Today featured our first bowling outing with the kids and a much-anticipated blanketing of snow.

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I’m filing both under A for awesome.

And now for a question that has nothing to do with adorably hugging brothers or the lovely sense of stillness a layer of snow brings to the world: what do you think about Botox?

I’ve been thinking about it lately. Sort of. Like, not in the sense that I’m about to actually make any sort of decision, but just … rolling it around in my head a little.

I have this deepish vertical line in my forehead—it’s between my eyebrows, slightly off center—and I really, really hate it. I don’t hate it because it’s a wrinkle, nor am I interested in waging a massive expensive crazymaking pointless battle against my age, now or ten years from now. I hate it because it makes me look angry or unhappy, pretty much all of the time. It’s a frown line that never goes away, and I’m bothered more and more by it when I see pictures of myself.

I generally like the lines that grow on people’s faces, the ones that show a lifetime of, you know, having a life. JB has a deepening collection of creases near the outside of his eyes (crow’s feet, according to women’s magazines) that I think are wildly handsome.

This line between my eyebrows, however, just bums me out. I suspect it’s grown worse over the last year from peering, eyebrows knit, into a laptop screen for several hours a day, but whatever the cause, it’s like my face is settling into this permanently grumpy expression. I’ve even had Riley randomly ask me if I was angry about something: “Well, I don’t know, you look kind of mad.”

So: Botox, or whatever the latest minimally invasive cosmetic whatsit might be, it’s been sounding kind of attractive. JB is thoroughly opposed to the idea, says it’s unnatural and ridiculous and also more than a little gross/potentially dangerous (BOTULINUM TOXINS! IN YOUR FACEPARTS!) and I get all that. But man, if there was a fairly easy and not unaffordable way to dial this Frowny Forehead Line back a few notches … I don’t know, it doesn’t seem ridiculously vain to want to look less pissed off, you know?

Or maybe it does. Maybe one little procedure is a slippery slope and pretty soon you’re obsessing over every other facial line and brown spot and general nearing-40 droopage, and then you start thinking about how a tiny bit of suction might reduce that immovable C-section flab, and so on and so forth.

What’s your take on Botox/fillers/similar treatments? Never in a million years … or never say never?

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slynnro
slynnro
12 years ago

Oh Jesus, it drives me crazy that some people are so judgmental about botox. I have it in my forehead because I had the starters to the 11 in between the brow lines (I got it at age 30 to boot) and I didn’t like them. They’re gone, I look better, no one is any the wiser and it only feels weird for 3-4 days. I’m not particularly afraid of finding myself turning into Taylor from RHOBH because well, I am just not that kind of person.

Amy
Amy
12 years ago

Your hyper-apropos posts are freaking me out.
I’m getting my first Botox on the frown lines in 2 days and having/had exactly the same inner debate. The only reason I finally decided to do it is because me & the hubs are going to Hawaii (Baby weaned! Boobs back! Hot hot sex!…Or just sleeping in a lot). And I squint like a motherfucker in the sun…and I’ll be wearing contacts all the time, which makes it worse, and …oh, hell. I’ll just admit it. I’m a little vain. I feel like I was never really a pretty girl and it didn’t really bug me. Was determinedly anti-superficial. But at least I was young and healthy and happy. Now, the healthy is still on, but the young part is a little less obvious, and even though I’m happier now than ever, those damn frown lines are a big fat lie!
So I’m gonna try it this once & go sit in the sun with my man and smile, smile, smile while I drink my piña colada. I’m a little worried that I’ll have robot face, but what the hell. Why take this beauty thing so seriously?
I’ll let you know how it goes….wish me luck!

Barnmaven
12 years ago

I have nothing against Botox, face lifts, boob jobs, etcetera. Nothing. I think there’s something wrong in wanting to resemble Barbie…but not with having work done if the result is that you feel more like “you” and that makes you happy. Go for it!

I have the same wrinkle, by the way, and I’ve considered doing something about it. I simply lack the disposable income to feel like its something I should spend money on.

Livi
Livi
12 years ago

If it bugs you – maybe give it a try. See if you like it.

One line isn’t going to cost a TON of bucks (they charge by how many cc’s they use of the stuff).

Becky
Becky
12 years ago

I say try it. Like others have said it’s not permanent and is safe if done by a board certified plastic surgeon. I do freelance writing for plastic surgery websites and so I read too much about this stuff. I did recently read that there’s a company developing a Botox-like topical cream. A doc would apply it in office to the area and then wipe it off–no needles. Still in testing, but who knows, it may be an alternative in the next few years. Also Dysport and Xeomin are the other FDA approved botulinum toxins for forehead/frown wrinkles. Xeomin was just recently approved, so now with 3 on the market some are speculating prices may start to come down on injections (that said, as others have stated, always go for the board certified plastic surgeon, even if a spa is cheaper).

velocibadgergirl
12 years ago

I will be lobbying for a breast reduction as soon as I wean my last kid, so I am not one to judge others for their cosmetic procedures…I say try it and see how you feel. Since it’s not permanent you can re-evaluate after you’ve done it.

bridal shower pictures
10 years ago

Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally,
it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
You clearly know what youre talking about, why throw
away your intelligence on just posting videos to your weblog when you
could be giving us something enlightening to read?

kim
kim
9 years ago

hi i was wondering if you ever decided to have botox or anything for your forehead crease? i am dealing with the same thing and came upon your blog, which is great by the way. if you have any update please let us know. thanks