A lot of women have shunned Botox use because – let’s admit it – there’s more bad than good reviews in popular media about the drug and its effects.
Here are 3 reasons for its infamy:
1. Hollywood
Yes, you read right: the glitzy and glamorous Hollywood.
Let’s cut through the fluff and admit that some of the worst ambassadors for Botox are celebrities. In fact, most patients refer to some of them when describing how they don’t want to look after a treatment.
It’s also very possible that one of the more famous Botox myths – that you become incapable of emotions – sprung forth from its star-encrusted streets. I, personally, believe it started from directors who complained that their actors became unable to convey the emotions required in a scene.
It doesn’t help either that these actors get photographed so often that before and after pictures are so easy to come by (Perez Hilton probably has a whole gallery of them!). And because the effects are so drastic sometimes, people can’t help but notice.
2. Botox Scams
A definite cause of infamy is Botox scams. While it’s good that these con games are found out, publicized and their masterminds prosecuted, they also spawn a negative stigma that people assume to be fact. They create what I like to call Botox Terror. Unfortunately, this fear is usually misplaced and is based on misconceptions.
For one, these scams commonly involve fake Botox – not just any harmless placebo but the shouldn’t-be-used-on-people-because-they-can-kill kind. Secondly, these are generally marketed as DIY kits that require self-injection – an absolute no-no, unless you’re willing to run the risk of poking your eye out or puncturing blood vessels in your face!
3. People assume they know everything there is to know about Botox
Now, this is the absolute culprit for Botox’s growing bad rep.
Everybody has an opinion on the drug and the loudest voices are probably those of its detractors. Unfortunately, some of the most emphatic of them know squat about the real deal. They take what they’ve read, watched or heard from some random tabloid or magazine and accept it as truth without verifying it first.
For those who are interested, here’s the real score: Botox, produced by Allergan, is a safe drug. However, most people often gloss over the fact that a Botox treatment is still a medical procedure that carries risks, especially if the drug is misused. Your best ally would be to keep an open mind and take everything you read with a grain of salt. Read up and research and see if everything checks out. Remember, the smart patients get the best and safest treatments so it definitely pays to be one of them!
Related Botox Patient posts: Common Botox Safety ConcernsBotox Mistakes You Should AvoidBad BotoxBotox and Medical MalpracticeThe Truth About How Botox Works
