A friend of mine recently revealed to me that she was getting her first botox treatment. Ok! We are going here! It surprised me a little but what was more surprising was the receptionist’s reaction when my friend gave her age of 42.  “Ohhhh…ok…”. As in, You’re a little old to be starting.  Botox, and maintenance in general, isn’t always talked openly about. And it is hard to know what people are doing and what is considered ‘normal’. I wanted to find out for all of us.

I went to see fellow tennis player, Maggie Heaton of Heaton Health, in Stratford to get some information on just what men and women are doing in terms of maintenance. Maggie is married to Graham (another fellow tennis player) and he is a plastic surgeon.

On my way to see Maggie, I stopped to grab us a coffee and bumped into several friends. When I told them what I was doing they ALL said, “Oh, I want/need Botox! Tell me what she says!”

Here is my conversation with Maggie…

How many appointments for Botox are you doing in a week?

Graham is in the office 2-3 times per week and does Botox treatments everyday he is in. We are doing 10 times more Botox treatments than we were doing 5 years ago. There is no ‘down time’ for Botox treatments so you can come in over lunch and then go back to work with no bruising or swelling. There is also less stigma attached to getting Botox now.

What is the age range for women getting Botox?

Late 20s – 75.

Why would women in their late 20s be getting Botox?

Some do it as a preventative measure as it is easier to maintain your skin the earlier you start. Some are already noticing changes that they don’t like and want to correct.

What is your biggest demographic for Botox?

Women in their 40s. (That’s me!)

What are men getting done?

Some will get Botox between their eyes but most come in for laser hair removal, especially on their backs.

What is the cost for Botox and how often should it be done?

There is a range but to do your forehead or crows feet would be around $100 each. Between the eyes can be around $200. Typical maintenance is every 3-4 months.

What is the next level of maintenance above Botox?

Filler. Filler is more expensive than botox but it lasts longer – up to two years. Filler for cheeks might cost  up to $600 – depending on how much lift or volume you are trying to replace. Filler is most popular for women in their 50s.

We also see a lot of women in their 40s for surgical consults – mommy makeovers. They are interested in breast augmentations or lifts and tummy tucks.  There is a huge number of women interested in these procedures.

In general, what treatments do people come in for the most?

First, our skin care line.

Then, Botox.

Third, laser hair removal.

And, treating sun spots.

What is your best advice for taking better care of our skin?

  1. Use sunblock 9 months of the year – Spring through Fall
  2. Use Vitamin C serum twice a day
  3. Use a good line of skin care products

Is there anyone who should avoid Botox?

People with MS, people who are immunocompromised, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding.

Any other things to consider?

Be sure you are getting your Botox treatments from a reputable place and make sure you know their training. There are many places offering Botox treatments now but you will not necessarily  receive the same quality treatment from place to place. If the price seems too good to be true, it just might be. Some places will dilute the Botox and it will therefore not have the same effectiveness. Getting it done by a plastic surgeon is best as they are trained to understand everyone’s individual anatomy. Otherwise, you may be getting a ‘one size fits all’ treatment with less or no individual patient consideration.

Thanks, Maggie!

There are lots of entry points for all of us when it comes to taking better care of our skin. Maggie assured me that not everyone is getting Botox –  but lots are. And it is never too late to start. The great thing is, the choice is ours.

What are your best skin care tips?

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