Before & After: My Personal Experience With Botox And Lip Filler
What you need to know when you get Botox and Lip Filler.
I've always wanted the chance to get Botox and Filler, and I recently had the opportunity to visit a local Med Spa in Austin, Texas called Viva Day Spa that I've always been curious about.
Because my background is in Esthetics, I have had interest in some minimal cosmetic care for awhile now and I wanted to share my experience and a few things you can do to not only prepare, but make sure you're informed if this is something you've been interested in also!
How do you know if Botox and Filler are right for you? There's a few things to understand before diving to your first consultation!
What is Botox?
Botox is a popular cosmetic treatment that is used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on the face. It is made from a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin, which is injected into the muscles of the face to temporarily paralyze them. This paralysis helps to smooth out the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Botox is typically used to treat wrinkles and lines on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes. It is a quick, non-surgical procedure that requires little downtime and can produce dramatic results. Mind you, the effects of Botox are temporary, and treatments will need to be repeated in order to maintain the desired results.
I FLY through Botox and have found that I need to get it touched up every 3 months, this can vary from person to person depending on how quickly your body metabolizes it.
What is Lip Filler?
Filler is a type of cosmetic treatment that is used to add volume and fullness to the skin, in my case I wanted to bring more fullness to my lips. It is typically made from a variety of substances, including hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, and poly-L-lactic acid and marketed through many different names, typically your injector will help you find what suits you best. These substances are injected into the skin to help fill in wrinkles, lines, and hollow areas, giving the skin a plumper, more youthful appearance.
There are many different types of filler available, each designed to treat specific areas of the face and address specific concerns. For example, some fillers are designed to treat deep wrinkles, while others are better suited for adding volume to the lips or cheeks.
So why would I ever need any of these things?
There are several reasons why someone may choose to get Botox and filler treatments. Here are a few common reasons:
To reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines: As we age, our skin naturally loses collagen and elastin, which can lead to the development of wrinkles and fine lines. Botox and filler can help to smooth out these wrinkles and lines, giving the skin a more youthful appearance. I personally have always had a very deep wrinkle in my forehead since I was about 16 and knew this was something I have always wanted to smooth out.
To add volume and fullness to the skin: Over time, the skin can lose volume and become hollow or sunken in certain areas, such as the cheeks or around the eyes. Filler can be used to add volume and fullness to these areas, helping to restore a more youthful, healthy appearance.
To enhance facial features: Some people may choose to get Botox and filler treatments to enhance their facial features, such as their lips or cheekbones. For example, filler can be used to plump up thin lips or add volume to the cheeks. When I turned 26 I found that my lips were appearing not as full as they once were and decided to get some filler to help give a more pronounced line and provide some fullness as well.
To boost confidence: Many people who get Botox and filler treatments report an increase in confidence as a result of their treatments. They may feel more comfortable in their own skin and more confident in social situations. Just like my training, the decision to get tattoos, and take care of myself nutritionally, it helps me feel more like the woman I envision for myself!
My Experience With Viva Day Spa
Viva Day Spa is a phenomenal and local Med Spa in the Austin, Texas area with three locations through the city. I went to the South Lamar location for my appointments since it was closest to me since moving back in October 2022.
When you first walk in the ambiance is immaculate, if I could live there I would because I was immediately immersed into a warm ambiance and calming atmosphere. Which in hindsight really helped because though I was excited, I was also a bit nervous. New people, beautiful facility, who wouldn't be right?!
Bring greeted at the front desk was like they already knew me and that alone was relieving and immediately made me even more eager to meet my injector if the employees at the front were already so accommodating and just personable.
The Consultation
Before there is any work done they require a complimentary consultation with your injector to dial in what you want and what will best suit your needs and wants.
My initial consultation was a legit breeze. I was paired with Jenna, my injector, she helped me narrow down what would take care of my unruly forehead line as well as give my lips that fullness I've been missing. She was incredibly patient and answered all of my questions and had this truly easygoing aura to her which helped me feel taken care of. If I can already say this about Viva Day Spa is that they make you feel 110% taken care of.
