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Never Again - Michigan

Not Worth It
Spent: $300 in Michigan

Comments (73)

Updated 30 Apr 2012

Posted 8 Jun 2011

I went into the doc's to get juvaderm around my mouth, the clinician said that I should get botox around my eyes for my crows feet, i did not really want to but she kinda insisted, so I caved... Sorry I ever did that, my eyes look ok, but my smile is severly crooked, called them, they said that the botox could not travel that far, well from what I read and researched since, it can and it did, I look like a freak!

I am so sad, I can only hope that this wears off... Then she had the nerve to imply that I had a stroke, I cannot even believe that she eluded to that, how coincidental botox, stroke... all in a weeks time, well I feel fine but I look like hell! Talk about insult to injury, never again!

Updated on 5 Jul 2011:
Well I think my lip is improving just a little, atleast I hope so... It was 2 months yesterday... Let me know what you think, Thanks Denise

Updated on 5 Jul 2011:
I think I am improving, not sure though, it has been 2 months... Thanks, Denise

Updated on 10 Jul 2011:
What I just noticed looking at my before botox photos and my afters, is that not only is my lip crooked but my whole right side of my face was drooping... Well anyway I feel like it is mostly behind me and maybe in another week or so I will be back to my "Old" self lol...



Updated on 26 Aug 2011:
well the botox has seemed like it has dissappeared , but my upper right lip is still going up more than it did naturally, what is that about, maybe it was the juverderm that caused my uneven upper lip, but I don't think that she put juverderm in my upper lip she put some in my marrianete lines and near my bottom lip, I am so confused???????????????

Updated on 22 Oct 2011:
Well to update, The botox has worn off, or atleast most of it, it has been a little over 6 months, even though I have got to admit my eyes did look more open when I smiled, probably because my cheeks did not rise when I smiled!!! I would never take that chance again, it was a long six months waiting for the real me to come back... But I still plan on getting Juvaderm, unless someone has heard of issues with that, I have not... Botox Never again!!!

This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.

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The risk of looking like you have had a stroke is not worth getting rid of a couple of wrinkles for a few months, plus I had to pay 300 dollars to look like a freak... Do I sound bitter, I am!

Comments (73)

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BrittB 10 Jun 2011

Hi lily,

So happy you decided to write a review. I'm sorry the Botox migrated, that's not fun. But based on your pictures, which the community REALLY appreciates, you do not even in the slightest bit look like a freak. Your "crooked" smile is not really all that noticeable. When you pointed it out yes I could see it a bit, but "a freak" not at all. In fact I looked at the pictures before reading the review and thought Wow, the Botox does look really nice.

Another community member says, she works out a lot and it's hard for her to keep fillers in, so it might be something to consider. Others have also mentioned a great deal of green tea, neither has been proven, but probably couldn't hurt to try. Please keep us updated and have a great weekend. I 100% promise you DO NOT look like a freak.

Thanks so much for the review,

-Britt

lilly376 10 Jun 2011
Well Thank you Britt, that is really kind!!!

I guess a freak is harsh but it is the only way I was able to express my frustration... The worst part ,well, after the obvious worst part lol, is that when I called the clinician to tell her about my lip , she said there is NO WAY that the botox could have affected my lip, then she said she asked 2 of the" plastic surgeons" in the office and they agreed that it was "immpossible" that my lip could be affected by botox around the eyes, that is just wrong in every way, I will not be going to them to get any cosmetic surgery that is for sure lol... So when I do go in to see her I will bring all the literature that I have found online ... I would not have looked online or been this upset if she just said something like, that could possibly happen or don't worry it will wear off, instead she implied that maybe I had a stroke or maybe I have bell's palsy, well I didn't before I got botox, and I don't now either, she actually suggested for me to see my regular doctor, why would I waste my money and his time , I just had botox "that paraly's muscles" injected into my face and now my upper lip is paralysed , hhhhmmmmmmmmmmm quite a coincidence lol... Anyway sorry for rambling on , but she added insult to injury...

Also she called the rep of botox , she told me that he said it was immpossible also, lol... On the list of botox side effects it says that the injections of botox could migrate, I guess he can't read, just sayen lol...

Anyway thank you again and I will keep you posted...

Denise
BrittB 13 Jun 2011

Wow, yeah that is kind of crazy all that they told you. Well I hope you can find something to help. Please do keep us updated.

