People use this BECAUSE IT WORKS. Ladies, I'm a neuroscience major and I can tell you exactly how this works and why it is HANDS DOWN the single best investment you can make in preventing wrinkles.
Wrinkles are caused primarily by simply moving your face. Every time you frown, you cause forehead wrinkles. When you smiles, you get those loverly little crows feet creasing. Over time these creasings become permanently indented into the skin simply because of this repeated folding.
Now, in order for your muscles to move (to cause the wrinkles) a particular neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is fired- this MUST be received by its counterpart in the body for muscles to fire. Botox works as a competitive antagonist, which means it occupies the receptors where acetylcholine would normally land, so it just goes right back to where it came from. No ACh reception, no muscle firing, no wrinkles forming.
You may have noticed I said "forming." That's because that's really what this is best for; as a preventative treatment. While it may soften very very thin wrinkles if you're in your 20's by simply taughtening the skin a bit, it WILL NOT eliminate deep-set wrinkles. Sorry, but the only way to really get rid of them permanently at that point is to go under the knife.
I've had it for about a month and a half in my crow's feet area (they looked like crow's feet of an ever-smiling 35-year-old, and I'm only 21) and I saw a friend who's beauty-conscious like me and he instantly noticed that they were GONE. I didn't even mention anything to him.
Topicals like creams and serums are good but they simply can't replicate the effect of something injected into the skin and anyone selling you a product claiming that it does is a LIAR or CHARLATAN. The "frozen face" thing is something out of the movies, your face won't really get stuck like that. Also I advise going to an ACTUAL doctor and doing your homework; having stuff put under your skin with a needle is not something you want to find to cheapest person for. Hope this helps!

I LOVE Botox.
You hear the horror stories, you see the celebrities with obvious botox and it's easy to be turned off. But I'm here to tell you it's nothing short of miraculous, and no product you can smear on your face compares to it.
I take good care of my skin. But I'm not immune to the effects of gravity and genetics.
My mom has the two little vertical lines between the eyebrows and now they are permanent. I started to notice that if I'd had a particularly stressful day that the same lines would start to show up and would last awhile. I would try to consciously not furrow my brow, but it's impossible to not do. I know that with time and given the chance they will become etched in my skin and nobody wants to look angry when they're not.
So, on a referral to a local skin clinic from my esthetician I decided to try it. 15 units to the brow and and some of that used to subtly lift my brows. Emphasis on subtle.
Boy am I impressed! I am mostly using Botox prophylactically. The inability to furrow my brow has given my skin a break to repair the creasing damage from frowning, and now my collagen stimulating products can really do their job. If I keep up this regiment I will never develop wrinkles on my forehead.
Now- no wrinkles and the job was so well done that my doesn't have the typical tight Botox look. Just smooth young skin.
I am definitely getting this every 3-6 months. My advice is to go back and get another injection whenever you see the lines starting to form again. Treat yourself (I caught a speical and spent $140) and you won't be sorry. If I can stretch it to every 6 months then I'm only spending a little over $20 a month.
If wrinkles don't have a chance to develop, they will never be there. It will help if you already have wrinkle damage but ideally it should be used when wrinkles first start to appear.
I am not above getting a facelift someday when I need it, but the goal is to prolong that as much as possible because realistically you can only get one in a lifetime- any more and it starts to look like you got your face done at the morgue.
Try letting a nurse do it, they have tend to have a gentler touch than the docs when injecting and if they use Botox themselves, they know what they're doing. Call around and see what specials clinics are offering. If you go to an esthetician or spa, ask around there- they will know who does a good job. Go to a professional and follow their advice and guidelines. Each person's needs are different.
I place the efficacy of Botox well above any amount of spa treatments and all prescription creams including retin-A. Nothing short of serious surgery can achieve what Botox can do.

I'm 48 years old and generally feel okay about how I'm aging. But the deep frown line between my brows started in my late teens, and you can imagine what it looks like now. I frown whenever I'm in deep concentration, whether reading, working or even dreaming (I know, because it's most pronounced after I sleep!).
I received Botox for the first time about two weeks ago, just for that frown line. (The RN suggested I might eventually want filler to make the line completely smooth, but hey - I'm almost 50, I don't need it THAT smooth! :) ) I received five small injections, 20 "units" total, @ $10/unit = $200.
The procedure took about 15 seconds and was relatively painless. Afterward, the injection sites looked like small mosquito bites for about 20 minutes, but no big deal. I covered them with pressed powder and went shopping straight from the clinic. Hubby (who joined me shopping) couldn't even see the injection sites.
I was told to remain upright for the next four hours. Also, to make my "frownie face" every ten minutes or so to concentrate the Botox to that area, as it does travel. No alcohol, saunas/spas or heated activity for 48 hours. And to not massage the area for a few days, other than light face washing. Results were to be expected within 5-7 days.
After a couple of days, I noticed a slight relaxing. After a week, the results were definitely there. It's now been two weeks and the previous deep furrow is barely noticeable. I can still move my forehead & brow naturally and expressively, although not nearly as deeply as before, which is fine.
BUT.... Yes, there's a "but." The same muscle that caused the deep frown, also used to open my eyes wide and in (I think) an attractive way. I'm just an average looking gal, and my eyes are my nicest feature. Since I received Botox, I no longer look alert and wide-eyed; I looked like I just woke up. (The innermost parts of my brows seem heavy and low, if that makes sense). Raising my eyebrows doesn't open my eyes, it just gives me that Jack Nicholson eyebrow look, lifting only on the outer edges while the inner edges stay low - not my favorite look. I'm thankful this isn't a permanent change, and curious if the results will soften as time goes on.
So, very high marks for the effectiveness. But for my own personal look, I wouldn't do it again. I'd rather have a wide-eyed, alert expression - even with a crease between my eyes.
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This gives me the best results over any product I have ever purchased! Makes a huge difference for my forehead and eye area. I look at least 10 years younger. Love Botox!

