Diary of a New Patient: Botox Treatment
Photo of real patient. Note this is not a photo of the author.
Guest written by Lauren Dominguez, our MBA intern.
I decided to take the plunge. I've been thinking about the recommendations that Dr. Yoo made at my consultation. I decided to get Botox. It took me a while to come to the conclusion, but I am very happy that I did. As a younger woman, I didn’t know if I needed it, but after careful consideration I decided that preventing my incessant squinting and brow furrowing now will only make aging easier down the road. As Dr. Yoo said, it's a great preventative to getting wrinkles in the first place.
I checked in with the receptionist and was promptly seated. Dr. Yoo’s medical assistant went over my previous consultation notes, took my vitals and addressed a couple questions that I had. Dr. Yoo arrived and took Before photos showing me squinting and furrowing my brow. (After the treatment, I won't be able to do that anymore!) He applied a numbing agent on my skin and administered several small injections. I had my forehead, crows feet, and the small area between my eyebrows (called the glabella) treated.
As Dr. Yoo was injecting the Botox, I thought about the importance of choosing a trained professional. From what I've learned, it's important to have a good understanding of the facial anatomy in order to prevent the "frozen" look that some people get with Botox. I would only feel comfortable and safe going to a facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Yoo. For example, before each injection, Dr. Yoo asked me to frown or squint so that he could pinpoint the exact place that an injection was needed. His specialization and education in facial plastic surgery ensured me that every injection was administered with careful calculation.
The procedure was quick and painless. The injections felt like a small pinch. Let's just say that I would choose getting Botox over a wax any day.
Dr. Yoo told me that it can take between two and four days to see the Botox take effect. I felt it began to work two days after my procedure. A follow up Botox treatment will be needed in three to four months, although Dr. Yoo asked me to come back in two weeks so that he could assess how the first treatment worked (since it was my first Botox treatment ever).
I thought getting Botox would be a much bigger ordeal than it was. This had prevented me from pursuing it. Now in hindsight, I should have gotten it sooner. The ease of the procedure was amazing. In and out; taking only 20 minutes total.
If you have been considering getting Botox, your first step is to schedule your consultation. This will put your mind at ease, answer any questions, and help you make an educated decision. The Botox injections are quick and painless, and definitely worth it. Whether you want to prevent future wrinkles or smooth out existing wrinkles, Dr. Yoo can provide you with a plethora of options customize to fit your needs.
Next, you might like to:
- Read the first post in this series, Diary of a New Patient: The Consultation
- Learn more about injectables, like Botox, and fillers
- See what a consultation is all about