Thanks and have a great week,

-Britt

MzShizuka 14 Jun 2011
ALl I can say is WOW you look great
lilly376 10 Jul 2011
Thank you , that is very kind, I just want to look like me again, even with more wrinkles lol, but thank you again, I am gonna stay away from botox , for sure!!!
wellness 23 Sep 2011
AS an esthetican i have been against this for years. I have seen such amazing results just wiith excellent skin care products and facail treatments. There are so many new and awesome professional skin scare products out there. I think we have to get back to basics it is about wellness not vanity. The fact that we are putting one of the most toxic things in our body's with these injections just turns my stomach. My clients come to me because they want a holistic approach to skin care, they want to age with grace. In Hollywood many movie producers have asked actors not to do botox and fillers because as an actor you need facial expression. It is only my opinion that we are geting carried away with againg. It is a natural process and ther are things that speed it up like baking in sun or tanning beds, smoking, free radaical damage is caused by many things out there.I just feel as human being we should be focused in other areas of wellness and spirituality. We have to get back to what matters and botox just send such a negative messege to our young growing up ladies. I do tell clients to each it's own but they know where i stand on this. I want to send a messege of wellness and teach people how to relax. i also show clients how to stimulate muscles with accupressure points on the face. There is so much more we should be focused on. Get involve din your community and spend some time with people who don't have anything, trust me botox is far from their minds they are just trying to survive one day at a time. To have fear of yor power and heat being shut off, or how you ar egoing to get to a Dr. appointment because you don't have transportaion. Life is so much more then getting a wrinkle. i look forward to that because i earned all that kind character lines on my face.
Olive56 11 Apr 2012
When I had a bad result from a botox treatment my doctor tried to convince me I had Cushing's disease. When I didn't buy that she moved on to myasthenia gravis. It's pretty sad when a doctor would rather have a patient think they have a debilitating disease rather than admit their patient had a bad result.
Natica Wright 4 Jul 2011
Agreed! I think you look great!
lilly376 10 Jul 2011
Thank you but it looks weird to me, I am improving though, so that is a good sign...
I know I have said it before but, no botox for me...
sara321 10 Jul 2011
Hi Lily same thing happened to me... I got botuline injected slightly next to my nose, it went in the wrong muscle or it drifted, I don´t know.. doctor doesnt "know" either why it made my smile crooked. Now I´m constantly surfing the web to find recovery stories from people who have experienced the same thing.

Anyway I think you look beautiful! I don´t see much difference on each side of your face. Gives me hope that it has taken just 2 months for you to get almost back to normal. Mine was done just a week ago so I still have a long way to go.

Why o why did I spend almost 400 euros to look like I have partial Bells Palsy (which I´m telling everyone...)
lilly376 10 Jul 2011
Thank you for your comments, it is much better now, but like you said it took 2 months and then when I wasn't really thinking about it , I took a pic and it looked better, so everyday after that I took a pic (thank goodness for digital cameras lol) and now it seems a little better each day!!! I am gonna wait about a week before I take a pic and see if it goes completely away... So keep the faith yours will go away too, but it makes it harder because the people that inject us won't fess up that it could be from how they might have gone to deep with the injections... She had the nerve to tell me I probably have bells palsy or a slight stroke and I should see my doctor, I told her, you put a paralyzing injection into my muscles of my face and now one side is drooping, what a strech lol... I would have been so much more relieved with the truth, so I could better understand that it would go back to normal with time... But anyway good luck and keep the faith!!! Lilly
p.s I have been chewing a lot of gum , not sure if it helped but it is worth a try...
Kate H. (Community Manager) 28 Jul 2011

Hey that is actually a really good excuse because Bells Palsy actually goes away after a bit with medical treatment!  Very creative but I am sorry that you both have experienced that.  It sounds to me like the wrong muscle was paralyzed.  I would prefer to have the doctor do my injections, the clinician has no board certification correct?  

 

Honestly Lilly, it doesn't look that bad but if I were you I would be just as frustrated.  Fortunately you have beautiful features and I'm sure no one will even notice. 

sara321 11 Jul 2011
Hi Lilly yes hmm, quite a coincidence to have a stroke or bells palsy right after being injected with botox..

Thanks I will keep the faith, I want to believe this will pass in time. Hopefully not too long time. I think that my smile now is worse than in any of your photos so it might take a bit longer than your recovery. But who knows. My ps says the effect is peaking at two or three weeks and then it should start getting better. Really hope so.

