Why I Stopped Getting Botox
at least for the foreseeable future.
I quit Botox cold turkey.
Not that I was an addict or a fanatic. “They” say to go every 3 months for upkeep, but I got my injections about every 6, and I asked for the bare minimum to keep my “elevens” and my crow’s feet at bay.
Nearly thirty years of “giving it all you (I) got” in the gym—AKA furrowed brows, uber concentration, grunts—left me with those ever-present linear lines between my over-plucked brows (a teenage tragedy in its own right; maybe a post on that one day, too).
And years of, well, enjoying life—smiling with true authenticity and literally LOLing—gave my face those horizontal lines on the lateral part of my eyes we have not-so-lovingly coined “crow’s feet.”
They are sometimes referred to as smile lines. Which, in a sense, is the reason I’ve decided to stop the facial freeze altogether.
Because, as humans, we need those tiny facial movements for true connection and communication with one another.
Humans are not like most mammals (picture your dog right now): we have facial muscle insertions that encompass our entire face—on the surface of our skin, just beneath. Your dog can’t make a million facial expressions to communicate happiness, skepticism, grief, longing, joy, pain, curiosity…
But we can.
When I speak to a patient, I can make tiny facial expressions—micro-expressions, if you will—that come naturally to my brain when I am fully present and engaged in the conversation.
And when my patient (or friend, or colleague, or a stranger at the café) receives my expressions—when they are attuned to me—they feel seen, heard, and validated.
We resonate.
And that’s what our mind is here for.
Resonance with others.
Showing them how you’re feeling without having to say a word.
My face will age.
But—and I’m really hoping— if I’m lucky, my mind won’t get the memo.
Because freezing my face won’t make me look younger; it will only keep me from truly connecting with others and the world around me.
The point of this thing called life?
Making the world a better place. Leaving a lasting impression. Resonating with other humans.
And that is worth the wrinkles.
—PZ
Thank you for sharing. I ponder about this a lot. There is definitely something lost when you Botox and fill a face. However, there is an ever increasing societal pressuee to look the way you did in your 20s, especially for women. Sometimes I think I "should" embark upon regular cosmetic treatments, and then other times I'm perfectly happy showing the battle scars of life. The sunny beach days, the sleepless nights, and epin runs with no SPF.... Your article today helped me stress less about this, so thank you!