By Kerri Otto, PA-C
One of the most common questions I am asked on a daily basis is “What procedures and skin treatments do you use on yourself?” I deeply value honesty and am always very open with my patients who ask this question, but also realize many of you may not be comfortable initiating this conversation with myself or my colleagues. SO…that’s what blogs are for! Over the next few months, I will be doing a series entitled “The Face of Forty”, which will include brief overviews of the skin treatments I have experienced myself over the last 15 years in which I have worked as a PA-C in dermatology and aesthetic medicine.
Let’s start with the basics. BOTOX is viewed as the “gateway” treatment in aesthetic medicine and this is the procedure that I started with as well. I have been treating my patients with BOTOX injections for the past 15 years. Due to three pregnancies as well as breastfeeding each of my children for 12 months, I personally began consistent BOTOX treatments when I was 34 years old. BOTOX is a medication that works by temporarily relaxing muscle movement to address fine lines and wrinkles caused by repetitive facial expressions such as smiling, frowning and raising the eyebrows. When done correctly, BOTOX will provide patients with a soft, natural look. My philosophy is never to have myself or my patients appear “frozen” or unnatural. This can be achieved by injecting a conservative amount that is appropriate for the patient’s individual muscular strength. I have BOTOX placed in my frown line, crow’s feet, and upper lip areas. Every other time I have the treatment done, I have a very small amount put into my forehead muscle in order to minimize any lowering of my eyebrows. Also, within the last year, my dentist has made me aware of the fact that I clench my jaw at night. I now wear a VERY attractive mouth-guard while sleeping and I have begun having BOTOX placed into my masseter muscles to help alleviate the jaw pain associated with the overnight clenching issue. This has made a significant difference in streamlining my jawline as well as treating the clenching. A win-win! I repeat my BOTOX treatments approximately every 4-6 months and the dose is adjusted according to my muscular strength at that time. There it is: my BOTOX basics! Up next on the blog, I will be discussing volume replacement and the type of fillers I have personally experienced.
