Let’s explore medical cosmetology. I’m talking about my first experience with injectables: Dysport.
This is pandemic season. If you’re not going crazy, it’s because you’re prioritizing self-care. What does self-care entail? For a lot of us, it’s being outside, or gathering with the ones we love. This year — this winter especially — was rough. Social distance hangouts weren’t exactly coming together, as being outside in the cold was not that fun. For me, I coped with a combination of fitness (CorePower Yoga on-demand, a good solo run outdoors, etc.), introspection (Pinterest, journaling, meditation, blogging—holla!) and pampering myself.
Now let’s talk about how women pamper themselves. We can buy stuff, but as a minimalist, STUFF gives me anxiety (and frown-lines!). Going to the salon is a gamble if you’re set on sheltering in place. In COVID times, a lot of us passed the time by hacking salon services ourselves. In my house, quarantine experiments consisted of several semi-successful DIY highlights and perfected mani-pedis. So with the money I saved by forgoing the salon all year, for my first quarantine birthday, I decided to pamper myself with a new treatment.
I don’t think I’m the only one who feels like I’ve had a whole year stolen from me; not only that, but I’m in my prime right now! I’ve never felt better in my body, as smart, or as RICH… so I got ambitious and looked into longevity investments and stumbled across a big secret.
More women than you think are getting work done.
As a typical millennial does, I perform weeks of research before pulling the trigger on any new product or service. If I don’t even know how to begin my research, my first step is to ask my friends on Facebook. I’m not exactly shy, so I began my inquiry to my Facebook friends with a dramatic story about how I feel my youth draining from my overworked body to reel everyone in before I asked:
“What do you know about Botox?”
I was APPALLED at the amount of responses I received from my peers on this topic — comments flew in from everywhere and everyone. All the dads told me I don’t need work done. All my boys made fun of me for asking. But the number of women who responded to my post really floored me. Some just replied, “Following.” Others, who I would never have guessed — shared their favorite clinics and typical price range. Even more women private messaged me; they don’t want people to know they get work done.
First of all, the amount of women who keep this from their partners is astonishing. The dads and boyfriends and husbands who laughed have no idea their daughters, girlfriends and wives are hip to this… So… can we normalize injectables?!
Secondly, since the world of medical cosmetics is new to me, I never knew the vast array of services medical cosmetics offer us. In my thread, I learned that my friends who have tried Botox, have tried Dysport as well.
What’s the difference between Dysport & Botox?
I’m glad you asked, because I did too. Turns out, there’s not too much of a difference there, in terms of result.
Dysport
When I went in for my consultation, I was still unsure about which injectable to pick. This uncertainty led to the ultimate choice of Dysport; it is absorbed and broken down in the body more quickly than Botox, ideal for newbies like me who want less of a commitment as we get our feet wet with injectables.
Let’s Talk About Where I Went
After seeing my Facebook post, one of my good friends opened up to me about her experience with injectables; she tried both Botox and Dysport, and recommended Dysport to explore quicker results with less commitment. She recommended a place in Roseville, where she, and her mother (unbeknownst to her dad / one of my commenters) have received several treatments with positive results — Above & Beyond Clinics.
This facility is very clean and sterile with a relaxing vibe. I met the clinical director, Mayra Bobadilla PA-C for the procedure, and we discussed my concerns and narrowed down my treatment areas: my forehead wrinkles above my eyebrows and crows feet, and decided to start with one area. Mayra is clearly experienced with great bedside manner; she waited patiently for me to make up my mind. After settling on my crows feet, I sat for another five minutes and the treatment was over. The needle felt almost unnoticeable, like an acupuncture needle. Right afterward, I asked for her to tack on my forehead lines and left feeling great!
Something else you should know about getting your forehead done…
Don’t scrimp on the rest of the forehead, and don’t forgo the follow-up appointment.
I was convinced I only needed the lines over my eyebrows smoothed out. Great. Consider them as smooth as they were when I was 19. One week later, I was thrilled with my results on my forehead, but for a fun twist, the rest of my forehead muscles began to compensate for the lack of movement by overworking between my brows. At this rate, my frown lines on my third eye will age faster than the rest of my fine lines!!!
At my one-week followup appointment, I opted for frown line treatment, otherwise known as “glabellar” or “eleven” lines.
Let’s Talk About The Results…
I’m hooked on injectables! Not only did this treatment erase my fine lines — which is exactly what I wanted from the experience — it has become my first line of defense against my formerly frequent tension headaches.
Why didn’t anybody tell me about the medical benefits???
Ah yes, I know why nobody talks about it’s tension headache relief benefits… Because people aren’t talking about this enough. In my family, we all have wrinkles, but my sisters don’t want to “get work done.” This stigma surrounding medical cosmetology is crazy. Let’s pamper ourselves with multipurpose beauty treatments!
At least I will talk about it. Let’s normalize injectables, pamper ourselves & never have tension headaches again together!
“This beauty treatment is quicker than getting a trim and about as time consuming as getting gas. I’m totally sold on Dysport and plan to book again.”
Olivia B.
Olivia Barton 