In January of 2020, I tried Botox for the first time. I was one of “those” people who had a whole lot of preconceived notions about Botox: it will make me look frozen, it hurts, it’s for old people (what is “old” by the way?), it’s super expensive…etc. etc.
Then I was getting my hair done one day, and there was a pop up Botox party happening in the salon, and I got all wide eyed seeing women, who were my age (and younger) strolling in for their appointments, and leaving 15 minutes later. I reached out to a few friends to see if they had Botox treatments, and again got all wide eyed, learning how many had been getting Botox for years! Why was I late to the party again?
After doing some research about places local to me that did Botox treatments, I began to follow Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery through their Instagram page. After some back and forth messages, I scheduled an appointment to come in for a consult. I had many questions, and Malia was incredible at explaining the whole procedure to me. I decided to go forward with a treatment that day, getting Botox in my forehead, between the brows, and crow’s feet (eye area). I saw results within about 4 days, and fully after about 10 days. I couldn’t stop staring at my smooth forehead, that seemed transformed and made my face appear so much younger! I wrote a blog post about my experience getting Botox for the first time at Cape & Islands Plastic Surgery, so you can read that here.
I have continued to get Botox there over the last two years. I typically go twice a year (June and December), although I may try to start going every four months (if my budget allows for it).
On my recent visit, I met with Kelly, one of the Nurse Injectors at the practice for my treatment. Side note: I made this point last time, and I’ll say it again, if you decide Botox is right for you, make sure you find a reputable practice like Cape & Islands Plastic Surgery, where the injectors are highly trained and participate in ongoing professional development to help them learn new techniques and regulations around Botox treatment–this is your face and needles we’re talking about!!
After my last treatment I posted on IG about some common Botox myths and truths. Below are a few of those and a couple more:
Myth 1: It’s very painful. Not at all, the injections feel like a slight pinch. Check out this video of my whole treatment!
Myth 2: It works immediately. Nope. Botox activates over the course of two weeks. My before and after below! It’s hard to tell because I’m not scrunching up my forehead or frowning, but my forehead is a lot smoother, as are the wrinkles around my eyes.
BEFORE 
TWO WEEKS AFTER
Myth 3: I’ll look like John Travolta with a frozen face. Thankfully NO! The ‘frozen face’ is caused by getting way too many units. If you go to a reputable place like Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery, where their practitioners are highly trained, they’ll recommend the proper dosage for you.
Myth 4: Botox is toxic. It’s been used since 1980’s and derived from Clostridium botulinum, an organism found in the natural environment. It’s also been approved by the FDA.
Myth 5: Botox can erase all my wrinkles: It treats dynamic wrinkles, which are the wrinkles that develop with movement. Static wrinkles are the result of aging and sun exposure, and you may need fillers to smooth the appearance of those.
There is a lot of literature about Botox out there, but your best bet will be to talk to the nurse or injector at your practice to help answer all your questions. Feel free to reach out to me as well!!
Oh and the one question that I kept getting after I posted on IG, is how many units I get and the cost. I have been getting 40 units throughout my face, and cost varies anywhere between $10-$16 per unit (depending on where you live and the practice). Also if you sign up at Alle.com you’ll get notifications about deals for Botox, such as buy a $50 gift card and get one free (I do this every year!)
xo,
Anastasia
