"My First Botox" - Patient Testimonial

The following is the experience of a patient at the DeRosa Center:

Last month I visited the DeRosa Center for my first real facial and because everyone was so down-to-earth and professional, I decided to open the one can of worms that I have simultaneously feared and desired for five years: Botox.

It’s not that I was scared of the procedure itself. I know it’s as common as getting one’s hair highlighted. The thought of any pain didn’t scare me either: frankly, I’ve seen it done so many times on reality shows like Real Housewives (during which they barely even flinch) that I knew it couldn’t be too bad. No, what I was more scared of was the following:

1. Spending a few hundred bucks of my well-earned money on something that might not work, or have minimal results.

2. Turning into a mannequin.

3. Starting a regime that I (and my wallet) have to keep up with every few months. 4. Finding someone who I could trust, medically and professionally to put those little needles in the right spots.

At 38, my “Number 11’s” have been long engraved between my eyes. “Angry face” has always been my default expression despite my actual mood, but for the last few years, my failed attempts to soften my look have only resulted in the frantic and obsessive research into this supposed age-erasing procedure. I was worried—convinced, actually—especially when catching that accidental glance in the enemy-that-is-the-car-mirror that I was too far gone for Botox.

My lines were just too deep. Not to mention the three giant horizontal creases (more like crevices) that had somehow found a permanent home on my forehead. How could a procedure that “relaxed” muscles have any impact on these permanent facial crevices? No way. When I broached the “B-word” with Dr. DeRosa she explained that her approach was more subtle than many other providers: she didn’t like to use too much at first, in order to properly assess each patient’s reaction.

By this time I knew of her credentials, so I was very comfortable. As an added bonus she did not look as though she herself had been stitched and stretched together, like other plastic surgeons I’ve encountered in the past—and like the sole administer of Botox in my home town, from whose office I fled two years ago in total fear. And even though I live in one of the most expensive towns in the area, to my legitimate surprise, the DeRosa Center’s price was significantly cheaper—by well over two hundred dollars—than the quote I was given in my home town. And so, I went for it. Finally! The procedure itself took about ten minutes or less.

After wiping down my skin with astringent, I was simply asked to make a series of expressions (angry face, surprised face) so that Dr. DeRosa could analyze my muscle movement and where to place the Botox most effectively. I got poked by the needle maybe 8-10 times, but they weren’t too bad. It was a bit like letting a mosquito bite you for about three seconds. In fact, some spots, especially along my forehead, didn’t hurt at all. I had injections to help my Number 11’s as well as the horizontal creases, and crow’s feet. That was it—in, out. I saw no markings on my face, and could have walked right back to work if I were on a lunch break. Being entirely impatient and excited, of course I wanted immediate results. I didn’t get them for a few days (results show up around 7-10 days), and the excitement wore off a bit as life went on. But, almost right on queue, I met a friend for coffee about a week later.

She said to me, “You look good! You look so…rested or something.” I hadn’t told her about the Botox before I met her, so I know the compliment was sincere. A few days later, another friend used the same word: “rested.” A few weeks after that, I went on vacation to my home state to stay with the same high school friends and family that I visit once a year. My friend’s uncle looked me up and down, trying to find something different. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but said, “How come I keep getting older, and you keep getting younger?” I know, I know, it sounds too gimmicky to be true, but it really is. If it weren’t, I’d come up with something far more sensational to share. But that—as well as a dozen other compliments from people—really did happen.

Now, when I look in the mirror I cannot see the creases across my forehead. They are gone. Vanished. No trace. The number 11’s are still there, but you have to look very closely—they are not at all immediately obvious, like the huge deep lines they once were. Crow’s feet? Again, entirely vanished. It’s like I just set the clock back by about eight years. Plus, I can still move my eyebrows. I don’t know how much Botox these celebrities are getting, those people who can’t make a single wrinkle in their forehead…but Dr. DeRosa has somehow found that fine medium ground in which wrinkles are reduced without sacrificing expressions.

And if you want more? Just ask for it.

Magic Botox has been the single most youth-inducing step I have ever done for myself. It makes me have hope that this quick procedure can take the edge off of the aging process, and it seems to have motivated me to do other things to take care of myself as well: more exercise, better diet. Because I feel good now, and I’m not even afraid to catch a glimpse in the enemy car mirror. I would highly recommend Botox at Dr. DeRosa’s clinic.

Grab a friend if you’re nervous—they don’t mind, and it’s sometimes easier to do something new with someone you know! The cost is so reasonable, and you will feel immediately at ease. She will do a great job deciding upon the perfect amount for your face, and offers touch ups two weeks after the original appointment to add any more if necessary. I’m only sorry I waited so long. Such a small procedure has definitely helped to lift a little part of me that was feeling a lot older than my years. -A.L.