Avoiding The Needle. Top 3 Alternatives to Botox.
Avoiding The Needle. Top 3 Alternatives to Botox.
Affordable 'Notox' options are more effective than you think.
The idea of Botox originally petrified me. A toxin that is injected with a needle into my face sounds like something that was outlawed by the Geneva Convention. However, the older I got, the rave reviews of both celebrities and my aging social circle made me reconsider my position, so I started looking into the possibility of getting the jab.
Botox is a prescription medication made from a toxin called bacterium clostridium botulinum. It’s injected by a licensed medical professional into specific facial muscles, in order to partially paralyze them. By relaxing those muscles, it ultimately causes wrinkles in the area to soften or disappear. The most popular areas of injection are the forehead and around the eyes. These were the exact areas I was starting to notice fine lines precipitating.
I reached out to my dermatologist to get the dirt on this miracle potion of the beauty industry and learned that there are a few side effects, including a decrease in range of emotions, and more rarely, double vision, breathing issues, and rashes. If I’m being totally honest, this didn’t deter me. The idea that my peers continued to age, while I stayed locked in a macabre and frozen state, appealed to my inner Dorian Grey.
I met with a nurse practitioner who works in my dermatologist’s office for my initial consultation. She actually said that my collagen looked great for a 39-year-old and that I would need ‘very little’ in the volume I would actually have injected. She suggested I try Dysport, a competitor of Botox. I literally said, ‘sign me up’. So excited to be proactive about something, that I believe it was my brain that froze in place when her assistant explained to me the cost.
“Your total comes out to $404.98.” she said to me with a straight face.
I basically squeaked out my next question.
“This is every six months, right?”
My authority on Botox up to this point was Kim Kardashian and she very clearly stated in season 27 of KUWTK that you only have to get it every six months.
“No, ma’am, it’s every three months”. She seriously called me ‘ma’am’. This woman clearly had a masters in sales psychology.
I quickly did the math in my head and realized that my husband would compare my $1619.92 per year for face wrinkles to the almost identical amount that I scoffed at for the upgraded satellite TV package with all of the NFL Red Zone and special sports channels that he so desperately wanted. I knew I would have to find another way or just live my life as God intended, as a bitter, wrinkled slob. Goodbye, youth.
Not one to be defeated, I quickly looked into alternatives, and these are three of the best. With persistent use of these methods and just walking around with an expressionless face, I feel certain that I can keep the lines at bay a little longer. Joking, I swear these work.
DON’T LAUGH! I found these little weirdos while I was pregnant and couldn’t use retinols or anything aggressive on my skin (did I mention, I’ll try anything). Imagine my surprise when I actually started to notice a difference. If you don’t believe me, check out any of the 18,000+ reviews on Amazon that are 4 Star and above.
This one is a double wammy. If you thought that the zits would stop once you left your teens and horrified to find blemishes on the eve of your 30th, you are my people. Not only does this one help minimize pores and help diminish acne, but it is also a retinoid. The retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are vitamers of vitamin A or are chemically related to it. They are extremely useful in that they reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. No zit or fine lines, count me in.
Ya’ll. So many things, where do I start. Great for ALL SKIN TYPES. Want to bypass looking like an adorable pug. EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE. No, don’t scrub your face off in the shower with a loofah, you need chemical exfoliants to stay in the game and keep your face fresh. This all star is a 2% BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid); a beta hydroxy acid or β-hydroxy acid (BHA) is an organic compound that contains a carboxylic acid functional group and hydroxy functional group separated by two carbon atoms. They are closely related to alpha hydroxy acids, in which the two functional groups are separated by one carbon atom. BHA’s are highly effective in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improving overall skin texture, without the occasional irritation associated with the use of AHAs. If you don’t listen to me, maybe the 53,000+, 4.5-star reviews on Amazon may create trust in my process.
These three are definitely my ‘Trifecta of Success’. If you are looking to keep gravity at bay, give these a shot. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
If articles like this are of interest to you, please share & subscribe to my newsletter.
#over40skincare #over40 #womansskin #skincare #skin #wrinkles #aging #agingmom #botoxalternatives #notox #dysport #costofbotox #wrinkleprevention
(Affiliate Links Are Included In This Article)