7. DO NOT EXPECT IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Given our culture’s obsession with rapid gratification, it’s critical to recognize that Botox® results take time. In fact, during the first three or four days, you’ll be questioning if your doctor did anything at all. However, by the fifth day, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t do this sooner. Finally, you’ll feel the full effect of your shots two weeks after treatment.
On day five, I was at home with my family for Thanksgiving, and the fact that I had Botox® had almost completely escaped my memory until my mother inquired if I had noticed any changes. When I looked in the mirror, I noticed that the little wrinkles that had begun to form over my brows had softened – nearly to the point of invisibility. And when I raised my brows (yes, they still moved! ), my forehead couldn’t constrict like it used to. Furthermore, I found it difficult to furrow my brow (albeit, as previously stated, I am more of a brow raiser than a furrower); thus, my eleven lines had been bid farewell for the time being. I’m frozen but don’t appear to be. My makeup lasts longer without creases on my forehead, and I generally look more rejuvenated (whether I get enough sleep or not!).
8. YOU WILL REQUIRE A FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT.
Not all muscles are made equal, as Dr. Rabach emphasized during my initial appointment. As a result, one side of your face may be stronger than the other, implying that one side may require somewhat more treatment than the other – though this may be difficult for your physician to determine during your initial consultation.
To ensure that your injections are appropriate for your facial structure, they will likely have you return a week later (once the results have begun to show) to see if a touchup is required. I didn’t require another needle, but the fast appointment allowed me to have my ‘after’ images were taken and ask Dr. Rabach other questions, most notably when I should return for more because, in case you haven’t heard, Botox® isn’t permanent…
9. THE OUTCOMES ARE TEMPORARY
No matter which neurotoxic you take, the effects are not immediate and do not endure indefinitely. Most patients will find that injections last three to four months, depending on the amount administered and how your body processes it, at which point it will be time for another treatment. “Botox® degrades over time and must be repeated,” adds Dr. Rabach. “Individual results vary depending on each person, their metabolism, the number of units received, and other things.”
And don’t bother asking what you can do to extend its life. “I’ve heard of it was lasting longer than four months on occasion,” she says, “but the industry standard is three to four months for the majority of people.” “There isn’t much we can do to extend its life.”
The Bottom Line
As you can probably guess, I am quite pleased with my Botox® results and want to have treatments twice or three times a year in the future. That being said, I went into my visit with a few reservations and many questions, all of which my doctor was able to answer. So, if you only remember one thing from this essay, make it this: picking the appropriate provider is critical.
