Botox is in a league of its own
I can say with certainty that Botox is currently the most effective treatment to get rid of muscle-created wrinkles between the eyebrows, in the forehead, and around the eyes. Nothing comes close to giving you the same results that a skilled Botox injector can deliver. There’s nothing that even comes close to the effectiveness of Botox. Botox (botulinum toxin type A) will eventually have competition as other brands get FDA approved for cosmetic use (such as Myobloc, which uses botulinum toxin type B, but is not FDA approved for wrinkles yet).

In the future, there will surely be other advancements that rival Botox, but currently there are none that are readily available to the public.

Why do wrinkle creams claim they are effective alternatives to Botox?
Because they can! I wrote about Freeze 24-7, the wrinkle cream that promises it’s a “safe alternative to Botox” and that its “nature, not needles” will instantly smooth away wrinkles. It doesn’t work at all, and their products are expensive! In the past, cosmetics companies have been able to say just about anything they want about their products, even if it’s not true. It’s pretty ridiculous.

I was just reading in one of Paula Begoun’s recent beauty bulletins that the FDA may finally be cracking down on absurd claims. This is great news for consumers! Paula Begoun writes “The U.S. regulatory group cited Canada-based Fusion Beauty last summer for the drug-like claims being made for their Micro-Injected M-Tox Transdermal Face Lift (that name alone connotes a drug benefit!), Mini Micro-Injected M-Tox Transdermal Face Lift, and Micro-Injected M-Tox Transdermal Eye Lift. The FDA maintains that these skin-care products are not recognized as safe by experts and that their claims “overstep cosmetic boundaries” (that’s putting it mildly) by positioning themselves as alternatives to topical injections and comparing the results to familiar procedures such as Botox. FDA also brought to light that even if the company can prove their claims (which they cannot), their products are misbranded because they do not identify the manufacturer or distributor and fail to provide “a reachable mailing address.” Putting it plainly, their products don’t work as claimed, and if you want to register a complaint, you’re left to figure out how to contact the company.”

Is there really no alternative to Botox?
There is an alternative – don’t use Botox, and don’t see the same results! It’s as simple as that! There are plenty of ways to make your skin look smoother, younger, and healthier as a whole – check out my Anti-Aging Skin Care list. Of course I do put Botox on my anti-aging list, but with a whole-body approach to anti-aging you may be able to reverse the signs of aging enough that you no longer feel the need for Botox. And I am sure in our lifetimes, there really will be a needle-less Botox alternative!!

Related posts:

1. 101 Uses For Botox
2. Bye Bye Botox
3. Botox Bunny Lines

HD is a nightmare for actresses!
I don’t have HD television (which is 6 times sharper than regular TV), so I’ve hardly ever seen it. However, the few times I’ve caught it at a friend’s house, I’ve been astonished at how people look “real” or even hyper-real! I watched CSI: Miami and could see every pore and zit on this young actress’ face. Women that would look wrinkle-free on my old-school TV actually have…wrinkles! I am sure HD gives ego boosts to people that watch it, because they learn that actresses aren’t perfect, and they age just like everyone else. Of course, some women look sooo good in HD (from what I’ve heard), and, well life isn’t fair:( Personally, it sounds like a nightmare to be shown in HD, so I’m glad I’m not an actress!

Hollywood Heat reports that while John Travolta’s hairpiece looks undetectable on regular TV, and in the movies, it’s clear as day in HD. That means you’d also be able to see it in real life, which sort of sucks for him.

What should actresses do?
To maintain their youth, actresses are getting Botox to look younger (which Hollywood seems to demand) but then casting directors are getting fed up with actresses who appear to be bad at acting because they can’t make the expected facial expressions. Supposedly casting directors have started looking to foreign actresses, because Botox isn’t as popular outside of the US.

