Got Botox? I Don’t, Here’s Why

Health
by on

Let’s talk about it, the elephant in the green beauty room, botox, and fillers. One of the most common questions I get here is women asking me if I have had any work done to my face and the honest answer is no, never. For me, personally, it would feel incredibly misleading and deceptive to know I had work done but, instead, passed it off as some magical skin care item or healthy diet.

The point of this post is not to judge or tell you what to do when it comes to your face, but it is to remind you that many experts in this industry are doing much more than Gua Sha and jade rolling and for me, it feels a bit contradictive. In my opinion, the only way to have botox, fillers or work done, while in an industry that focuses on eliminating toxins from your life, is to 100% own it and be honest with those that follow you and may be inspired by your “healthy” life.

Besides being honest about getting Botox, we have to also talk about the risks associated with it and ask ourselves why so many are minimizing the risks of Botox all while being so against other things like parabens or aluminum? While proponents of Botox will tell you it’s “safe”, many women in this industry have pre-existing conditions which makes it extremely reckless to not educate others on the real risks that come along with this procedure. I rarely see women discussing this topic and I think it’s important to know exactly what Botox is and to ask ourselves if we are so against toxins, medications, birth control, big pharma, and toxins in our skincare, how can we truly support this practice?

Again, I really do not want to judge those that do, but more so inspire each person to consider all sides of the story, ultimately deciding what is best for them.

What Is Botox?

Botox is a botulin-based drug that paralyzes your facial muscles temporarily to leave a more smooth and flawless complexion. On the actual Botox website, the warnings clearly state you may experience problems swallowing, speaking or breathing which can be severe and kill you. You are at an even higher risk if you have pre-existing illnesses which many in this field do have. Botox can also cause blurred vision and drooping eyelids, which I have seen firsthand in friends with Botox gone bad. Scientists are also finding that it is possibly even making it’s way into the Central Nervous System, traveling at high speeds through our nerves according to Dr. Tong Wang.

Many will argue negative side effects are not reported but like with all drugs, they certainly are, it is just not publicized properly. In 2007, Botox’s manufacturer Allergan was required to pay a Virginia man 212 million dollars from damages done from their product. The FDA also required manufacturers to place a huge warning that Botox may spread from the area of injection to cause botulinum toxin effects and that there have been reports of death from Botox. They also warn that those with underlying health conditions are at greater risk.

In 2014, another doctor sued Allergan after she contracted botulism from Botox and won 18 million. Dr. Sharla Helton, a successful Ob/Gyn, claimed she experienced profound weakness and fatigability, becoming bedridden with extreme pain and numbness. Her conditions were so bad, she had to stop working altogether as she could barely walk 100 feet without being overcome with chronic pain and fatigue. In just her attorney’s law firm alone, they have settled 15 other Botox cases.

Another case of Botox gone bad came from a woman claiming she got Botox and the next morning woke up to her eyes swollen shut with blurred vision and pain. Her doctor believed that the Botox traveled into her eye’s nerves and possibly destroyed her vision permanently. If you take any amount of time to research Botox lawsuits, you will see there is no shortage of them which is enough to make me think twice.

Besides the physical side effects, there are then the various studies that show how Botox actually can alter more than just your skin, with a growing body of peer-reviewed, clinical research studies showing how it affects the human brain, consciousness, and emotions. A 2011 study titled, “Cosmetic use of botulinum toxin-A affects processing of emotional language”, revealed that Botox-induced blocking facial expression by peripheral denervation of facial musculature selectively hinders emotional language processing.

Animal Testing-

On top of various side effects, warnings, and risks, we also fail to address the fact that Botox has killed 400,000+ animals a year due to animal testing. During these tests, animals are injected with the toxin, usually suffocating to death due to muscle paralysis, while conscious. Pretty much any drug or filler is highly likely to have been tested on animals which is something I can’t turn a blind eye to.

What I Do, Instead-

For me, this is how I keep my skin looking as healthy as possible at 35. I have never had a peel, any intensive procedure, dermaplaning or anything other than a truly healthy diet, lots of clean, filtered water, and a well balanced, consistent, clean skincare routine.

  • Eating foods rich in Vitamin C to produce collagen- cucumbers, citrus, broccoli, and bell peppers.
  • Reducing grains and sugar is important in keeping a clear and glowing complexion.
  • Eating Organic foods to ensure you are getting the needed nutrients your body and skin need.
  • Eating things like Chlorella, Kale, and Spinach to support our body’s natural detoxification process.
  • Washing my makeup off, religiously, every night and following up with a proper skincare routine.
  • Keeping your fine lines moisturized is one of the best ways to prevent premature aging.
  • Wearing an SPF anytime you are exposed to the sun, also a huge factor. I have been wearing SPF since I was about 15 thanks to my Mom always nagging at me too!
  • Exercise naturally increases your growth hormones to reduce aging.
  • Proper sleep each night and keeping stressors low also is key to healthy skin.
  • Using Non-Toxic, quality beauty products that improve the skin’s overall condition.
  • Plenty of filtered water, click here to see the filter I use!

