cosmetic to temporarily reduce muscle activity. You will begin to notice a visible smoothing of your crow’s feet lines and frown lines between your brows. Does Botox treatment hurt?
Some patients report that being injected with Botox Cosmetic feels like a pinch. Your specialist may use ice to numb the treatment area. If you are concerned about discomfort, your specialist may apply a topical numbing cream before administering your treatment. *I did not numb prior. It honestly didn’t hurt badly. Easier than a shot in my opinion. When I had it done the second time, I hardly felt it.
Your specialist will discuss your treatment goals and perform a facial analysis to determine the appropriate treatments for you. The actual injection process takes about 10 minutes. *It was SO FAST! I couldnt believe how quickly I was in and out of the office!
What is the average treatment cost?
Your cost not only includes the price of the product, but more importantly, the skill and expertise of the specialist or healthcare professional who is administering your treatment. BOTOX Cosmetic is a technique-sensitive treatment—look for someone who is licensed and trained and has experience treating patients with BOTOX Cosmetic. Be wary of discount products or “cheap” BOTOX Cosmetic—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The average cost that I have heard is $10-16 a unit. It is more important to find an experienced specialist who will take the time to understand your treatment goals and develop a treatment plan that is right for you. *I totally agree with this. I would not have gotten an injection from anyone other than my wonderful dermatologist. It’s your face, be sure you are going to a licensed professional for this type of procedure.
You may begin to notice results within 24 to 48 hours for moderate to severe frown lines, with results lasting up to 4 months. *My Dr said 7-10 days. I feel like I noticed the biggest change about 5 days in, but 10 days, I really noticed it!
After your treatment, you can resume your day. There is minimal downtime and your specialist may give you specific aftercare instructions. *I had one spot that bruised and I iced it twice and it was fine. I went back to the gym the next am!
I hope this post has been helpful! Just to sum up, I am happy with my results and will definitely do it again soon. I also try to do HydraFacials every few months as part of my maintenance. You can see my experience with that HERE. I have another post coming up soon with more preventative skincare options and what I am currently using. Please feel free to comment with any questions you might have! Have a fabulous day! XO!
Thank you again to Gill Dermatology
The Woodlands, TX, 77380
I love Dr Gill but had to switch drs when she stopped taking insurance last year! 🙁 Sad. I know Botox isn’t covered by insurance but for my regular skin care needs. She is great though and has such a calming personality!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience and keeping it real!! You look great!!
How many units did you end up getting? Trying to decide if I need it but the special my dermatologist has is a minimum of 30 units. I wasn’t sure if that was about average or more than what is needed.
Hey Annie! I’ve never heard of the minimum number but I think every office is different. I don’t know the average because each face is different in the sense of what a dr thinks you need. I would definitely discuss a plan with your dr and see what their thoughts are. I had no idea how many units I would end up with, I told my dr my concerns and she figured it out based on that. 🙂 I started with 20 units and went back for 10 more, two weeks later, so I think 30-40 units will be my norm from now on. Hope that helps! XO!