If you’re a serious actress, then I guess it only makes sense to give up Botox, and do the best you can with what you’ve got. Botox can be done minimally, where you can still move your forehead, but just not as much. And Botox is the only cosmetic treatment that really prohibits natural facial expressions, so all the other high-priced anti-agers (fillers, laser treatments, plastic surgery) will still allow actresses to look turn back the clock.

Personally actresses who get Botox don’t bother me that much. I love Desperate Housewives, even though Marcia Cross’ forehead hasn’t moved an inch in a single episode! Does it freak you out when actresses have perfectly smooth foreheads that don’t “move”?

Related posts:

1. Botox Bunny Lines
2. Frownies – The Poor Woman’s Botox
3. My Botox Experience

I like to guess if celebs have Botox
As you know, I am a fan of Botox, and I like to guess if celebrities have it. It’s sort of a game for me. If Botox is not overdone, you really cannot tell that a person has it. It looks very natural. For celebrities like Marcia Cross and Nicole Kidman, it’s just a given that they use it extensively. Or is it? I was shocked to read the Nicole Kidman cover story in the December 2007 issue of Marie Claire. Nicole swears she’s never used Botox, and that she’s completely natural. She attributes her perfect wrinkle-free skin to sunscreen use and not smoking.

If you were a celebrity, would you lie about cosmetic procedures?
Use of Botox or Restylane is nobody’s business but your own. However, I personally have no problems telling people I’ve used Botox, and if I get more treatments in the future, I will surely tell anyone that asks about them. If I were a celebrity, I’d be like Kathy Griffin who fesses up to everything she’s done (lipo, eyelift, nose job, Botox). I don’t like lying, especially when something’s obvious (like Ashlee’s Simpson’s nose job), so I would tell the truth. The other reason I wish celebrities would tell the truth about what they’ve had done is because I want to know their secrets! I want to know how Christie Brinkley still looks 30. I know some people do have really, really good genes…

I’m not saying Nicole Kidman is lying, because I have no idea, but I do hate it when celebrities lie about their procedures, because it confuses me! I’d rather have celebrities just answer “no comment” than lie and say they are all natural if they aren’t. I guess I just feel bad about myself when a perfect celebrity claims that they are all natural. I admire celebrities like Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz because they claim that they are anti-Botox, and they look all natural because they have natural wrinkles and expression lines! I wish I didn’t want to get rid of my wrinkles, and could just be happy about them!

Sometimes there’s no hiding the fact that you use Botox
Mark McGrath, the singer from Sugar Ray, has had deep horizontal lines across his forehead ever since his band got popular ten years ago. When he first got the job as a host on Extra, I was excited because I figured he’d get Botox, and I could see how well it worked. He was the perfect “before” and “after” candidate to show how well Botox works. Well I’ve been waiting a few years now, and was shocked that Mark hadn’t gotten Botox yet. At three in the morning yesterday, I turned on Extra, and there was Mark – with a perfectly smooth forehead, and not a wrinkle in sight! Unless I was half-asleep and was dreaming, Mark’s finally gotten Botox. And it works really well indeed!

Related posts:

1. My Botox Experience
2. Botox Backlash In Hollywood
3. Frownies – The Poor Woman’s Botox

Since I was getting the injections free when I worked at the Medical Spa, I would make myself available whenever the opportunity presented itself – like when the Injector had some left in the bottle and needed to use it up before it lost effectiveness (a mixed bottle lasts maybe a week). I last had Botox on 6/27 (around my eyes/crow’s feet). On 5/19 I had 20 units injected between my eyes, and in my forehead. The Botox in my forehead wears off faster than around my eyes, but if I was paying for the treatments, I’d probably go every 3-4 months and get everything done at once.

You need less Botox and can space out treatments further after a few treatments
Since I’ve only had Botox a few times, I don’t know if this is totally true, but this is what the Allergan reps and the Injector told me. Initially you need to go in every 3 months, but then you can go 4, then 5, then 6 months between treatments. And you will need less units to maintain the results as the months go by. The good news is that Botox actually gets cheaper, as long as you stick with this schedule. But you are supposed to get your treatments done before the Botox has totally worn off, or else you will sort of be starting over.