After the consult it's time to schedule the actual appointment!
The Appointment(s)
About one week after my Consultation I went in for my appointment. The best part of this experience is that Jenna actually used LESS botox in my forehead than I have had injected previously. I am always happy about less is more and it totaled out to 31 units of botox in my forehead and 1 syringe of filler in my lips.
This session turned out to be 1 of 2 overall appointments with Jenna, I was initially anticipating just 1 full appointment, use every bit of Botox and filler at hand, call it good and I'm set from there.
Jenna, however, has the perfect check and balance method down. Botox was the easy portion, so this didn't carry over to the 2nd appointment. What did carry over was my lip filler. Jenna used half of the syringe we had planned out in the first appointment so my lips wouldn't be too inflamed or stretched too much and once half of the lip filler was injected Jenna said she wanted to see me in a week once the swelling went down and from there we would fine tune with the last half of lip filler.
That was something I've never experienced with previous lip filler appointments. I really saw the benefit from it because I didn't feel like my lips were these giant balloons sitting on my face and it gave me a chance to see the small adjustments I wanted to make with the last half of filler I had left.
Once I came back for the second appointment to finish using the last half of my lip filler I knew exactly the adjustments I wanted to make. This go around I felt like I had so much more collaboration with Jenna, my injector and personal control in the look I was wanting to achieve that I had zero doubt or concern leaving that second appointment.
Post Appointment Management
Here are a few tips on what to do after getting Botox and filler to help ensure you get the best results:
Follow your healthcare provider's instructions: Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions on how to care for your skin and what activities to avoid after getting Botox and filler. It's important to follow these instructions closely to ensure that you get the best results and minimize the risk of complications. JUST DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD.
Avoid heat and strenuous activity: Heat and strenuous activity can increase blood flow and cause swelling, which can affect the results of your Botox and filler treatments. It's important to avoid heat sources, such as hot showers, saunas, and hot tubs, and to avoid strenuous activity, such as exercise, for at least the first 24 hours after your treatment. I made sure to coordinate any of my training/cardio before the appointment and planned out a rest day after my appointments.
Alcohol and blood thinners are a no go: Alcohol and blood thinners can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising after Botox and filler treatments. Avoid alcohol and blood thinners, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, for at least the first 24 hours after your treatment. Huge tip: try to schedule your appointment a few days after your menstrual cycle started or in your follicular phase, I find that I'm less sensitive in those phases of my cycle and only take ibuprofen the first day of my period so I don't have to worry if I accidentally took a blood thinner.
Try your best to sleep on your back: Sleeping on your face or side can cause pressure on the treated areas, which can affect the results of your Botox and filler treatments and we do NOT want that stuff moving around! It's important to sleep on your back for the first few nights after your treatment to help ensure the best results.
WEAR SUNSCREEN!: Sun exposure can cause the skin to become inflamed and cause swelling, which can affect the results of your Botox and filler treatments. I personally have been using Hero's ForceShield Superlight Sunscreen in SPF 30 because it absorbs so well into my skin and doesn't have an unpleasant smell.
Closing
The team over at Viva Day Spa took such great care of me and I am legit giddy for my next appointment in the Spring, maybe it'll be time for the HydraFacial and Microneedling I've been eyeing for awhile.
They offer a massive variety of services outside of Botox & Filler as well including, Spa Packages (hello New Year Specials), multiple styles of massages, Hydrafacials, Laser Resurfacing/Hair Removal, and even Couples Spa Treatments (watch out Scott).
If you have any questions about them or my experience please don't hesitate to reach out to me on Instagram! I'd love to share more about how great it was. If anyone or you is ever considering Botox, lip filler, or just going to a med spa for the first time I would love to give you help with any additional insight.
If you want to make an appointment, you can head over to their website and schedule a consultation to get you started. Just let them know that Savannah sent you!
Appreciate you guys!
Talk Soon.