And I hope you are soon 100% healed!
ranellyn 20 Jul 2011
Hello Lilly - It is interesting to me to hear that you didn't want the Botox and yet were forced into it. Either you saw a completely unprofessional practitioner, or are a doormat. If the former is true, I would caution you to research the credentials of anyone who is doing work on you, and don't go with the person with the newspaper ads for the lowest prices. This would be the equivalent of buying a purse from the back of a van in New York - you get what you pay for. I have had patients complain in retrospect that they didn't want to have a procedure done, and usually it is to avoid paying for something they couldn't afford in the first place. My patients get literature on the procedure, have a consultation before the procedure, sign a consent form which lists alternatives to treatment, and have all the time the need to make an informed decision. No procedure is 100%, and there are always risks, but your practitioner should have taken before and after pictures and explained what can be done if you are unhappy with the results. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but Botox is the safest, most commonly performed cosmetic procedure. Millions of women have had this done, and are very happy that they are able to improve their appearance, self-esteem, and self-confidence with so little down-time, and relatively low cost (compared to other cosmetic procedures). For board-certified, well-trained dermatologists who perform Botox, I would refer you to the American Academy of Dermatology website, and look under "find a dermatologist". The good news is that the Botox effect is gone in 3 months, so any residual assymmetry that you will see may be due to other causes.
lilly376 20 Jul 2011
Well Ranellyn,
You are right I did see an unprofessional practitioner, there seems to be many of them out there that prey upon trusting people like me and many others... You may see me as a doormat , but, I see you as a doormat because you sound like a well rehearsed botox spokesperson (hiding behind a snowflake),making money off people like me whether there is a good outcome or bad, you still get paid... I am sure there are many people that have had good results with botox, but that does not DIMINISH what happened to me and many other people that were not so fortunate... As you can see my photos speek for themselves!!! I am in good health without any underlying problems that made my right cheek and lip droop 2 days after I had shots of botox in my facial muscles , surely you are not also suggesting that I had a stroke ,that would be unprofessional and would only show pure greed and ignorance...
ranellyn 21 Jul 2011
Nope - I don't work for Allergan. Just trying to educate people who would read your hystrionics. Any effects, good or bad from the Botox will wear off in 2-3 months. Botox would not be as successful as it is, if people were not happy with the results. My guess is that you are unemployed, and trying for a fraudulent law suit.
Regrets366 11 Oct 2011
What an complete crock you have posted ranellyn. I have over 20 years in medical research and a PhD in biochemistry. Read up on the basics of how botox works before you shoot your mouth off. Since I have had these negative side effects from listening to a practitioner with your level of knowledge, I have looked into the physiology of how botox works at the neuromuscular junction. To provide you with some basics that you might understand and which, I might add, you could have looked up for yourself on the internet, the botox that freezes the muscle action never does break down. It permanently binds to acetylcholine receptors at the interface between the nerve and the inactivated muscle. Acetycholine is the neurotransmitter responsible for passing the 'activation' message between the nerve ending and the muscle. Before the muscle can be reactivated by the nerve, new acetycholine receptor sites have to be generated. It is well recognised in the scientific literature that this process can take 3 to 6 month or more. Furthermore, once a nerve/muscle connection has been reestablished, the down-regulated biochemical pathways within the dormant muscle tissue can take some time get back to full capacity. If you had even a BASIC understanding of facial muscle anatomy you would know that all of the side effects posted by people on this website are possible, and in the case of incorrect placement of the injection, or too much botox, are quite probable. The effects are well recognised by professionals who are well researched in their field of expertise, as is evidenced by some (but not all) doctors' responses to questions on this site. The problem is that many 'professionals' are not proactive in making sure they understand the basic biology of what they do and consequently they can be ignorant of the potential side effects. Such 'professionals' listen to the hype pumped out by people (or should i say sheep) like yourself. Just because it is successful for most, doesnt mean it is without risk of side effects. And if you think differently, well, you are seriously naive.

And before I leave this post, it doesn't take an Einstein to work out that most of the people who post on this site do so to get much needed support and to inform others about what has happened, so that someone else who is considering the treatment may be able to make a more informed choice about the risks involved. It is only you who has the 'conspiracy theory' that it is for law suits. Why do have a need to think so negatively. Does it make you feel better about yourself. Maybe you need to see a psychologist about that? Just a suggestion.
meltyface 11 Oct 2011
"applause".

Bravo Regrets, spot on with your post.
lilly376 11 Oct 2011
Excellent information!!! Couldn't of said it better myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy Regrets!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regrets366 24 Oct 2011
Hey lilly and melty.

My pleasure! I had seen comments from you both over the last 4 months since I had my own negative experience -and couldn't believe when I came across ranellyn's disgraceful attack.

During the course of my job as a researcher, I have had much experience with people who are trained in the medical profession and have come to know all too well that the spectrum is broad when it comes to the level of understanding that each individual has for their profession.

Medical practitioners are trained to ‘practice’ or clinically apply medical techniques that in most cases, but not all, have been identified and developed by teams of medical researchers who are trained in the physiology of what they are developing.

