7 Life-Changing Truths About Botox That No One Ever Tells You

An expert Botox provider gives the frankest advice yet on how not to end up like that scary Cat Lady.

1. Botox is not the only show in town.

Your Princess Your Doll / Via aliexpress.com

There are actually three products in what is called the neuromodulator market: Botox, Dysport and Xeomin. While they share the same active ingredient, they are three different neurotoxin products.

As you embark on your War on Wrinkles, don't do it with the mindset that you know which product is best for you. In fact, find a provider with experience in all three who knows the subtle differences each option offers, and which one fits you best.

2. Getting Botox is not like going to Supercuts.

Huffington Post / Via huffingtonpost.com

When it comes to injecting things into your face, do you view it the same way as shopping for a burrito? Or is it more akin to shopping for a new house?

What does this have to do with my Botox, you ask?

If you want a quick facial treatment in 20 minutes, that's fine – grab a sheet mask. When it comes to someone injecting your face, some deeper thought is recommended. That's why there are consultations where you can ask all the Botox questions you haven't found the answers for.

The aesthetics provider should have lots of questions for you as well. A consultation takes time, maybe even an hour, so ask how much time is set for you. The answer may impact whether your results are super or not.

3. That Groupon deal would be a steal – for Cyclops

Disney / Via movies.disney.com

If that flash sale deal or Facebook ad is just too good to be true, you can bet that it is.

As many have discovered, their unbelievable promotional prices cover only enough units of Botox for one set of crows' feet. Unless you're one-eyed, you'll find yourself sitting in the procedure chair spending a bit more money than you planned.

Money should never be the deciding factor in selecting your aesthetics provider. See next point.

4. When it comes to needles in your face, you don’t want any nasty surprises

Fairfax Underground / Via fairfaxunderground.com

People are different and their bodies respond differently to the three neuromodulators mentioned earlier.

The products themselves are not interchangeable. Each one spreads under the skin differently and might be more appropriate for specific areas of the face. Some act faster, wear off sooner, or even react differently.

Product formulations are not the same. For example, Botox and Dysport are formulated with an accompanying protein. Some people do not react well to this protein and may find themselves with a resulting headache. In this case, Xeomin may be a better alternative.

Dosage levels for each product are also not identical. In the wrong hands, these neuromodulators could create some serious problems.

Your provider should understand what makes each product unique and which one you will respond to the best.

5. Despite what you’ve seen on TMZ, your face doesn’t have to be frozen.

Probaway / Via probaway.wordpress.com

We’ve all recoiled in horror at the parade of plastic surgery disasters befalling celebs. So you are pardoned for losing your appetite for Botox after a Housewives marathon.

The truth is, in the hands of the truly skilled Botox can erase wrinkles without leaving your face immobile. The experts know more is not necessarily better, and sometimes less is not best. The goal of aesthetics is to replace what aging took away from you, not to change you into something else.

A seasoned provider knows how to push back when clients dictate how their treatments should go. Because when it comes to these matters, the customer is not always right.

6. The best Botox providers are experts in products other than Botox.

Pop Sugar / Via popsugar.com

Your aesthetics provider needs to have more than one dance move. True experts have extensive training and experience in products other than just a neuromodulator.

To name a few, there are Restylane, Bellafill, Eclipse PRP, Juvederm, Voluma and Radiesse. Each product has its own unique characteristics. A combination therapy that includes fillers, peels and lasers works to dip, fill and lift in order to create an impressive, natural outcome.

There is no shortage of providers whose knowledge of Botox was learned at a three-day weekend seminar in Boca Raton. At the opposite end is the small number of specialists who've spent years of training in medical beauty aesthetics, and have administered these products to numerous patients.

To whom would you rather trust your face?

7. Patients who form long-term relationships with their providers are always the happiest.

Most Botox procedures are temporary corrections that will need frequent updates to keep your looks optimized over time. The most satisfied patients think of Botox in the same vein as regular dentist visits. One session is not a magic bullet, but it sets the foundation for further improvements.

Building long-term relationships is mutually fruitful. For the injectionist, it’s retaining a loyal customer; for the patient, it’s having a provider who understands her history and objectives.

There are telltale signs of a patient who’s been desperately shuttling around clinics to get more Botox than she ought to. Apart from the beauty risks – droopy eye, anyone? – there are very real health dangers and the likelihood of being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous.

Trust in your provider, and don’t be that patient.

Information provided by Dr. Misty Kimbrell DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, a dedicated Doctor of Nursing Practice and Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with more than 15 years of experience in aesthetic medicine, prevention, anti-aging and wellness. She is currently providing an array of aesthetic services at AgeWait in Dallas, Texas.