My First Botox Experience

So let’s talk about Botox. On October 10^th, 2019, I shared on my Instagram that I went in for my first Botox injection. It’s now been 3.5 months since then and it’s starting to wear off. So I figured now that I’ve had Botox from start to (almost) finish, it’s time to finally share all about my experience and answer some questions a few of you submitted back in October about this process.

I want to start with this though: Some of you may be against this topic or think it’s unnecessary and that’s ok. I personally disagree. We’re all entitled to our own opinions.

I’ve been looking at the small lines on my forehead and around my eyes for a year or two now. When I turned 25 I figured “Let’s do this before it gets worse!” LOL These lines might be small now, but if I let them roam free all over my face, they’re bound to only get bigger, deeper, and multiply. So I bit the bullet and called the Main Line Center for Laser Surgery and scheduled a free consultation with Dr. Kachiu Lee.

I came to the consultation to get some of my questions answered and learn more about this from a professional instead of just getting all my knowledge from the internet. The consultation went so incredibly well and I felt really comfortable with my doctor that I was like “Any chance I can get the injections today instead of coming back another day?” So Dr. Lee injected 17 units of Botox then and there.

What I loved most about my doctor was that she didn’t try to push me to do anything. She gave me her recommendations after I expressed my areas of concern to her and advised that we start slow and then add on later if need be. So that’s when she injected 17 units into my forehead.

It takes about 2 weeks for the Botox to settle in and for you to start seeing less movement in your forehead. She advised that I schedule a follow up appointment at the 2-week mark to see how my face is doing. So on October 25^th, I returned to her office for her to make sure everything looked good. There was an area of my forehead that still “wrinkled” when I moved my forehead so I asked her to adjust that and she added 2 more units of Botox at my follow up appointment. So all in all I have 19 units of Botox injected into my forehead.

We decided to wait and not inject anything for my crow’s feet since this was my first time getting Botox and she wanted me to try that before adding to another area on my face.

Side Effects

As I drove home from my first injection appointment, I immediately felt a headache coming on. Low and behold, it came and stayed for a few days after my initial injection. This wasn’t surprising to me though, she advised me that it would happen but then I’d be back to normal shortly so I was prepared for this and just took an Advil for a few days. Besides that, I didn’t feel any different.

Now for some of the questions you submitted:

How much does Botox cost?

The cost typically varies between $15 to $20 per unit depending on which city/office you go to. I paid $250 in total for my first 17 units. Then, when I got the 2 additional units at my follow up appointment, they actually injected me for free as a courtesy.

Does it help with face slimming?

Yes. Botox can help to relax the muscle that you use when chewing food, which then gives the look of a slightly slimmer face. On top of that, you can add a little filler (which is not the same thing as Botox) to the chin area to help elongate it to create an even more slimming appearance.

What age should I start getting it?

There’s really no specific age to start getting Botox. It all depends on how you age and your genes. Some people age quicker, so they should start getting Botox as a preventative early-to-mid 20s. Others age slower and can get away with waiting until their late 20s/early 30s to start getting Botox.

What will it look like in 20 years?

Unfortunately this question doesn’t have a clear cut answer either. It all depends on how many units you’re getting and also how credible/skilled your injector is. Always, always, always get any injections from someone with proper training and someone who went to medical school. Always question their credentials. You also want to know if your injector is taking continuing education courses. There’s always something new to learn in this field and medicine is always evolving so you want your injector to always have the most advanced knowledge and tools. In addition to going to a trusted professional, you should always keep any injections as natural as possible. Don’t go overboard because then you’ll look like all the housewives on Bravo. At this point, nothing can help those women look more natural and less fake. You don’t want to look like that in 20 years. If you get your injections done naturally and properly, you won’t need as much Botox in the future. You also have to remember that a little movement after Botox is important. Your eyebrows should still be moving up and down. A frozen face is not youthful. And don’t try to re-shape your face to look completely different. Keeping your natural face shape is helpful in aging gracefully.

I hope you found this post helpful. I actually have an appointment to see Dr. Lee again this Monday for a refill for my forehead. I may or may not commit to getting my crows feet done too, I’m still pondering on this one just because I don’t want this to become a more expensive bill that I have to pay every 3-4 months LOL.

Please keep in mind that my experience is my experience. Different people may have different experiences so always proceed with caution.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d also love to hear about your Botox/filler experience if you’ve ever done it!

♥ Alena