In some cases, medical practitioners are also avid researchers who recognise the importance of understanding the physiology of the techniques they apply. But the unfortunate reality is that to do the job they do, medical practitioners do not have to have a deep understanding of the underlying science. They just need to know enough to clinically apply the medical knowledge.

While it is often assumed that medical practitioners have a solid theoretical understanding of their work (because they have the title ‘Doctor’) this is often not the case. In fact, I have worked with medical practitioners whose understanding is so woeful, it has been embarrassing.

So when I see someone with obviously limited training like ranellyn take a moral and intellectual high ground, I find it intensely irritating.

One thing a good researcher knows is that there is always more to learn. The fact that the negative symptoms people report following botox are so consistent should prompt an interest to understand more. The fact that it hasn’t done this for ranellyn says everything about her intellectual ability.

I am glad things are looking better for you lilly. I have had some improvements over the last month (I am 17 weeks post-botox) and am starting to see my old eyes again. I still have the under eye wrinkles and the lump under my left eye from the herniated fat pad. I am hoping that the lump and wrinkles will eventually go away and that I don’t have any permanent changes. One can only hope. I will keep you posted on how i am going and will be checking for updates on how you are going.

Take care :-. Thank you for sharing with us all.
Diva mom 13 Dec 2011
Wow...what a rude be-atch. The bedside manner is sorely lacking, Doc. Just got Botox, ..once before in June 2005. I am gonna love it..will post pics when it settles. I thought your photos looked fine...couldn't see the droopy smile or anything....had my glasses on, too.
Frazobud 19 Mar 2012

As you stated in your posts, I am someone who is doing research on Botox because it is something I'm considering. And I’m so glad that I came across this site so I can read the Good and Bad and make an informed decision. I read on a few other posts that the client's "wrinkle line" did not completely fade so they had to go back for another treatment. I'm wondering if these docs are being cautious with the amount of Botox they are injecting so as to minimize the potential for negative side effects. I live in New Jersey and I’m sure there are tons of phony docs around here. I want to arm myself with as much information as possible so I’ll be able to avoid them.
Any help is appreciated. And thank you to everyone who shared their stories!

lilly376 21 Jul 2011
Wow, you are ridiculous, you don't even know me, but I gather that you think everyone on here with a story about their horrible botox experience is looking for money and not support... For your information, I have a beautiful home, a new car , not to mention a home down south, and I go on wonderfull vacations often... You are right, I don't work, I am retired... I don't need blood money, I will leave that up to the botox reps...
KitteNYC 6 Aug 2011
Good for you lily. I can't believe what this person "hiding behind a snowflake" had to say. I seriously doubt she/it has actually gone toedicsl school. She is wrong in saying that all botox side effects go away after three months. That is an uneducated statement. I could read that to you off the botox promotional literature. If she is a doctor, this disgusts me. She has zero interested in how botox works and is just another cookie cutter MD. The exact reason I'm going to school to become a doctor is to save people from her.
luvmyrusty 29 Aug 2011

Hi Lilly,

You don't have to justify yourself to this other person who is assuming you are looking for a law suit due to economic circumstances. What pure bull. I have not had any problems with botox as I had it done by a very good doctor but I can believe people have had horrible experiences with it, too. All depends on the person doing the injection, as you found out. So sorry you had this happen...I read a few results of some other people who have also had the same thing happen, dropping of the eye or one side of the face, it can happen, why do they act like it's not possible? I have also read where the botox can diffuse, my own doctor told me no gym for the day and that's why..it can spread out to other areas of your face, it needs a day to settle. Also, beware of generic botox..dysport I think it's called. This can spread even further than botox so the person doing the injection must be a doctor (in my opionion) It may last a bit longer because it spreads further and it is cheaper but I wouldn't take the chance with anything that is going to be put in my body just to save some money..stay away from that if you ever decide to do this again. When done correctly, it's fine and the results are amazing..downside? It only lasts three months and is a bit expensive. It should last longer for what we pay...fillers are better but twice the price. Good luck to you, Lilly! Enjoy retirement and keep your money for vacations and whatever else you can do now with your free time..too bad our country is so youth obsessed..I'd like to keep my money in my wallet and just be happy being me..but those little lines bug the hell outta me. whoever the person behind the snowflake is has a lot of nerve assuming you are doing this for financial gain. Dr.'s and their staff make mistakes, too, they are far from exempt. I lucked out with mine but I have read horror stories of what happened to some peoples faces and how the staff at the dr.'s offices basically hid from them and couldn't get them off the phone fast enough. Even in the article for botox and it's generic version Dysport, the doctor stated they should both be injected by a doctor because of how they can diffuse if not injected properly. Especially the Dysport because it travels further. If I had your experience, I wouldn't do it again either.

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