Botox, Boobies and Butts...OH MY!
Ok ladies (and maybe some gents?)...It's the post so many of you have been waiting for! I am sharing with you my knowledge and personal experience with Plastic Surgery. Yup, I'm taking the plunge and opening up about something that SO many of us think about and often consider having done but many times keep quiet out of fear of being ridiculed. Luckily for you guys, I don't see it as something to be embarrassed about and if anyone judges me for it well then, you just might be an asshole. Chances are, there are things everyone would like to change about themselves if they could. I would like to start by saying I have both worked in the plastic surgery industry AND have received it so it has been a really cool experience getting to see both sides of the spectrum. People who choose to receive some sort of "aesthetic upgrade" does not necessarily mean they have low self esteem. For some that may be the case and for others it is simply because they just want to and they have the means to do so. Regardless of why someone chooses to have some sort of procedure done, seeing how happy they are afterwards is very rewarding. Today I am going to break down the top 3 procedures I get the most questions about and that is Botox, Boobies and Butts. I'm going to go ahead and dive right in. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional at all and am only speaking on my personal experiences. Think of this more as a Girlfriends Guide to Plastic Surgery).
Botox
Ok so yes, I have had Botox and I definitely keep up with it every 3-4 months to get it touched up. I have been doing this since I was 26 years old so the wrinkles in my face have never really ever formed and I like it like that. When I start to get tired looking I know it's time. Haha! (3 kids will do it to you). I normally get anywhere from 25-40 units and on average most places charge anywhere from $10-$14 per unit. I personally think $10 or even $11 is a little on the low end. Botox is always mixed with Saline Solution before you get it so make sure you ask your injector if it is one for one. Sometimes I have heard stories of some places over diluting it which means it will wear off sooner. This is why some people will advertise "specials" and what not. Something VERY important you need to know is Botox is not going to change your face structure (atleast in my opinion), it just makes people look more refreshed. Often people mistake Botox and Fillers when they see someone who looks 'done' but they are two TOTALLY different things. Botox simply paralyzes the muscle you inject in and filler adds volume both resulting in two VERY different looks and both used to achieve very different things. (I will do a post on filler one day I swear.) Also, just because you get Botox does not mean you have to look frozen. Discuss with your injector how aggressive you want them to treat you. Some people like it to be barely noticeable and if you're like me, I don't like my forehead to move at all. The three areas I mainly have treated are my 11's (in between the eyebrows), my crows feet, and my forehead. Just recently I had my neck treated with Botox by Tracey Gregory at Aesthetic Specialty Centre and it was the coolest thing. I was starting to notice lines forming on my neck (they call them Neck Bands) so she had me strain my neck so she could see where all of the vertical tendons and what not popped out and she injected there so it helps slow down the process of my neck lines forming. Who would have thought right? Make sure whoever you choose to go see is someone who really knows what they are doing and more importantly, make sure their office is members of the Brilliant Distinctions program. For every $ you spend on Allergan Products you earn points so it's like a rewards program. I like to use it so when I earn enough points I earn credits that I can take off of future appointments.
