Happy, happy! Two hundred blogs in almost eight years! What better way to celebrate a milestone than to celebrate Botox along with it. Botox Cosmetic turns 20 years old this month. 20 years ago they got their FDA approval for cosmetic use and the aesthetics industry has never been the same. What started as a treatment for involuntary muscle spasms near the eye ended up leading a massive anti-aging movement that is now a billion-dollar industry.
I asked Iris, Gina and Sarah what they’ve seen change in the Botox world over the years that they’ve been injecting, and it seems the biggest changes are the demographics, less secrecy around treatments and injection techniques. Even just 10 years ago many people did not talk about the fact they were getting Botox, even with their close friends. There was more of a taboo around it and less education in general. People feared being frozen, or even worried that injecting Botox could somehow hurt you systemically, or that it wasn’t “healthy.” Over the last decade those misconceptions have diminished, and many more people share their experiences, not just with friends, but publicly, on social media or television. Every once in awhile we will hear a client mention that they don’t want their friends or family to know they’ve had Botox, but for the most part, the majority are open about it.
When I first started at Body Tonic (which was also my introduction to aesthetics in general) I had a stereotype in my head that I thought would be the demographic for anti-aging treatments. That was blown apart very quickly as I saw so many different versions of people come through the door. I expected everyone to look like they walked off the set of The Real Housewives, when in reality, those coming for treatments were from all walks of life. Over the last 8 years, I watched our demographic change to include a lot more men and also a rapidly growing young clientele. As our injectors noted, many are coming in for preventative Botox. Honestly it’s a great idea: if you start younger, you will never develop those deep static lines, and it will also mean you will require fewer units over time as your muscles won’t be as strong.
Eight years ago I would have put myself in that category I had stereotyped as an non-Botox user. I thought I would be happy with natural aging and would take what comes. Ha ha ha! No way. As soon as I got my first Botox treatment I was hooked. I didn’t know what to expect but I remember doing a double take in the mirror one day and thinking, Ooooo…I look good! It took me awhile to figure out what was different but finally realized the Botox had kicked in! My features just looked softer, my forehead was smoothed, and my skin just seemed to have a bit of a glow. That “glow” is actually my favorite part of what Botox can do…it makes your skin more pliable, more elastic, more like younger skin. That more youthful look is what I saw as a “glow.”
Cosmetically, Botox can also do so much more than just treat frown lines or forehead lines. It can help with TMJ pain, it can treat a gummy smile, can help with crepey skin under the eye, lift the brows a bit, help with lax neck skin and even diminish dimples on the chin.
No matter what the treatment area, I love witnessing both Botox virgins and veterans alike see their results. They are always so happy! It’s like a veil of aging lifts and they see their outside match up a little more with how they feel on the inside. Botox doesn’t make you look different. It might make you FEEL different as you see yourself looking relaxed and a bit more youthful! It’s still YOU, just a little better.
