Getting botox seems as common as putting booking info in your Instagram bio these days. Pretty much every person I know has tried botox before and is hooked. I admit, I was one of my last friends to jump on the bandwagon, but after hearing them rave about how amazing and smooth their foreheads felt and looked, I figured, “what’s another couple hundred dollars towards my appearance?” I mean, my Keratin treatment costs $250 every 5 months and that pretty much sets the bar for how much I’m willing to pay for the sake of vanity beauty.
That being said, if you’re considering getting botox, you probably have some questions. We spoke with NYC based plastic surgeon to the stars, Dr. Lara Devgan, to answer some of the questions you’ve probably been wondering when it comes to botox.
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Is Botox Painful?
I am the biggest baby when it comes to pain—I literally still cry when I get Novocain at the dentist. But for some reason this didn’t bother me. Maybe it was because I was voluntarily coming in for this procedure, or maybe the thoughts of a smooth, wrinkle-free forehead blunted the pain, but for me getting botox actually didn’t hurt. According to Dr. Devgan, “it’s not bad; it feels like a little prick—no worse than plucking your eyebrows”.
What Can I Expect During And After The Treatment?
The last time I got botox was right after work, and seven hours later I was dancing at a concert for five hours, which may sound ridiculous, but in fact it’s totally fine. “Treatment takes about a minute and is well tolerated by most people,” says Dr. Devgan. “Immediately afterward there is mild redness and bumpiness that goes back to normal in 10 minutes. It takes four to seven days for results to fully kick in. There is no downtime, so you can go right back to work or school.”
How Long Do The Results Last?
Dr. Devgan advises that results can last 3-4 months depending on the individual and that will dictate how frequently you will get treated.
Are There Any Side Effects?
No wrinkles, duh!! But seriously, Dr. Devgan advises, “Bruising and swelling are the most typical things to watch out for, but they aren’t common. Still, I wouldn’t suggest doing injectables right before the social event of the year.”
What’s The Average Age Of People Looking To Get Botox?
Dr. Devgan explains, “It varies tremendously. I started when I was 27—it’s the best way to preserve your skin quality the way it is at the age you start. You can try botox once and never do it again if it’s not your thing— with no negative consequences. I suggest starting botox before you get etched lines when your face is in repose (at rest). Botox is a wrinkle relaxer, but not an iron, so it’s best used preventatively.”
Images: Shutterstock; laradevganmd / Instagram; Giphy
Society f*cking sucks (especially these days) but when it comes to beauty, it’s particularly awful. Women are held to insanely high standards of beauty and asked to be literally flawless while also not doing a single thing to achieve that. So, we had Dr. Devgan, the top female plastic surgeon in New York on our Diet Starts Tomorrow podcast to discuss and de-stigmatize plastic surgery. Along with being a mother of six, Dr. Devgan is the CEO of her own company called Scientific Beauty and the Chief Medical Officer at Real Self, so she’s like totally legit. Here are some takeaways from our chat with Dr. Devgan, but for the full scoop, you’ll have to listen to the episode below.
- Most people who come to Dr. Devgan for plastic surgery generally like themselves and have confidence, but just want a bit of a change
- Dr. Devgan’s patients are 85% female and 15% male, but the male percentage is growing
- 10% of people who see a plastic surgeon have body dysmorphic disorder, so it’s important to screen for that
- People don’t actually bring in celebrity photos to recreate their faces, because that’s really f*cking creepy, but you can totally bring inspiration photos of features you like
- Age is beauty, according to Dr. Devgan—when you hit 35-40 your face has natural contour and elegance
- Snapchat Dysmorphia is REAL and people literally want to become their filters.
- Dr. Devgan tells us, “It’s time to let women and men dictate their own choices about their own bodies with a little bit more dignity, privacy, and respect”
- The average millennial is going to take 30,000 selfies in a year
- What to look for in a plastic surgeon and what types of photos to ask to see
- Jade rollers don’t actually work and you’re wasting your money and wrist strength
- Why Dr. Devgan is also not a fan of thread lifts and cool sculpting
Listen to Dr. Devgan’s full episode of Diet Starts Tomorrow below.
For career advice from Dr. Devgan, listen to our When’s Happy Hour podcast as well (and order our book while you’re at it).
