You know, three years ago I thought I would never get Botox. For one thing, I wasn’t fond of needles. For another, a little part of me still thought that Botox might be frivolous or vain, even though I’d seen other women benefit from it. But I was bothered by forehead lines—frown lines from concentrating, and horizontal lines from lifting my eyebrows as I talked. Those lines were slowly getting deeper. Isn’t that the way of the world? As we age, our skin doesn’t bounce back the way it used to do, and besides, we’ve had more years to make those facial expressions over and over.

Well, one day I decided to take the plunge and try Botox. It has a great track record of safety, after all. I reclined in the comfy chair that makes it easy for the doc to make precise injections, put a little ice on my face for a few minutes, and then got my first shots of Botox. Now, I love it. My forehead lines are gone! I’ve also noticed that my facial muscles are getting retrained. Once the Botox relaxed my muscles, I became more aware of my habits of frowning or lifting my eyebrows. With awareness comes change—and different habits of expression. That’s probably why I only need Botox injections every 5-6 months now to keep those lines away, while at first I needed them closer together. I also absolutely love what Botox can do for crow’s feet. I can still smile, which I enjoy doing all the time, but I have hardly any crow’s feet—and I am fast approaching the big 50.

Botox does not turn your face into a mask. It can—but only if the doctor giving the injections overdoes it. Personally, I prefer the natural, fresh look. I so appreciated James’s (known as Dr Howton by our patients) conservative approach when I got Botox for the first time. He was careful not to overdo it—because it’s easy to add more Botox if you need it, but you can’t take any away. Now I know the amount of Botox I’m getting is just right for me and I’ll look great every time.

Botox can be a wonderful quick fix for that special event, whether your child’s graduation or wedding, a TV appearance, or just the joy of looking your best every day. If you know a specific date you’d like to have the benefits of a smoother face, make your appointment for Botox to allow plenty of time. It takes 4 – 7 days before Botox takes full effect on your face. And who can measure the full effects on your emotional life of knowing you’re looking great?