As effective as Botox is at reducing lines, (and as beautiful as the results might be), the treatment won\u2019t erase your wrinkles entirely. It\u2019s for this reason that it is often advised as a preventative measure, rather than restorative. Botox prevents muscles from contracting, essentially making them relax and softening their appearance, which also means that the onset of new wrinkles is delayed.<\/p>\n
So, if you have deep lines on your face, Botox won\u2019t completely smooth these out. That being said, my frown lines and wrinkles are definitely less noticeable and pronounced than before. And honestly? I think it\u2019s probably a good thing that they\u2019re not gone entirely, because the end result is much more natural.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
During my consultation, I immediately asked the doctor whether it was going to hurt. His somewhat vague answer didn\u2019t exactly give me the reassurance I was looking for: \u201cthe pain felt is relative and depends on the sensitivity of each person, but anesthesia is never necessary\u201d. This, combined with my mild fear of needles, meant that I was a little scared of what was to come. Fortunately, this turned out to be unnecessary \u2013 the needles were extremely thin, and the injections virtually painless. In some places they felt almost relaxing, kind of like I\u2019d imagine acupuncture to be. One more thing to note though \u2013 you might hear a little \u2018crunch\u2019 when the needles pierce your skin. It\u2019s not a big deal, and not as gross as it sounds, but can be a little disconcerting if you\u2019re not expecting it.<\/p>\n
So, don\u2019t let your fear of needles or pain be the thing that deters you from getting Botox. Just close your eyes, breathe, and it\u2019ll be over before you know it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So, although you may hardly feel the needle pricks, you will likely be able to see them \u2013 something I discovered a little too late. After admiring the immediate result in the clinic mirror, I headed off to join a friend for a drink on a terrace. She promptly pointed out my crimson forehead and the accompanying tiny dried blood dots where the needle had been injected. Lovely. Not the end of the world, of course, but it\u2019s definitely smart to consider this when planning your appointment. I\u2019d probably avoid scheduling any important meetings straight after your session, or bring a hat or sunglasses depending on the area you\u2019re treating. The good news: there were no marks or redness to report during the following days, so it\u2019s nothing to be too concerned about.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll be honest (and I\u2019m a little ashamed to admit this), as soon as I noticed how fast and easy the treatment was, I was secretly already planning my next session of Botox. My skin is soft and plumped, my eyebrows are subtly lifted and my eyes seem more awake \u2013 it really makes you understand why these treatments can become so addictive. It\u2019s important to realise how problematic these thoughts can be though \u2013 for me, I decided to focus on enjoying the results of my treatment for the time being. It can be worth setting some boundaries in your own head \u2013 perhaps setting yourself a limit of 1-2 treatments per year. My advice would be to take some time to think about\u00a0why\u00a0<\/i>you want Botox \u2013 if the area has been troubling you for some time, then it can be a real confidence booster. But, if you think that the reason is more related to fitting into beauty standards, or because others are doing it: it might be worth thinking it over again.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
5. For the same price, you could probably book a holiday<\/h3>\n
Botox isn\u2019t cheap. Of course, the price depends on the clinic, the area that you\u2019re wanting to be treated, and the amount you\u2019re getting. In general, you\u2019ll likely pay anywhere between \u00a3100 \u2013 \u00a3350 per area. If you\u2019re having a little more done, you can quickly be paying upwards of \u00a3400 after for one session in the chair (gulp). For the same price, I could have booked a holiday. Or two festival tickets. Luckily, that\u2019s not looking likely anyway this year.<\/p>\n
My advice: do your research in terms of clinics and prices, but make sure that you do your research on the quality of the work and service, too. Cheaper isn\u2019t always better, and it\u2019s important to pay the price if you\u2019re ready to take the plunge. Also, the online prices are often an indication, so be sure to ask for the final price during your consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1. Botox won\u2019t make your wrinkles disappear completely As effective as Botox is at reducing lines, (and as beautiful as the results might be), the treatment won\u2019t erase your wrinkles entirely. It\u2019s for this reason that it is often advised as a preventative measure, rather than restorative. Botox prevents muscles from contracting, essentially making them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3366,"featured_media":8225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"I tried Botox for the first time. I love the results, but there are a few things I wish I'd known before taking the plunge. Here's what they are.","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","saswp_custom_schema_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[73,74,75],"class_list":{"0":"post-8223","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-editors-picks-long-form","8":"tag-tr26","9":"tag-tr201","10":"tag-tr412","11":"entry"},"acf":{"post_credits":"Image credits: Shutterstock","beauty_blog_post_button_title":"","beauty_blog_post_button":"","landscape_picture":8224,"blocks":null},"yoast_head":"\n