For some the word ‘Botox’ still has quite a stigma surrounding it. People think of Botox and they automatically think of Celebrities with frozen faces, unable to move due to the countless injections they have had. However, this is really not the case. Increasingly, Botox represents a safe and reliable way to reduce those frown lines and look and feel, not only younger but also more relaxed and confident. For a number of reasons, including advances in treatment quality, there has been a distinct departure from generally negative perceptions towards Botox.
Aside from Botox®, Skin Vitality offers a range of non-invasive rejuvenation procedures to lift your face, contour your body, loose inches and feel great about yourself! Some of these treatments are becoming more recognized as well, and people are turning to this new technology to look the way they feel. 10 years ago, undergoing Botox® may have been viewed as dangerous, risky, vain and an unnecessary indulgence that should be shrouded in secrecy. However, attending a local spa, and undergoing an “age-defying” facial was considered suitable pampering for hardworking women who needed a day off.
So how have attitudes and societal acceptance towards Botox® and facial fillers changed since their initial surge in popularity a decade ago? To what extent to women and men feel the need to keep their beauty treatments a secret.
Botox® Statistics
Botox®, as used in cosmetic procedures is continually growing with support and makes up an industry worth around $1.3 Billion a year. Apart from Cosmetic procedures Botox® use has been growing for many other medical ailments including chronic migraines, excessive perspiration and treating muscle spasms. The average age of a Botox® patient is 40-59 years of age, and 82% report a difference within a week of treatment. With the average treatment time of a Botox® procedure sitting at 30 minutes, now it is possible to get your treatment done during a lunch break and return to work after.
The results?
Non-surgical facelifts replace surgical facelifts as top choice.
Canadians are still fighting the aging process and the battle with gravity, but now patients are shifting their interest to non-surgical facelifts with 4,185 patients (a 19 per cent increase) versus 3,519 patients in 2004. Non-surgical facelifts are performed in a doctor’s office, have instant results, minimal recovery time and are non-permanent. Interest in surgical procedures has dropped, with 2,185 procedures conducted in 2005 versus 2,300 in 2004. The survey does show, however, a rise in cosmetic enhancement industry with 642,828 procedures conducted in the last year. (Kaplan, 2012)
Some people may find it uncomfortable admitting or discussing the treatment of medical issues including aging, because it admits to physical imperfection, to accept that your body may no longer be in perfect condition. Similarly, discussion of Botox® is sometimes seen not only as acknowledgement of the signs of ageing but also admission of self-confidence issues.
Some people blame Hollywood, Celebrities’ and the media for raising expectations of beauty and youthful looking skin to impossible levels and encouraging judgement of those why try to reverse the clock artificially. It can be a challenge when the media demands flawless looks yet focuses on ‘natural beauty’ which can make anyone feel confused and lost in the aging game. Physical beauty is highly valued within our society, but only with the advent of modern media and digital enhancement has exposed society to a new level of ‘perfection’.
Celebrities and Botox®
Many celebrities now talk openly about their facial rejuvenation techniques. Not all comments about Botox® are positive. Some find the injections more uncomfortable than others or have reduced movement. But this much is clear from the comments below: Botox® really works.
Jennifer Aniston
“People think that I do a lot of injections, but I don’t,” Jennifer Aniston told InStyle last year. “I’m not saying that I haven’t tried it … but I see how it’s a slippery slope.”
David Hasselhoff
“I have had Botox®, everyone has,” David Hasselhoff bluntly admitted to People in 2006. “It’s a shot. It takes out the frown. I haven’t had that in a year. I take pride in that. I look great.”
Kylie Minogue
‘I’ve tried Botox®, I’ve tried them all’
‘For all time women have wanted to, for the most part, look their best.
‘It’s just that what we have available to us today is what it is today and if you want to take advantage of it, yeah.’
Anne Robinson
‘My best friend Pam is married to Nick Lowe, who is the world’s leading dermatologist. I have Botox® whenever he tells me.’
Simon Cowell
‘Yes, I’ve had Botox®, but not in an obsessive way. Then again, every guy I know who works in the City has had it now.’
‘To me, Botox® is no more unusual than toothpaste. It works, you do it once a year – who cares?’
Sharon Osbourne
‘I think that Botox® is one of the best things that’s ever been created for cosmetic surgery.’
Here at Skin Vitality, we are providing you with non-surgical procedures that can turn back the clock slightly and give you a look that makes you look and feel more refreshed and rejuvenated.