I had botox for the first time in July 2011. I had my crows feet done and also the vertical frown line area done. It took 3 days for the full effect to take place, but it was pretty amazing. The vertical frown line area was the most apparent. I did not have many lines, but they completely smoothed out and I am unable to move this area into a frown and this will prevent new lines. The crows feet area looks fresher and as I keep getting it treated, the lines will not be able to re-form. The only drawback to the procedure for me was bruising. I had some minimal bruising in the crows feet area right where the needle went in. As I needed 5 jabs around each eye, this meant 5 tiny bruise marks around each eye. I may have been slightly sensitive about it because no one seemed to notice and I could cover it quite easily with makeup, but because I told no one I was having it done, I really didn't want any evidence of the procedure. However, in the frown line area, no bruising whatsoever! It is an expensive procedure in Australia. The two areas combined cost me $750 as I had it done by a doctor, but it would have cost the same regardless of who performed the procedure as only doctors or trained nurses are allowed to perform botox in this country. I also received advice about skincare which radically changed my view of everything I knew about skincare and now I only use medical grade skincare having realised that just about everything on the market is useless junk!

Love botox, I use it in my 11 area as a preventative. I get it twice a year between my eyes to ward off the dreaded 11's. I figure it's easier to prevent than correct and if I didn't get it, I would certainly have them.

All the wrinkle creams and products are not going to erase almost 40 years of aging skin. I've been using sunscreen since my early 20's, I moisturize, I try to be careful, but genetics, pale skin, and not caring for my skin as well as I should have until later in life have caused damage. I've tried different wrinkle products, nothing makes a difference. I have smile lines, frown lines, and luckily only minimal crow's feet. Everytime I look at a photograph of myself, I only see the furrows between my eyebrows. I hate it. I don't care about the other lines, that's part of a face aging, I accept that, but I can drive a Buick in the lines between my eyebrows and it makes me feel so old. So I sucked it up and did Botox. It will take a week or two to see the results, so I'll update, but as for the process itself, it's not bad. It cost 14 dollars per unit, and took about 20 units. I went to Kaiser for it and they were having a 15% off sale for Botox, so I paid around $240 for the treatment. It was about 5 injections, no big deal, didn't really hurt, tiny needle, and then the doctor pushed on the areas, but it wasn't painful. I got a small bruise over my left eyebrow, and a bit of a headache, but otherwise no problems. It takes 1 to 2 weeks to see the result, and it can last anywhere from 2 to 12 months. If I don't keep it up, I know the wrinkles will return and worsen. It wont totally reverse what's already there, but will prevent it from getting worse. I never thought I'd get botox, but I also never thought about what my skin would look like at 38. I'm happy with my decision to do it, and I'll update when I know the results.


Edited to add: it works. My horrible frown lines are so much better. However, I have a headache, and have since I got it done a few days ago. I hope it goes away soon. Otherwise no problems. If the headache goes away I'll do it again, but if I have to live with this headache for a few months, til botox wears off, it's not worth it.


One more edit: one week after the injection, the headache is gone. Now my frown lines are about 95% better. The previously formed lines etched between my eyes are still there, but so much less noticeable. I used to get foundation trapped in the grooves, forming a cakey line through the course of the day, that's totally gone now. I can still frown a little, the muscles aren't totally paralyzed, so I don't look plastic or odd. It was worth the week of headache. I'll do it again.


Final edit: I've had botox in my 11's 3 times now, no headache the second time, fleeting daily headaches for a few days the third time, but nowhere as bad as the first time. It is lasting about 3 months per injection, so I hope after a few more I can start spacing them out as the muscles atrophy a bit. I don't look weird or plastic, but I don't get it all over my face, just in a very localized spot to take care of one particular set of wrinkles. It is expensive, around 280 bucks per treatment, but it's worth it to me.


One more update over a year later: I went to a different doctor because it was a pain in the ass to get an appointment at Kaiser. My new doc uses dysport, says it tends to work better, and I agree. It seemed to cover more area. I still need to fine tune it, I ended up with an ugly wrinkle over one eye because of how things settled out, but this isn't an exact science. I'm sticking with this, it really helps my self esteem, and I only get one small area done.