Here are 2 injectors I have most recently seen in the last year and how you can contact them. They're both incredible:
Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta
Breast Augmentation (aka...the Boob Job)
Ok so this is always a super fun topic to talk about AND I feel like nowadays just about everyone has boobs but there are still so many questions people have so here we go. Yes, I have had my breasts done. In fact, I have had them done twice. Yes...twice. Before I had them done I was completely flat chested, especially after having my first child. They were super tiny when I was in high school but they were atleast cute perky little nubbins. Well, after having my daughter, they were just sad nubbins. Like...I felt sorry for them when I looked in the mirror so I got my first Breast Augmentation. This was back in 2006 so Saline was still a pretty popular option. Like most women, my chest is uneven so I went with 325 cc's in one and 375 cc's in the other (This gave me a full C). I also got High Profile. ***Before I move any further I would like to explain that there are different projections of implants. There is High Profile (which means smaller in diameter but the volume is carried more in the projection of the implant), Moderate (bigger in diameter but there isn't as much projection), and Moderate Plus (which is in between the two and is what I currently have) You're doctor can discuss with you which shape implants he thinks is best for you to achieve the look you want.*** Ok back to my story, I was so extremely happy with my boobs but I knew I should have gone a little bigger and I wasn't 100% sold on the implants I selected. Well after I had my son in 2010, I started to feel like they looked kind of like a rock in a sock so my husband and I decided to go back and get some new ones later that year. This time I knew I wanted Silicone Gel and I wanted them bigger. After doing a bunch of research I chose to go with Moderate Plus because I felt it was the best of both worlds and I wanted some side boob action this time. I told my doctor I wanted a full D so he went with 600 cc's in one and 700 cc's in the other (again, my chest is super uneven I guess). I know that sounds insanely huge and for some people that is but for me, he said he had to go that big for me to get a full D. Something that is SO important for you to always remember, you can't go by the numbers because everyone's bodies are built so differently that one measurement can look completely different on one person than the other. Also both times I went submuscular. Recovery is not bad at all. I always tell my girlfriends, you will be fine and should be able to resume to your normal schedule within a few days. The hardest part of recovery will be more so in the use of your arms because your arm muscles are attached to those chest muscles so you will want to really listen to your body and not do any heavy lifting for about a week (that's my personal opinion). If you workout a lot than you don't want to work out those chest muscles for longer. Your doctor can explain all of that to you. After this surgery I was SO excited because they turned out exactly how I wanted them. Finding a surgeon that really listens to you and what you want is very important. This fall it will be 8 years that I have had my new implants and they still look great! Here is the contact info of the doctor I went to for this. He is INCREDIBLE and he is who I send so many of my friends to. They are all so happy with their results.
Brazilian Butt Lift
Ok, first off I would like to say...my entire life I have always carried my weight in my butt and my thighs. If I gain any weight at all that is the first place it's going and is the last place to lose weight. I have always been super small up top though so I guess I'm kind of like a pear shape. As I have gotten older, like all of us I noticed the weight wasn't coming off in certain areas like it used to and I was beginning to get frustrated. This is when I said to myself "I'm going to get some lipo in these certain areas". When I told my surgeon what I was wanting to achieve he said "I don't know where I am going to take fat from" and I remember saying to him "Trust me, It's in there. I just hide it well" Hahaha! I originally just wanted him to remove some fat around my waist and thighs to make my butt more pronounced looking but he made the recommendation of him putting some of the fat back into certain parts of my hips and butt to make it "less square". Yes Guys, I guess with age...some of us start to get a square ass. HAHAHA! At the time I was super close friends with him and his wife so I appreciated the honesty. LOL. You always want your surgeon to be completely honest with you for achieving your goals. I told him I didn't want my butt to be bigger, I just wanted my existing butt to look better. The analogy that came to mind was almost like how you use mascara to dress up your already existing eyelashes right? He removed a little fat from my stomach, thighs and mainly got a lot out from my back! I guess I carried a lot in my back...Who knew? Anyways, with him being able to remove fat from my lower back along with a little volume added, it gave the appearance of a super perky butt so my goal was achieved. You have to wear a compression garment for atleast 4-6 weeks after liposuction and when you get a fat transfer, you're not supposed to be any weight on that area for at least a month which was really hard (I literally ate on all fours like a dog sometimes. No Lie). Although my doctor assured me sitting on it during that time would be fine because he put such a little amount in, I didn't want to risk messing it up. The reason you don't want to put any weight on the area where you received a fat transfer is because you don't want to kill those fat cells in their new "home" I guess you could say. The whole process is quite interesting. ***DISCLAIMER: If you continue to eat bad and you don't workout regularly, the fat you had removed can come back.***
Here is the contact info for the Surgeon I used for this procedure. He is also a really talented surgeon and I love his office staff.
Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta
I have always been someone who is very open about these types of things and I don't think it should be anything that people should give each other a hard time about. As women (especially those who claim to uplift one another) shouldn't there always be an open platform to discuss these types of things with each other and not be judged? Especially us moms out there. So I hope me sharing all of this not only answers questions some of you may have but also gives you the courage to do something for yourself without worrying about what anyone else is going to think of you for it. It's your body, your decision and regardless everyone has the right to feel like their absolute best selves. Some people may just take different routes to get there and that's just fine. As always, if you have any questions about any of this or would like to share any of your journey, feel free to reach out. That's what I'm here for...a true judgement free zone. (drops mic)