13 thoughts on “Got Botox? I Don’t, Here’s Why”

  1. Vanessa

    Awesome post 💜💜 so happy to see someone highlighting this controversial topic, when so many deflect from speaking about it.

    Reply
    1. MrPuff1960

      I am soooo glad you brought up the animal testing. People forget this, but as a vegan skin care formulator myself, I am super on the band wagon with you. I never buy or use or make anything that is not vegan and that supports animal safety. Thank you so much for writing this, and for reminding us of healthy diet and skin choices. I believe a lot of this use of botox and fillers is because of celebrities and our low self image. It is so much more prevalent here, esp. in California, than it is in Europe. We are all beautiful, without that stuff.

      Reply
  2. Kate

    Why are you against Dermaplaning? Just wondering … I always thought it was a great way to exfoliate that isn’t invasive.

    Reply
    1. theorganicbunny

      I am not anti, I am just stating I have never had it! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jennifer

    Excellent post. As a 49 year old, it has gotten very tempting, especially when my dermatologist came right out and recommended it for my “1 line” forming between my brows. But as a natural beauty advocate, I just could not do it. I believe and want women to know there is so much more to beauty than some industry-fed lie that we can only be beautiful if we don’t have lines, so I made up my mind to live that example as I age. Whatever version of “perfect” they are trying to sell is only feeding our insecurities that whatever we are isn’t it. Well I say “F that, I am perfect because I’m the only me, and that’s all I have to be, and the same goes for each one of us.” I just want to be the best version of me with each year that passes. Clean eating, clean living, and clean cosmetics help me to be my best self, but Botox does not.

    Reply
  4. Leah

    I am a manager at an aesthetic medicine practice. I have had pretty much any of these treatments you can think of. About 4 months ago I had a Botox induced panic attack while getting injected as well had a small reaction. I feel it was my allergy shot reacting with the Botox in my system. I have not been the same ever since this happened. Of course no doctor believes me. It is hard working in this industry and not getting anything done. I no longer really do anything except facials now. I’ve switched to a mostly all pure skin care line. That’s saying something. I get access to all products for free, but I choose to pay for my skin care. So I know it’s pure.
    I do agree with everything in this post except the part about showing emotion. It doesn’t freeze your face that much, that takes a whole lot more than just Botox to achieve. I’ve always been able to show emotion.
    I’m sure I sound like a hypocrite, but I worked really hard to move up in this company. Only recently did I start to realize I don’t need it. So for now Botox still helps pay my bills.
    It’s okay to age. Aging is beautiful. It should never be looked down on. Age=wisdom and it’s beautiful.

    Reply
    1. theorganicbunny

      It’s actually worse than how you read it, the toxins are actually altering human emotion, inside, not outside! Crazy.

      Reply
      1. Leah

        Oh well yes in that case that’s true! It’s really messed with my anxiety. It took 3 years for that to happen. Just cause something bad doesn’t happen the first time, doesn’t mean it can’t ever.

        Reply
  5. Raquel

    What an excellent post! The same applies to breast implants, Coolsculpting, Ultherapy, etc. Just how safe are all of these procedures? And why do so few celebrities and influencers ever admit to having these procedures done? I’ll be honest, I’ve tried Botox and I liked it, but I’m not going to risk it again. In our youth-obsessed culture, it’s really tough to age naturally (I’m in my 50s). Thank you for writing about this!

    Reply
  6. Rebecca Koontz

    Would you mind saying what your skin care routine products are? There are so many to choose from. I feel lost.

    Reply
  7. Liz

    What are your thoughts on collagen dietary supplements, such as in a pill or powder form?

    Reply
  8. Brittney Sito

    Hello! When you say reducing grains and sugars—-what about gl it gluten free grains like rice and quinoa?

    Reply
  9. Rebecca

    OMG! I did not about the animal testing. Thank you for bringing that up and thank you for your post! I am late 40’s and I have succumbed to the pressure and had botox a few times. I do believe I had some muscle atrophy but like the esthetician said above NO Dr will even entertain the idea that botox could possibly cause any negative effect. It is hard, because friends, derms, etc are pushing everyone to get botox, fillers, lasers etc. WHY?! Nice to find support here NOT to have it. Thank you.

    Reply
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *