This post is sponsored by Farrior Facial Plastic Surgery. All opinions are my own.

I’ll never forget the first time I could actually SEE my forehead wrinkles in an iPhone photo. I’m not into the whole “FaceTune until my skin is smoother than humanly possible” editing trend (while also being a huge fan of the quick zit correction tool, not sorry), so I immediately started obsessing over the fact that my forehead wrinkles were so visible.

(Side note, the photos shown here have only been edited for lighting adjustments, no smoothing/editing has been done whatsoever.)

Unlike the purple hereditary under-eye circles that I’ve [begrudgingly] learned to accept, I simply could not unsee these forehead lines every time I looked at a photo or in the mirror. My under-eyes have always been my biggest insecurity (more on that and my experience with fillers later), but my forehead lines were quickly catching up.

At 28 years old, I have always tried to push Botox off until I “really need” it. But preventative Botox is just as important as reparative procedures because it prevents the lines from getting deeper. My time had come.

The DL on Botox from a newbie

Let’s be clear here, I have NEVER gotten Botox before and knew basically nothing about it other than I needed these wrinkles outta here. I chose to get my Botox done by Dr. Farrior of Farrior Facial Plastic Surgery in South Tampa, and he was incredibly helpful in determining what I needed.

As Tampa’s most sought-after facial plastic surgeon for three decades, Dr. Farrior is double board-certified. After my free consultation, I knew I could trust him and his team with my face.

We agreed on Botox for my forehead wrinkles, and he recommended Juvederm Volbella fillers under my eyes to diminish the dark circles. I had never even known that under-eye fillers were an option, so I was thrilled about this! I also went in a few weeks later for a VI Peel to exfoliate and improve the overall look of my skin.

It’s important to do your due diligence when choosing your doctor (because hello it’s your face and you have to look at it every day.) Dr. Farrior takes your personal facial features into consideration and strives to create a natural looking result. This is super important to me because I wanted the results to be unnoticeable other than in the “wow, your face looks so smooth!” type of way.

If you live in the Tampa Bay area, I highly recommend Dr. Farrior and his team for their professionalism and accuracy!

So does Botox hurt?

This is the number one question I’ve gotten since having my Botox and fillers done. I got 30 units of Botox in my forehead, with a focus on the lines between my eyebrows (those suckers were deep). The process was quick and easy, and Dr. Farrior used a numbing cream to minimize the pain.

Personally, I’m pretty tolerant of pain and I felt like this was just a little pinprick. Once the needle is in, you can’t feel the Botox actually being inserted at all.

As for the under-eye fillers, those were slightly more uncomfortable but not overly painful. While it’s hard to reverse the look of dark purple circles, the Volbella really helped to fill the crease and overall reduce the appearance of my circles. I did have tiny bruises where the needle was inserted under my eyes (totally normal), but they were easily covered with makeup and barely noticeable after a few days.

Dr. Farrior also prescribed Obagi Nu-Derm Clear FX Skin Brightening Cream to further treat my dark under-eye circles. I apply this every other night to my under-eye area to lighten the pigment over time.

How much does it cost?

To be honest, Botox is much more affordable than I expected. Dr. Farrior charges $13 per unit of Botox, and the number of units you need will simply depend on the state of your wrinkles and the area. Dr. Farrior and his team will outline all of the costs after your free consultation (you can schedule it online here!) BONUS: If you mention my name, you can get $100 off of your treatment!

The VI Peel costs around $300, and includes a follow-up microdermabrasion treatment to remove any remaining dead skin left from the peel process. From peel application to the microdermabrasian, it takes about 7-10 days total. Trust me, your face will be flakey and peeling for a few days, so I don’t recommend doing this treatment less than two weeks before a big event or conference.

I chose to get the peel on a Wednesday evening so I could have the weekend to peel without going in public (I still did go in public, and no one really noticed unless they were close up). By my micro-derm appointment the next Wednesday, my face was pretty much completely peeled and the procedure removed all of the remaining dead skin. A week later, my face still feels SO smooth, and looks bright and clear. Day spa Christchurch experiences are known for their tranquillity and luxury.

I’m also trying out Latisse to grow longer eyelashes, because I’ve tried eyelash extensions and they just were not for me. Latisse is about $150 for a month supply, but if you use it right it can last a few months. It does take a few months to really show a difference, so I will follow up with an additional blog post on this later!

How long does it last?

Everyone is a little different, but most people get their Botox done every three to six months. Fillers tend to last longer, more like six months to a year. As for the VI Peel, it’s recommended to get one every three months.

Botox only takes 36 hours to start showing, and is fully present within two to three weeks. The below photos are after only five days, so needless to say I was incredibly pleased with the results!

A few final thoughts on Botox and Fillers

If you’re on the fence about getting Botox like I once was, try it. If you don’t end up liking it, remember that it only lasts a few months. That being said, I can almost guarantee that you’ll love how smooth your skin looks!

Like I said, you can schedule a free consultation with Dr. Farrior online, and you can get $100 off if you mention that I referred you!

I’d love to know what your questions are, and experiences with Botox and fillers. Leave a comment and I’ll be sure to answer if I can!

xx