I am coming out. I have turned fifty, and I love Botox its kissing cousin Dysport. Both Botox and Dysport do the same thing—they get rid of what I personally find so annoying, those deep creases in my forehead and between my brows that seem to have appeared over night on that landmark birthday.
I have to admit to feeling a wee bit of embarrassment over the complete joy that skin rejuvenation has given me. I also just did a skin peel and a new skin treatment called Selphyl, which uses your own plasma rich platelets to plump up hollows and promote collagen growth. This is also sometimes called PRP for short. I am a Selphyl girl. I am positively glowing, and I look completely like myself—just freshened up!
I have not experienced any of the "frozen" features that I have heard about when using Botox or Dysport. And trust me, it's all that I hear about when I share with friends that I did this. Maybe my fabulous results is all about the skill of the doctor that I see,
Dr. Bart Rademaker, a board certified plastic surgeon who runs the Rejuva Med Spa in Tampa, Florida. I wouldn't recommend doing these treatments with anyone that is not a board certified plastic surgeon. It's always best to trust the professional you are with, and I actually travel from New York to see my doctor. I wouldn't go near those Botox Booths at the mall.
My experience with Botox/Dysport is that I can wiggle my eye brows, and crinkle my fore head. I have just lost all of those lines that made me look like I was frowning even though I was happy. I wanted to look the way I felt inside. Nobody would know that I did anything to my face. But friends an family tell me that I look amazing. Perhaps I am resting more? Eating Raw?
The fact is that for me, doing some of these simpler, non-invasive and affordable skin rejuvenation treatments helped me match my inside with my outside. When I look in the mirror, I see the woman that I feel, and that gives me incredible pleasure.
I decided to talk about this, because like most things that I talk about: sexuality, body image, size acceptance, and infertility—there is some shame in being "out" about using any kind of medical physical enhancement including plastic surgery. There are those who are quite outspoken about the pressure that is put on all of us in mid life or older to look younger. I am asked to love my wrinkles and be proud of them. I am not ashamed of them, and I am not into "anti-aging", but I have to admit to be that I am thrilled that the frown is are gone. It gives me pleasure.
Then there are people who tell me that I am poisoning myself with the Botox or Dysport. I love telling them that I drank diet soda for years! I gave that up—I would rather have Botox! And I love to be able to report that at least with Selphyl, it's my own blood!
I am all about helping people accept and love themselves just as they are. But we keep moving and changing. And accepting that movement and change is self love too.
We are allowed to lose weight out of a place of self love if we choose it. We can use elective plastic surgery if it's about making us feel great. I think we get stuck when we are motivated to change out of sadness or self loathing. "If I buy this outfit or join this gym then I will be happy."
Maybe that works sometimes, often it doesn't. I do believe we have to work on loving our selves on the core level first. Once we are in that place of enjoying who we are then it becomes so much more satisfying to adorn ourselves, or make changes to our life styles or bodies.
For example—a nose ring will not turn you into a goddess. But if you are already feeling like a goddess and a nose ring in some way enhances YOUR vision of yourself as a goddess—then by all means go get one! Sometimes, making changes in the way we dress ourselves, adorn ourselves, or take care of ourselves really does augment our own natural beauty simply by creating a moment of happiness.
I totally support that! All of this is really personal. I am not saying what is good for me is good for you. But as always, I am here to provoke the conversation and take the shame out.
