How it feels. What it costs. Is it worth it?
Two weeks ago, I did a thing. A thing I said I would NEVER do. I said I would never do it, because I didn’t know any better.
Being in my mid 30’s, I have heard B word thrown around in my circle of friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. But no one I knew had actually come out and said “oh yeah, I get Botox”.
But then I was in a Facebook closet mom group (yes, there is such a thing, I’ll save that for a different post) and a fellow mama said she was considering Botox and asked if anyone had it done.
The response shocked me. It seemed like everyone, and their bestie, mom, auntie, and nana had it done. And the consensus was, it’s amazing. Not one person had a negative thing to say, except “you’re going to love it so much, and want to get it done on a consistent basis, but the cost can add up”.
So I decided it was my turn to give this a try. My one criteria: go to a practitioner who knows what they’re doing. This is where Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery comes in.
Getting Started
I came into the office at Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery in Hyannis (they have office locations in Falmouth, Plymouth, and Sandwich too) and was greeted by a nice waiting room. Shortly after checking in and filling out some paperwork, I met Physician Assistant Malia McCoy, board certified in fillers and injectables. I mention this because it’s important.
Everyone at Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery are master injectors and have received numerous trainings and continue to have multiple advanced trainings every year to brush up on their skills. This also allows them to learn the most up to date injections techniques that are constantly being studied. They are also a full medical practice and offer everything from a 10 minute Botox treatment, to full face lifts, and full body contouring surgery. They are truly your one stop shop for multiple levels of treatments. They offer every patient a full consultation with their master injectors prior to treatment where the providers do a full facial assessment to help patients achieve their desired results. Patient then can decide to have the treatment that same day or can schedule another appointment to have their treatments.
Botox vs. Fillers
Malia then chatted with me about what Botox is and how it works, and what fillers are and how they work.
Botox: reduces muscle contractions in the face that cause lines and wrinkles. Usually used on lines between brows (or 11s), forehead lines, and crows feet around the eyes. It can also be used to make little tweaks in the lower face depending on the patient and the injectors skill level. It lasts 3-4 months, even up to 5 or 6 on younger patients and takes 3-7 days to fully kick in to see the the results.
Fillers: fill trouble areas that already have lines or wrinkles or have some volume loss in the area. Generally it is used on the cheeks (lateral to add contour and volume or medial to add a cheek ‘pop’), marionette lines, nasolabial folds, lips, and lines around the mouth. It can also be used to contour the jaw line and add definition to the chin and other places on the face depending on your injectors comfort and skill level. Fillers last anywhere from 9 months to 2 years depending on the filler used and the area it is injected into the face. Bruising and swelling is common following this treatment and can last for 3 to 7 days usually.
Dosage
This will vary person to person. Some women who don’t have as many wrinkles will opt for 15-20 units, those of us who forgot to wear sunscreen in our 20’s, will need more (ahem, me!) We decided to do 40 units across my forehead, and crows feet around my eyes. While Malia prepped the solution, I held a little ice pack to my forehead. She then asked me to frown and lift my brows, and promptly inserted a tiny needle across several points in my forehead and near my eyes.
Pain level
If you have experienced the joys of labor, you will be just fine. But in all honesty, on a scale of 1-10, the pain level was maybe a 2-3. It was slightly stingy, but was so fast, I didn’t have time to process what happened.
After
The solution takes about half hour to settle into your muscles, so you’re advised to stay upright, but otherwise you may go back to your regular life as usual. The only No No was to avoid strenuous exercised for 24 hours after the procedure. Say no more, fine by me! Also she told me that a little bruising afterwards is common, but I didn’t experience this, just had a little reddening in my forehead for an hour afterwards.
Results
It takes 3 days to start seeing some results. A week in, the difference is definitely noticeable, and two weeks in, maximum results fully kick in.
My verdict
My favorite part is that when I wake up, and look in the mirror, I actually look rested. My forehead is smooth, and barely shows any lines which is amazing to me, because this was my very first treatment. I still have little lines around my eyes, but they are definitely less noticeable. I also have been using less Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid (my usual go to for coverage) which is perfect when I’m rushing out the door. Just a little mascara, and blush have been doing the job!
and the area around my eyes is almost wrinkle free.
How long will it last?
Again this will vary person to person, but results typically last 3-5 months. Of course, the importance of a good skincare routine, and avoiding exposure to sun, alcohol, and tobacco is recommend.
Cost
At Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery, the cost of Botox is $13 per unit. If you are local, then you’re in luck. If you are a new patient, and mention my name, they are offering $10 per unit. This is a fantastic deal, because not only is this price point really reasonable (I have heard some places charge $20 per unit), but the best part is that you are going to a reputable place that knows what they’re doing! Remember friends, this is your face, so do your research when choosing a place for your Botox treatment.
xo, Anastasia
