My Patient is 35 Years Old. Why Does She Get Botox?
The fact that my patient had Botox was a sensitive subject for her.
During that time, she had a small group of close friends from college and acquaintances in the cosmetics industry with whom she frequently socialized in New York City. They had all known each other for quite some time, and because getting plastic surgery was considered perfectly normal within these circles, they felt comfortable talking about it.
As my patient settles into her new home in a different city, the woman is looking forward to making new friends. She has only just begun to get to know them, but she already fears that they will look down on her because she has had Botox. This shows that she herself has ambivalent feelings. It's difficult to hold back, as this is a subject that stirs up strong feelings in many people.
Although there has been less of a social stigma attached to these procedures in recent years, there are still many who believe that choosing to have them done reinforces sexist ideals of beauty. She has thought deeply about these arguments and agrees with some of them; however, she also believes that there is more to the motivation behind people getting Botox than just a desire to look younger or prettier.
My patient has thought a lot about what drives her, and the best answer she has come up with so far was brought up in our conversation from the year before. During the initial consultation, she probed the injector for details about her previous Botox procedures and why, after a two-year hiatus, she was ready to try it again.
In that moment, she realized how crucial it was to find a specialist who was not only knowledgeable and skilled, but also interested in learning about the backstory of how she ended up in the chair in the first place. Social media is full of "before and after" photos that are sure to make you want to take action, and articles that claim these are "quick and easy procedures" but don't mention the potential drawbacks or the complicated emotions you may experience when going against your natural instincts.
I made a comment that shed light on why her exhausted countenance was bothering her. She has been through a lot in recent years, and she wants nothing more than to look like she did before all of this trouble began. I went on to say that it's normal to see some telltale signs of aging by the time you hit your thirties, but that things like rapid weight loss or chronic stress can hasten the process or make it more obvious.
I can relate to the sensitivity she felt after her illness, as well as the guilt she felt for considering Botox after overcoming such a trying time in her life.
Quite the display of ego, wouldn't you say? Don't you think she should be thankful for getting older instead of complaining about it? In a word, yes. But she would also like to get rid of some of the collateral damage that has been lingering over the past few years. I would imagine that this is a sentiment that is shared by all women who have had "mommy makeovers." A rise in the popularity of cosmetic procedures is understandable.
In a world where we have so little control over our own destinies, these seemingly insignificant alterations can help people regain a sense of identity or agency. You alone have been through the experiences that have molded your life, and only you can choose the responses you make to those events. She is speaking these words to herself as much as she is to anyone else who may benefit from hearing them.
This is the best justification my patient can offer for getting Botox at the age of 35. This isn't the neat ending she was hoping for, but it's as close as she can get for the time being.
You can assist your patients as long as you've received the appropriate training. Now, anyone interested in learning how to administer Botox and fillers can do so. You can find live patient courses at https://dentox.com/botox-training-miami. Learning something new that will help your patients is a great way to boost their confidence and self-esteem, as well as their health and well-being.