Can you become immune to Botox?
At my Medical Spa, I had never heard of anyone becoming immune to Botox. On the internet, I’ve read about more than one person that claims Botox doesn’t work on them anymore, after it being successful for several years. This makes me nervous, because I’d hate to do Botox now when I don’t have that many wrinkles, and then find out it doesn’t work anymore when I really need it. I think this is pretty rare, though.

The Injector I worked with told me that if you use too few units of Botox, this can sort of cause immunity. I don’t know if she meant permanently, or just for a few months, but that also makes me nervous. That’s why it’s critical to find a skilled injector to do your treatments to achieve the best results. In my Botox Tips I talk about how to find a skilled injector, and other reasons why Botox may not work for you (mostly due shady or unskilled injectors).

For now I’m going to wait on getting more Botox
My main reason is because I have no money! Even though I may possibly be able to get it at near cost (assuming my old employer is feeling generous), that would still be a few hundred dollars. So far the wrinkles in my forehead and between my eyes aren’t as bad as they were before I ever had treatments. Maybe the Botox hasn’t totally worn off, or maybe it’s caused me to get used to not frowning and furrowing all the time. The wrinkles around my eyes bother me the most, since they are what age me more than anything on my face. So I may go in and just get those done. At full price that would be $100-150 for 4 months of results.

Related posts:

1. My Botox Experience
2. Botox Tips
3. Botox For Excessive Sweating

Lift saggy breasts
In the September 2007 issue of Health magazine, I learned doctors in Europe and Canada are now using Botox to boost saggy breasts! By injecting the pectoral muscles with Botox, you can temporarily lift the breast tissue. Unfortunately, this only works on women with smaller breasts.

Excessive sweating
As I discussed in my Botox for excessive sweating post, you can eliminate underarm sweating with Botox! The palms, feet, and face can also possibly be treated.

Migraine headaches
Migraine sufferers can get relief by getting Botox injections into the back or sides of the head, forehead or brow area.

Sculpt the face
Skilled injectors, like Dermatologist Dr. Brandt (the largest user of Botox in the US) use Botox to sculpt the face, turning up the nose, lifting the eyebrows to enlarge the eyes, and adding the illusion of volume in strategic areas.

Pout the lips, and turn up corners of mouth
As little as 1 unit of botox can be injected under the bottom lip to puff it out, creating the appearance of a pouty lip. I had the lip treatment done, and did notice a visible difference in my bottom lip. Botox can also be injected into the corners of the mouth to slightly turn them up, creating a more pleasant appearing smile.

Relax bands in neck
As we age, some people develop vertical bands in the neck, which can be softened with Botox. The effect can also simulate a neck lift, if a lot of excess skin is not present.

Dimpled chin
Botox can relax the muscles in the chin, reducing the appearance of “golf ball chin” as it is sometimes referred.

Enlarged prostate
Men who have had their prostate injected with Botox have seen a decrease in its size, as well as relief from some of the side effects associated with an enlarged prostate.

Muscle spasms and eye twitching
Several types of muscle spasms can be treated with Botox – involuntary eyelid closure, eye twitching, face, jaw and neck spasms, vocal chord spasms, and even stuttering can be lessened with Botox injections.

TMJ / TMD
I currently suffer from TMJ, which is pain in the jaw, neck and ear. While I’m currently taking medication for it, I’d consider having Botox injected into my TMJ muscles to decrease the tension. I’ve researched this a lot, and was about to get Botox injections for it, before I found a medication that works reasonably well for now.

Overactive bladder
Doctors can inject Botox into the base of the bladder to relieve the problems associated with an overactive bladder.

Lower back pain
I sometimes suffer from lower back pain, and researching for this article alerted me to this possible Botox use. This is potentially great news since back pain is extremely prevalent in today’s society.

Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis
Botox has been used for years to treat children with Cerebral Palsy – it relaxes the muscles that are in spasm. People with Multiple Sclerosis can also be treated with Botox to lessen muscle contractions that cause spasms and stiffness.

Currently Botox is not FDA-approved for many of these treatments, so doctors have been using Botox off-label. Some of the uses for Botox have only been done on a handful of patients, so they are currently not widely-used. If you do have one of the ailments I’ve listed, and current treatments have been unsuccessful, research how Botox has been used to treat your ailment, and then talk to you doctor about his or her opinion. Not all doctors are quick to embrace Botox for off-label use, so I wouldn’t be surprised if your doctor has never used it. Also, not everyone will be a candidate for Botox. Read my Botox tips post for more information about Botox.

Related posts:

1. Botox For Excessive Sweating
2. Botox Tips
3. Alternative To Botox?

I’m always concerned about sweating because I sweat even when I’m cold! When I’m anxious it gets worse. I’ve tried every deodorant out there, although I haven’t tried Drysol, the prescription one. But Certain Dri, the super strong over-the-counter one, did nothing for me, except make me itch like crazy. Hmm I just noticed there’s a new antiperspirant for excessive sweating called Maxim that you can get on the internet. I haven’t tried it either. It’s annoying because there’s so many things I can’t wear because of the sweating problem. When antiperspirants don’t work, there’s always a surgical option, but that’s pretty extreme.

Botox to treat sweating!
Luckily Botox can now be used for sweating! We offered the treatment at my Medical Spa, but for some reason not too many people did it. The one or two people that actually had the treatment said that they had good results, and I’ve read about it being pretty successful. Last night I was watching “Dr. 90210″ and Dr. Will Kirby (he was on my favorite show Big Brother) did Botox injections on his male friend’s underarms. First Dr. Kirby shaved the patient’s armpits, and then he applied cornstarch. Over that he applied iodine, and waited a few minutes. When the patient started sweating, you could see purple dots where there was sweating. Dr. Kirby then did a quick series of Botox injections into the armpits, and then he was done! Since I’ve had Botox, I can tell you that the pain isn’t bad at all, and I hate needles! I am pretty nervous about getting shots in my underarms, but I doubt it really hurts that much.

At my Medical Spa, the injector says she does about 8 shots on each underarm, and uses a total of 100 units of Botox for both sides. That’s a lot of Botox, and it would cost at least $1000! The good news is that Botox for your underarms lasts 6-7 months, as opposed to the 3-4 months in your forehead. There’s more good news. A lot of times insurance will cover Botox for sweating!! So check with your health insurance, and then with your Dermatologist. I don’t know how “much” sweating you have to do to be considered having Hyperhidrosis, and I have a feeling your health insurance wouldn’t pay for the treatment if you weren’t considered an excessive sweater. Also, if you do have excessive sweating, read up on it, and ask your doctor about it, because this could be a symptom of a larger health problem.

On Dr. 90210, Dr. Kirby said it would take about 3 days to start sweating less, and within a week, you should be not sweating at all in the treated area, or not much. I totally want to try Botox for sweating, but just haven’t done it yet. I would only do it if it’s covered by my insurance. Right now Botox is mostly used to treat the underarms, but the hands, feet, and face can also possibly be treated.

Related posts:

1. 101 Uses For Botox
2. Botox Tips
3. My Botox Experience

Make sure you are receiving Botox Cosmetic
Currently, Botox Cosmetic is the only Botulinum toxin A that is FDA approved for cosmetic use. Before you receive your treatment, don’t hesitate to ask to see the box and bottle of the Botox, to confirm that it’s the real thing. Of course, an unscrupulous person could always put something other than Botox Cosmetic in the bottle, so you need to make sure you are at a trustworthy practice. If you’ve heard about the deaths or paralysis of people that had Botox injections, they were not injected with Botox Cosmetic. Here in Nevada, a doctor has recently been accused of injecting his patients with something other than Botox Cosmetic, but telling them it was the real thing, and he faces serious jail time if he’s found guilty.

