Guest Post by Paulina Luisi
How I Helped My Mom Look 10 Years Younger with Botox at Skin Works!
A week ago, I finally got my first Botox treatment. Guess what? I took my mom with me!
At 29, you may be thinking, “She doesn’t need it”. Trust me, I am not overly critical when it comes to my appearance, and I’ve learned to be kind to myself in that way, instead of overpaying attention to too many details. Believe you me, not once in my life did I think I’d get injections before my mom! But as any good doctor will advise: prevention is the key.
So, let’s rewind a little bit… ⏪ ⏪ ⏪
It was a beautiful sunny Sunday in Redondo Beach, and I was driving to my mom’s, all dressed up, of course.
I promised to pick her up at 10, and the traffic on 405 was not helping. Adele’s voice was blasting from the speakers, and as I was driving along, I glanced at the mirror to check the traffic behind me and there it was. I saw a tiny-tiny 11 line right there between my eyebrows. . It was not a wrinkle, but I could see a wrinkle beginning to surface…very annoying 😔
I picked my mom up and drove her to Century City so she could return a few things and buy a few more. It was now lunchtime and Mom was contemplating ordering a salad to shed that extra pound she banked this last holiday season and that’s when I said it: “you look great mom, and I wish I could say the same about me”.
So, she asked, and I told her…
Here we are talking about wrinkles and my mom, just like always, is trying to teach me a lesson. Telling me about Botox and how I’m missing out.
– Have you done it yourself, mom?
– No, but I have seen results from others who have done it. It does wonders. But I am not letting any needle near my face, you know I hate needles. And what if it goes wrong? Who can you trust these days? I heard this poor woman in North Hollywood whole face was swollen up for multiple days because she got fake Botox.
Well, mom was not helping, but I wanted to look into it. What’s the hype about? Am I really missing out? I had to find out!
Just like many others in their late 20s and early 30s, I thought that Botox was reserved for older ladies. Being a conservative person all my life (not being political here), I never do new things unless I collect, verify, and validate all possible information before making my decision. Are there side effects? How painful is it? How long does it last? How can I tell a good product from a bad product? And do I need it at all?
I am a hard person to sell. So, with all these questions in my head, I started my research on Botox 📚
I checked dozens of forums and websites, and then studied different types of injectable treatments and their differences. I had no idea there were options other than Botox, so I had to read more. I also wanted to learn everything about the mechanism and the way Botox and similar products actually work. Reading from well-known dermatologists and plastic surgeons, I finally understood that not only is Botox one of the best treatments for getting rid of lines and wrinkles without surgery, but it’s also beneficial for people in my age.
Although Botox is often used to reduce wrinkles, research suggests that if you apply Botox at the first sign of a deep line, it can actually train the muscle to relax, so it doesn’t allow the repeat furrow or movement that created the line. In simpler words, it’s preventive too, and at a reasonable cost.
So now I have all this knowledge that I need to validate with a good doctor.
Apparently, nurses and some other certified practitioners can apply Botox too, but I wanted to see a real doctor. Where do you find the right doctor? At the right clinic.
One thing that I was sure at this time, was that I was not going to do my first Botox treatment just in any clinic (sadly, most of them are not even clinics, and there are no real doctors in-da-house). I Yelped, Googled, Facebooked, asked around, and in doing that I saw this announcement from Skin Works Medical Spa, which was not in my neighborhood, but it was a relatively short drive. It said that they have an open house event where the doctor will answer all questions regarding any procedure, including injectables like Botox. Q and A! My kind of thing since 1990 🙋
I checked my calendar, and I realized that I could not make it, so I called. The receptionist (I assume) was very friendly, and after I explained that I won’t be able to make it to the event, she asked if this was my first time at their clinic. I said yes, and she was like “ Right now, Dr. Tahsini offers his patients a complimentary skin analysis session, worth $280, where you will receive personalized care and anti-aging advice, and a chance to discuss your options with the doctor “ Wait, what? The doctor will personally assess my skin and help me find what works best for ME? Almost NO risk at all and I could go and validate the information I gathered and make a decision, Sweeeeeet!
Time to call mom:
☎️ ☎️ ☎️
“Hey Mom, I guess I’m going for my first Botox………..Yes, a real doctor…….I have a complimentary consultation with him……..No you cannot come!…… Okay, I will pick you at 9:00.”
The moment my mom heard I scheduled a complimentary session with Skin Works, she insisted on asking additional questions of her own. I had no idea if it was going to be okay with the clinic though, but I love my mom ❤️️
Fast Forward to the clinic ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
We parked the car at the clinic parking, got out, and walked into the clinic. Neat, hygienic, right temperature, and welcoming; the way I like clinics. We were welcomed by a nurse who got our names and then guided us to Dr. Tahsini’s office. He walked up to us, greeted us, welcomed both of us, and then I told him about my mom, and he was such a gentleman about it and looked and sounded glad to help. That’s something that I highly value about a doctor.
Dr. Tahsini was such a great listener. He reminded me of the days when doctors looked and sounded more caring and passionate. You could tell he was all about making others feel better and improved. The consultation was immensely valuable to us. He patiently answered all my concerns one after another, and while doing that he was not trying to pressure me into anything. I love that objectivity when I talk to an expert. It tells me how confident yet wise they are. He examined our facial skin with different devices and showed us visuals of possible improvements on our skins. Then, he gave us specific advice based on our skin type and goals. Dr. T told me that I just needed a few units for the preventive effect on my 11 lines since I spotted them soon enough. I could see my mom also wanted to do it, but she was afraid of needles of course. So, I told the doctor! You know, kids telling on their mom 😄
Dr. Tahsini then asked if mom is afraid that the injection might be painful? And she was positive it would be. Then he said that at Skin Works the Botox injection process was a little bit different for those who don’t like injections because it combines technology and science (my kinda clinic). At that time, he showed us this machine, Zimmer Cryo 5 that blows cold air around the injection spot while applying a small vibration on the skin that basically tricks your mind not to feel the needle. 💉
So here we are, mom and I, both very excited to get our first Botox treatment. We asked if the doctor had time for both of us and he explained that even though he takes his time with each patient because he is a perfectionist (my kinda doctor), the process is not time-consuming.
20 minutes later, mom and I are laughing and walking out of the clinic. Mom is still excitedly ranting about Dr. T’s pain-free injection method, and I am starting to feel a little bit of pride for taking my mom to her first Botox treatment. Even though we had to wait a few days before actual results appeared and the wrinkles disappeared, I felt HAPPY, and mom felt LOVED, and that makes any day a special day ❤️👩👧
Later on, I sent the doctor a thank you note for his amazing expertise and patience with us and he kindly asked if I want to share it as a post on their Blog! And I was so glad that I can share my experience with others so here you’re reading my story!
I know many women have questions about Botox and other injectables, but they never get a chance to discuss them with an expert in the field without the pressure of making a purchase. So, as I expected, this true gentleman agreed that I can share the news and let others know about the opportunity too. One thing I’ve always cared about is to promote decent local professionals who would go that extra mile for their clients, customers, and patients. These are the hidden gems of our society, and Dr. T is definitely among them. Thank you Dr. Tahsini for being such an amazing person. A True Class Act.
In just a few days, I got rid of my 11, and mom looked younger than I ever remember. I have no idea if you need Botox or not, but if you, just like me, are not sure about what you hear and what you read on the internet, or if you want to make sure that you get what works best for your skin while not worrying about fake products and wrong methods, I say do not compromise your beauty and go for it. You’re worth it. You are worth every effort and attention you invest in yourself. Stay awesome!
Hugs,
Paulina