Skin care has become a huge trend in the past few years. Some beauty fans have even dialed back their makeup buying to spend more time in the skin-care sections of their favorite beauty stores. It's all about finding the latest serums, cleansers, and masks that help us achieve that "glass skin" look. Should we be spending more to get the best results, or is there a holy grail drugstore brand that's equally magical? People want to know!
Everyone wants "glass skin" and will do and buy almost anything to get it — including trying a very interesting form of Botox. That's right. People are getting a special kind of Botox to clear up their skin, and honestly, I think it's worth it to ask whether or not that's taking things too far.
Before the beauty and woke police mow me down, let's get one thing straight.
People can do any- and everything they choose to do with their bodies. We all deserve body autonomy. We have the right to change something we're not 100% happy with. We also have the right to embrace our flaws as they are. That's the beauty of choice. I 100% support choice.
That said, it's also important to analyze why we choose the things we do. Independent choices are lovely, but it's irresponsible for me to act as if cosmetic procedures are always about that.
Now about this Botox for better skin thing...
This is a real thing, people. Botox is no longer only injected into muscles to temporarily paralyze them and eliminate wrinkles. People are getting another form of the procedure called mesobotox. It gets injected into the skin layers only. People often get it to minimize pores.
Mesobotox is also called a "Botox facial" or "microinfusion facial."
"It's no secret that we are big fans of neurotoxins like Botox for their anti-aging benefits. When we heard about a 'Botox facial' at GoodSkin Los Angeles, we knew we had to try it," the ladies of Mixed Makeup shared in a YouTube video. "It's a microinfusion facial that's similar to microneedling and it promises to shrink your pores and give you smoother skin."
The ladies paid $950 for their first treatment.
Doctors also note that mesobotox is good for achieving glowing skin.
"Shrinking pore size while getting that coveted glow this morning using Aquagold to infuse mesobotox, Volbella, and a few other secret ingredients for this guy," one doctor shared on Instagram. "Aquagold is one of our favorite treatments to customize and gives an instant glow to the skin!"
Lots of doctors mix and match different ingredients to create custom treatments for their clients. The doctor who performed the Botox facial for the women of the Mixed Makeup YouTube page mentioned that sometimes she includes fillers in her treatments.
It's also not just women who get mesobotox treatments.
"Brotox is Botox for Bro because there is no gym for wrinkles. More and more men are looking for to reduce forehead wrinkles, pore size, and get [a] refreshing natural look," a doctor shared on Twitter about the procedure.
In other words, men and women are getting mesobotox just like regular facials. Is this the new way to cheat your skin-care routine?
Some doctors also use mesobotox to treat cystic acne!
"This Dallas woman is shown before and six months after a third treatment with MesoBotox, which has radically reduced her cystic acne," one doctor shared on Instagram. "This novel treatment Dr. Lam created has helped significantly in improving her social and professional life."
The photos do show that her skin has cleared up significantly. The actual acne and scars that often come afterward are much more minimized. Still, you need to note that cystic acne is hormonal and most likely requires treatment prescribed by an actual doctor. Getting mesobotox to treat this may lessen it, but it's ultimately a waste of money unless you're getting this along with treatment from your doctor. It's also a waste of time since Botox provides immediate yet temporary results. A doctor will also help you determine if the medications you're taking will go well with the mesobotox.
Seriously, be careful with this stuff unless you want a much bigger health problem than cystic acne.
Allure magazine reported that mesobotox is the "most popular injectable treatment in South Korea."
"In the past, when we used Botox it would be for wrinkles, and we would inject it into the muscles," Lim Ee Seok, the head dermatologist at Thema Dermatologic Clinic, explained to Allure. "These days, we will inject it into the outer layer and it lifts the skin."
The magazine also reported that the needle injects the Botox into the skin about "40 to 50 times" in a single session compared to the handful of times Botox is typically injected into facial muscles. It sounds pretty scary, but per the videos previously shown, clients don't have the worst reactions to the experience.
But is all this too much just to get "perfect" skin?
If you have the money to spend on such a procedure, then spend it as long as you've seen your primary care physician first and gotten the OK. There's nothing wrong with wanting to change something about yourself. Still, it's important to note that you don't have to have perfect skin or spend close to $1,000 to achieve it. Even if you are on a quest to improve your skin, it doesn't have to cost you $1,000 — especially for something like Botox, which we know only lasts a certain amount of time, then you'll be right back in that doctor's office to get more. I'd much rather be back and forth to the drugstore to grab more CeraVe.
ALSO.
You could consider that perfection is not it, people. You don't need to minimize your pores that badly. There's nothing wrong with keeping up the good fight against enlarged pores by using a regular-degular skin-care routine. Go to your dermatologist to determine what's best for you. Visit an esthetician if that's in your budget. Most important, BE CONSISTENT with the products you try. Having great skin is a process for many of us no matter what. Yes, even if you cheat the process with Botox.