Botox Cosmetic is not cheap
Allergan, the maker of Botox Cosmetic, currently charges all of its buyers $505 per 100 unit vial. That means a Medical Spa or Doctor is paying $5.05 per unit of Botox, plus they need to pay the injector, the rest of the staff, and all the bills that go along with running a medical establishment. So if you see Botox specials at places for $99, or $6 a unit, you probably aren’t going to get a good treatment! At the Medical Spa I worked at, we would charge between $9.50 and $13 a unit, depending on the special we were running. I personally got 35 units, which covered my forehead, between my eyes, and around my eyes. That’s about $350. Most of our clients got between 20 and 80 units, depending on the severity of their wrinkles.

Botox injections require skill and practice
In Nevada, you only need to be a Medical Assistant to inject Botox. In other states, you must be a Nurse or Doctor, however any type of Doctor can take a weekend course in Botox and then be able to inject it. Just because a Doctor is doing your treatment doesn’t mean you will get good results. Botox must be injected very precisely, and skill and practice are necessary for good results. When I got my Botox at the Medical Spa I worked at, my treatments were done by a Medical Assistant, yet she had been doing injections for several years, was trained by Allergan, and she had worked on hundreds and hundreds of happy clients. I saw Doctors that were affiliated with the Spa that didn’t provide the best results to clients, and the clients were happier with the Medical Assistant. Also, at the Medical Spa, one Medical Assistant literally had a week of training before she was injecting clients!!! That freaked me out. Read about my Insider Guide to Medical Spas here. Ask for referrals from your friends, ask a place to see before and after pictures, ask how long the person has been doing injections, and check with the Better Business Bureau before choosing an establishment. The official Botox website also has a list of Doctors with whom they are affiliated.

On a side note, I saw great results with the 35 units the Medical Assistant recommended, however when I asked another doctor and a nurse how many units they thought I needed, they both said 60. I’m not exactly sure what to make of that.

Ask if the results are guaranteed
While every patient is different and won’t get the same exact results, there are several factors that can effect your treatment. Botox needs to be mixed with sterile saline, but some unscrupulous places may dilute the Botox too much, which can make it less effective, or it can wear off faster. Botox also needs to be used within a few days after it’s mixed, so if you aren’t getting fresh Botox, you might not get good results. You also want to get an ample amount of units, so it’s best to pay per unit, rather than per area. Some place may charge $99 an area, but who knows how much Botox they are injecting. You need to tell a skilled injector what results you are hoping to achieve, and you need to let him or her decide how many units you will need to achieve those results. If you only have $100 and want “some” Botox, save your money til you can afford to get the units you need. If you are being treated at a reputable place, you should be really happy with your results. But see if you can get some sort of guarantee in writing, so that you don’t get Botox that fades after two weeks, and you’re out a lot of money.

Continued use of Botox and Side Effects
Since Botox Cosmetic hasn’t been around that long, no one really knows what its long term effects will be. It’s recommended to get Botox every 3-4 months, although with continued use, you should need it less often, and may need less units to achieve the same results. But if you continually get it, who knows how it will effect your looks in 10, 20, 30 years. That scares me a bit! Make sure to tell your Botox provider what medications you are on before the treatment, and don’t drink alcohol before the treatment. Botox parties may be fun (if you get a skilled injector) but you don’t want to be drinking at them! Don’t lie down for 4 hours after the injections, and don’t rub your face. The good thing about Botox is that while you have it, it will prevent your wrinkles from getting worse, so you are sort of stopping the clock. However, if you stop getting it, the wrinkles you had before will come back, and it will be like you never had the treatment.

