“Botox was a nightmare for me:(!!”
Botox: NOT worth it
Pain: Mild
I am getting married in mid April and had been working with a personal trainer for the past 3 months to get me into great shape for the wedding. She got me into amazing shape with her workouts and nutrition program.
One day we were talking about myupcoming wedding and she mentioned that I would look great with a little Botox around my eyes for my crows feet. Thinking it was not a big deal, I went to a doctor who I had known through a previous job. He is a top opthamologist in NYC with great credentials - having performed thousands of Lasik procedures, member of AMA, Harvard and Columbia educated, etc. I was a little nervous at first but felt confident that I was in good hands. However, I had no idea of the possible potential ramifications.
You relax the muscle in one area and that affects another - my undereye now has awful bags and wrinkles. My crows feet are gone but under my eyes look awful! I would rather have the crows feet than these bags and wrinkles that I currently have. It's been several weeks so I am seeing improvements now, thank God! I would never do this again. I embrace my crows feet and can't wait for them to come back actually.
I also hated the fact that initially my eyes looked frozen when I smiled - like the Joker in Batman. When people smiile, there should be a smile in one's eyes and Botox prevents that. You always see frozen foreheads when celebrities have Botox but you never see the bad ramifications and side effects. Perhaps I could have had a better experience if I went to another doctor. Who knows? However, I was originally devastated.
I now see a light at the end of the tunnel since the Botox is wearing off, thank God! This website is a Godsend. I have turned to it everyday since I've been unhappy with my results. Thanks Realself.com!
Mar 18, 2009Comments and replies (66)
52 posts
18 Mar 2009
I just read your review and it touched me. It has been such a gift getting to know you through this crazy ordeal. You and I both have a totally new outlook on aging. My wrinkles, lines, and creases are a testament to who I am - I am a person who LOVES to laugh and to smile. I must be really happy because I've got the lines to show for it. And I can not wait until they come back. I want to smile again and not scare myself!
32 posts
18 Mar 2009
My sentiments exactly, however sometimes deeper and longer lines and wrinkles are more of a testament to external damage to the skin from the sun; uvA&B, smoke, make-up etc than it is to the way we feel about life. Many more people have great results than ones who experienced bad results and your fear is justified but not necessarily should lead to a deterrent due to poor technique from a medical provider. Hi Amaxy, sorry for you experience. For the lines about your eyes after the initial botox treatment, typically injecting up to mid way (mid pupillary line)below the eye will catch some of the muscle fibers that pull on this area. When I treat crows feet I make sure that I cover this region as well. If for example you do have some volume loss to the cheek area (mid-face) then the mid-face should also be treated with a dermal filler (Juvederm / Restylane / Radiesse). If you knew this you may not have treated the crow feet of you may have opt to also treat the mid-face as well. We all grow older but we can control how we do it today with the use of regular exercise, a proper healthy diet plan and preventative aesthetic measures to maintain our looks. Using moisturizers, make-up, acne or anti-blemishing products is just another method using chemical means to keep our youthful, healthy look and appearance. Using botox or dermal fillers are a more invasive way to do the same so neither should be put down because of poor results. Brush off this bad experience and treat again but be sure of the credentials and more importantly the CME advance courses that your medical provider (MD, Pa or NP)have taken and when was the last time they did. This is a growing sub-specialty and many practitioners attempt more advance procedures without proper training, especially if they use these products between their other specialty patients or after hours etc. This like plastic surgery is more of an art and treating regularly is imperative to capture the true knowledge of the product effects and side effects.
2 posts
21 Mar 2009
Hey ladies, going through a similiar situation -- do not love this botox at all. How lomg before you started "thawing out?" here's to being beautiful and natural -- with wrinkles and all
15 posts
21 Mar 2009
OMGosh - it's so nice to know I have company. I had botox injected on the sides of my nose that made under my eyes wrinkle, huge bags, and now my cheeks are puffed out because I went back and they put a little under my eyes. It helped with the wrinkles under my eyes, but when I smile I look like I am 20 years older. Has anyone seen an improvement? I look like I haven't slept in days. jami
15 posts
22 Mar 2009
Whoops -sorry I did not see your responses before I had wrote another email. I should get off the computer and not worry about it, since there is nothing I can do. Thank you Amaxy for responding back.
15 posts
24 Mar 2009
I Had mine on 3/4 - my first wedding is on 4/4 and first trip is on 4/5. I hope I will be able to smile and not have major wrinkles by then. 6 weeks can't come soon enough - I feel like I am at ease only when I am at home. Ugh.... Thanks for all your support and comments everyone. I'm glad you are seeing progress. It gives me hope. jami
15 posts
25 Mar 2009
I have had botox injected on my forehead and in between my eyebrows before and loved it. This time she injected it on the sides of my nose....??? Not sure why. I think this is what goofed up my face. I still have somewhat dark bags under my eyes, one somewhat droopy eye, bigs wrinkles under my eyes (I see some improvement) but now the worst is I have some serious ripples (wrinkles) going vertical on the sides of my actual eye lids - like 4 to 5 wrinkles when I laugh. I am a teacher and have not shared my botox experience with anyone at school. I have 2 close friends I have told. I am going back on Friday to show her what happened. I'm tempted to have her fix my eyes - but scared I am going to goof something else up. What do you guys think? I just do not want to have to take pictures and not be able to smile, because I have scary wrinkles going up the sides of my eye lids. I have a wedding on the 4th, a trip to NYC on the 5th, Mexico and a wedding on the 16th. These are big events where pictures will be taken. Suggestions?
77 posts
26 Mar 2009
C. Clarke, Thank you so much for this explanation! It really helps understand the scientific end of things. Is there any herbal supplement, etc. that we can take to help the release of Acetylcholine like Amino Acids. I really want to help the body regain muscle control. Thoughts? Best, Amy
15 posts
26 Mar 2009
Your right Amy - I cancelled my appt.....I need to wait it out and have to think I will be 10% better next week, right? :o) Will your botox be diminished by your wedding?
149 posts
26 Mar 2009
Dear Amaxy, I've never heard of a doctor injecting Botox UNDER the eyes before. I've had Botox injections 3X now, and my injections have always been ABOVE the eyes, and it always improves my appearance. Was your doctor a plastic surgeon or some other kind of doctor?