Botox or Fillers or Nothing? Opting for Non-Injection Wrinkle Solutions
Smoofies supports all individuals in their journey to feel their best and we are keen to dispel a prevalent myth – the necessity of botox or fillers for a smooth forehead.
Firstly, I want to reassure you that your natural beauty shines through when your heart and mind are healthy and at peace. We delight when women embrace their wrinkles, fine lines, and expression lines!
However, if the sight of a few additional lines is dampening your confidence, preventing you from feeling radiant – we are here to help!
A common sentiment echoed across social media is the notion that attaining wrinkle-free skin without injections is a strenuous process. The repeated message, “Just get Botox,” resonates widely.
Although “just getting cosmetic treatments” may be suitable for some, the reality is there are MANY reasons why individuals are opting to bypass the neurotoxin route and exploring other avenues to achieve a smooth complexion.
Main reasons why women skip Botox and fillers
Painful Injections
Are injections painful? It varies from person to person. Most report only a mild, temporary discomfort during Botox injections.
Though the needles used for injections are small – about 1 millimeter – some individuals still experience pain and discomfort with the needles piercing their face and forehead.
Common side effects of injections include temporary redness, swelling, and bruising at the injection site. Additionally, some women also report headaches and dizziness.
Depending on your personal pain tolerance, Botox injections may be painful. Even the fear of potential pain can encourage women to search for non-invasive alternatives.
Fear of Needles
A fear of needles may be sufficient for some to skip injections – after all, this is an elective cosmetic treatment.
Nobody genuinely likes needles, but some people have a significant fear of them. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 4 adults reports a fear of needles.
This fear, also known as trypanophobia, can be a serious health issue if it prompts the individual to avoid or delay medical procedures, like routine blood draws.
Women with a fear of needles would naturally choose to avoid Botox injections and seek alternative (needle-less!) ways to achieve a smooth forehead.
It’s Pricey
Cosmetic treatments are a luxury. In this unstable economy, many are reconsidering their budgets, and elective cosmetic procedures may not be feasible.
Indeed, injections can be quite costly!
The cost of Botox can range anywhere from R3,000 to R5,500 for a forehead treatment.
Many women start with injections for forehead lines and between the eyebrows. People often expand to get injections in other areas including the crows feet at the corners of the eyes and around the lip lines.
Considering these treatments require maintenance with repeated injections every three to four months, the cumulative cost can add up to thousands of dollars per year!
Pregnant or Breastfeeding
Even some women who choose to get injections must avoid neurotoxins at certain points in their lives for different reasons.
One common reason women start looking for alternatives to cosmetic treatments is when they are pregnant or breastfeeding. Injections are contraindicated during these times.
Most injections are categorized as a Class C drug during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with many drugs, ethical considerations prevent scientific research in pregnant and breastfeeding women, so studies are limited to determine if cosmetic injections are safe or unsafe in these populations.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based on animal studies, Botox may harm the unborn baby. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid Botox while pregnant.
Even though the risk may be minimal, the neurotoxin can migrate from the injection site to other areas of the body, posing a potential risk to the unborn baby.
In fact, neurotoxin is not recommended for women planning to get pregnant within six months of receiving an injection. This is because it can take up to six months for the neurotoxin to be completely metabolized from the body.
Unnatural Results
Some women avoid neurotoxins because they are wary of looking unnatural or robotic – or worse!
Consider some celebrities who appear unable to show facial expressions for surprise or sadness due to the amount of neurotoxin “freezing” their face.
And there’s the story of Whitney Buha that went viral on social media. Although rare, Whitney ended up with ptosis or one drooping eyelid. Whitney’s particular botched injection could have been caused by improper placement of the injections or too high of a dose of the neurotoxin into her muscle.
The muscles of the face are complex and intricate. The injection sites will vary from person to person based on bone structure and facial features. Of course, if you’re considering getting Botox, you should seek out an experienced injector to perform the procedure.
Altered Self-perception
“Looking natural” means different things to different people. For some, it’s about having a more youthful appearance without looking like they’re trying too hard. Others want to look like themselves without any effort. Regardless of your reason, there are other ways to achieve your desired look than with neurotoxins or other injectable filler treatments.
It’s essential to find a doctor experienced with injections who understands how best to apply them to various facial features to achieve natural-looking results. To get the most natural results, take the time to consult with several medical professionals and view their clients’ before and after pictures of Botox treatments.
Neurotoxins paralyze the facial muscles, preventing certain facial movements. While this facial paralysis ensures that your face can’t form expression lines in the skin, thereby limiting wrinkling, it can also restrict some facial expressions, leading to a robotic appearance.
Avoiding Toxins
You might be surprised to learn that these injections are made from a neurotoxic protein, botulinum toxin. Although generally considered safe by doctors and the FDA, it still comes with some risks.
The body breaks down the neurotoxic protein over three to four months. The amino acid components of the protein can be reused by the body or processed out by the liver and kidneys.
Although the stress to the body to process them is likely minimal, all toxins put some amount of stress on the body’s detox pathways. Some women are choosing a holistic approach and attempting to limit any unnecessary toxins in their lives.
With so many toxins present in our modern world – from pollution to pesticides – many people are trying to protect themselves from the total toxic load in ways they can control. For some, this means choosing to age gracefully without cosmetic injections.
Other Health Concerns
Botox isn’t for everyone. If you have any of the following conditions or have had a bad reaction to injections in the past, then you may want to consult with a medical professional before proceeding.
Cosmetic treatments may be contraindicated for people with certain health conditions including:
Neurologic diseases
Autoimmune diseases Cardiopulmonary diseases Allergies or anaphylaxis Moreover, some people receiving therapeutic injections for other medical reasons may not be eligible for cosmetic treatments to smooth forehead wrinkles.
According to the Mayo Clinic, people should only receive 400 units of Botox every four months. While this is a lot for the face, therapeutic use often requires many more units than cosmetic.
We hope this dispelled some of the myths around cosmetic injections and highlighted some of the many reasons women are choosing to skip the needle and opt for alternative treatments to botox.
At the end of the day, it’s your body and your choice! Whether you choose to go with injections or not, remember that you are beautiful, and you deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin.
Instead of Botox or fillers, I use…
Smoofies anti-wrinkle patches are the perfect alternative to Botox when it comes to smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines.
Not only does it soften wrinkles, it also slightly plumps up your skin overnight.
For nourishment and rejuvenation, we have 100% natural and effective products for face:
There are many other ways to combat the signs of ageing, such as healthy eating, enough hydration (drink water!), and sufficient sleep (preferably on your back). However, giving your skin the direct moisture and vitamins that our daily life, stress, free-radicals, and good old-fashioned time suck out of our skin is super important.
For that, we highly recommend using petroleum-free, paraben-free skincare products are highly recommended.