Related posts:

1. My Botox Experience
2. Bye Bye Botox
3. Botox For Excessive Sweating

The pain actually wasn’t bad at all, and it just stung a tiny bit around my eyes. A topical numbing agent was first applied to my skin, and the actual procedure took 10 minutes. Probably about 10 pricks total were made around my eyes, between my brows, and in my forehead. All together I got 35 units. Normally I have faint wrinkles in my forehead and between my eyebrows, and small crows feet around my eyes. It took several days before I started to see results from the treatment, and a full two weeks before I had the maximum results. All the wrinkles were essentially gone, and when I smiled, my cheeks puffed out just a bit more under my eyes. My eyebrows were slightly lifted, and the best part was that my eyes looked totally even for the first time ever! I have one slightly droopy eye, but the Botox totally fixed that!! I also had one unit injected under my bottom lip to cause it to pout. I already have big lips, so I wasn’t crazy about the results on me, but it would be good for someone with thinner lips.

The day after I got the treatment, I had a horrible headache, and I was paranoid it would never go away, but it did! That was the only side effect I had. When the Botox took effect, my forehead felt a bit stiff, and it was hard to lift my eyebrows up that much, and it was impossible to furrow my brows, so I had to frown with my mouth to show expression! It felt a little weird having a stiff forehead – kind of like I put a big piece of masking tape there – but it wasn’t a big deal. No one noticed I looked any different, so it looked very natural, and I would get compliments all the time at the Medical Spa about how I looked young. Before the Botox, I think I looked almost my age. After about two months, the Botox started to wear off slightly in my forehead, and I was able to move my forehead more. It took three months for the Botox to wear off in my forehead, and four months around my eyes. At four months, I had it done again, but was told I didn’t need quite as much the second time, since the wrinkles weren’t as pronounced. I was able to move my forehead more the second time around, so if you don’t get as much Botox, you will have the ability to have more facial expressions. But if you don’t get enough, you won’t see the results you’re looking for. It’s best to tell the injector what you’re trying to accomplish and let he or she tell you how much Botox you will need.

Overall, of all the beauty treatments I’ve tried, Botox, and sunscreen have made the biggest improvements in keeping my skin looking young. Since I didn’t have to pay for the expensive treatment, it was great, but I will probably only continue to get it around my eyes, since it doesn’t take a lot of units in that area, and the wrinkles there bother me the most. I will write a separate post about Botox tips.

ps. This picture of me was taken on Friday. Sheesh, my California Tan has totally worn off (or maybe the flash was just really bright!)

Related posts:

1. Botox Tips
2. Bye Bye Botox
3. Botox For Excessive Sweating

Frownies are also supposed to “train” your muscles to not make the unwanted facial expressions if you wear them in the daytime. I haven’t really worn them much when I’m not sleeping, since I don’t want my roommate laughing at me, and I’m not about to wear them in public! I highly doubt they really train your muscles. I think they only work while you wear them. Lucky for me, I mostly only make the unwanted expressions when I sleep! So for me, I think they are worth it. The only problem is that they are a pain to get off! You are supposed to just wet your face, and peel them off. Well they stick like superglue! So a lot of times I have an inflamed forehead for a few minutes! At least they don’t give me acne at all!

Currently, I have Botox in my forehead, so I don’t need Frownies. Botox disables you from making the unwanted wrinkles 24/7, so that’s the best part of it. Of course Botox costs 20 times more than Frownies! I also have Botox around my eyes, and while you can put Frownies around your eyes, I’d hate to try to pull them off around the delicate eye area! Ouch. When my Botox (free from the Medical Spa I worked at) wears off, I will go back to Frownies. But in the end, I know I will probably become a Botox junkie. I just need to make more money to afford this expensive habit! Funny thing about Frownies – they were invented in 1889!

Related posts:

1. My Botox Experience
2. Botox Bunny Lines
3. Botox Backlash In Hollywood

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Signs You’re A Beauty Junkie
2. Botox Tips
3. My Botox Experience