As moms, we go through a lot.
We give our bodies up to grow and birth our children — how amazing is that?
However, some things never go back to normal. And we might be more insecure about certain aspects of our bodies that we didn’t think about before.
And after going through all that, what’s wrong with doing something to make yourself feel better?
Disclaimer: yes, you are beautiful just the way you are. I promise you that no one else notices the things you focus on. But I also know what it’s like to be insecure about something — for me, it was my forehead lines.
An Insecurity
Ever since I attended law school in my early twenties, I noticed my horizontal forehead lines. Several years later, when I was approaching my thirties, I really started to notice them.
Soon, it became something I would see every time I looked in the mirror. Every time I took a cute selfie with one of my kids. I even noticed those forehead lines when my face was at rest.
Testing My Options
At that point, I wasn’t ready to start Botox.
I was definitely interested, but Botox still had such a stigma and my family members talked me out of it. So instead I spent way too much money on topical creams that promised results — it turns out they all lied.
I literally spent $160.00 on something that was supposed to be “the next best thing to Botox,” a cream that allegedly relaxed expression lines. It was a complete lie.
I bought a red light that was supposed to help with anti-aging, and spent several minutes each night holding it up to my forehead.
Guess what? None of it worked.
Trying Botox
After I had my second child, I decided that I didn’t care about anyone else’s opinion regarding Botox, I was going to do it for myself and myself only.
My first appointment took literally 15 minutes, and two weeks later, I had a completely smooth forehead.
I felt amazing. And wondered why had I been spending so much money on things that didn’t work, when this fixed my insecurity almost right away?
I was immediately hooked.
I am an open book in general, so I obviously was forthright with my friends and family about having Botox done. And what I discovered is that so many of us do it, or are interested in it.
In my opinion, there shouldn’t be a stigma surrounding self-care, or doing something to make you feel good about yourself. It sounds silly, but for me, having a smooth forehead makes me feel more confident.
Botox: What to Expect
If you are interested in Botox, here’s some advice and what to expect.
The most important recommendation I have is go to someone you trust. There are specials all the time for inexpensive Botox, but when someone is literally injecting into your face, you want to make sure it’s done right.
I go to an aesthetic nurse who has RN credentials. And you can go to an actual dermatologist for this if that makes you feel safer.
Most places offer free consultations, and if you don’t get good vibes, feel free to try somewhere else.
When the actual appointment comes, don’t be nervous. It’s a quick process. The injector will just analyze your face and ask what you are looking for, and the actual injecting takes less than five minutes.
It doesn’t hurt, it just feels like a little bug bite if anything. Also, just know that you will be told to not lay down for about 4-6 hours post-treatment (I’m not a doctor so I don’t know the exact reasoning for this). My first Botox appointment was at 8:00 p.m., so it made for a pretty late night for me.
My Experience
Getting Botox was not my gateway to doing anything more invasive. I still stay away from getting any Botox around my eye area because I don’t want my smile to change. And I still have no interest in getting any sort of facial fillers or lip injections.
I currently go to my trusted injector about 3-4 times a year and have about 20 units done at once.
Overall, I don’t think I look any different, except maybe a little more well-rested and smooth.
And I don’t judge anyone who does any other procedures, because we are all on our own path. Whatever makes you feel amazing is right for you!
Getting Botox or any other procedure is not something you should talk yourself into or feel pressured to do. Weigh the pros and cons, think it through, and you will know if it’s something you want to do.
