Botox... There was a time when I said 'I would NEVER do that!'
Trust me, the thought of getting a dozen little tiny shots in your forehead doesn't sound too appealing. BUT, I am very VERY pleased with the outcome of my first treatment of Botox. Just scroll down and look at that before and after photo (YIKES)!
When the Skin Center in Columbus, Ohio contacted me for this collaboration, I must say I was a little hesitant. However, the more I talked with my friends and family members, I realized that Botox is actually much more common these day than I thought! There are women in their 20s getting Botox regularly as a preventative measure! I have been self conscious about the wrinkles on my forehead and in between my eyebrows (called 'elevens') for a while now. I'm pretty expressive when I talk, so I started noticing these lines in my 20s. Obviously, these lined get worse with age. So, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge!
At my initial consultation, my RN (Stephanie) really helped to make me feel more comfortable about the process. She told me what she would do to help smooth out my wrinkles and just give me a more 'awake' look. Stephanie was so informative and friendly! So, I went ahead and scheduled my appointment.
The day of my appointment I was super nervous! As you can see in the before and after photo below, I was so red right before I got my injections! My blood pressure was definitely high! I think I was mostly nervous of the needles and the unknown. But, I am here to tell you that it was not bad at all! I got 10 pokes (29 units) and there were just little pokes. And that was it! I felt so silly being so nervous for nothing!
The redness went away immediately after I got my injections and I looked completely normal by the time I got to my car. You could not even tell that I had just got Botox! One thing that I didn't know about Botox is that it doesn't really take into effect until about a week to 10 days AFTER you get your injections.
The left photo below is right before I got my injections, and the right photo is 10 days after my injections. It took a full 10 days for mine to really kick in!
The Most Asked Questions About Botox
How much does it cost? Stephanie informed me that the initial cost for your first injections is $10 per unit. After that if you need a touch up or any future injections it could be $10 - $15 per unit.
How many units did you get? Every one is different and you may need more or less than what I got. I got 29 units this first time (10 pokes).
Does it hurt? Not nearly as bad as I thought it would! They are actually really small needles and it was really more like a 'poke' than injections.
Does it wear off after a while? Again, everyone is different and will metabolize the Botox at different rates, but Stephanie said typically it wears off every 3 to 4 months. Some people can go 6 months in between injections.
I really hope this information was helpful! If you are looking into getting Botox in the near future and you are in the Columbus area, I highly recommend scheduling your consultation at The Skin Center in Gahanna!
