Folk's biggest fears when it comes to getting Botox: complications

A completely reasonable thing to worry about, but probably not as common as you think. A skilled injector can avoid complications by knowing the anatomy of the human face, and doing a good examination of each individual patient. 

Muscles of the face are predictable. They are there in every person to do the same things in the same ways. Some people might have different facial features, muscle strength or thickness, and other small variations that need to be considered when examining the face before Botox injection. 

The most common complication that people worry about is an eyelid or eyebrow droop (ptosis). This is when the muscles that pull upward on the eye lid or eye brow are relaxed and it causes the downward pulling muscles to overpower the now relaxed upward pulling muscles. People with a ptosis may notice their eyelid drooping over the iris or colored part of the eye, or the eyebrow drooping causing unevenness between the two eyebrows. 

The good news is, Botox isn't permanent. Worst case scenario: in 3 months, any complication will begin to fade. Eyebrow droop can be counteracted by injecting the surrounding muscles. Eyelid ptosis can be treated with eyedrops to try and counteract the weakness of the upper eyelid. 

But the best way to avoid complications of Botox is to go to a careful & skilled injector. Knowing the facial anatomy is the basis of any good aesthetic service. If you want to chat about possibly getting Botox, drop a comment below, DM me on instagram, text my cell, or fill out a contact sheet on this website. 

People say these things to me ALL the time:

"You don't need Botox! You don't have any wrinkles!!"

"You're only 31.. why would you need Botox???" 

"I don't want to look too done up, Botox isn't for me..." 

Listen, I get it. "Botox" can be a bit of a buzz-word for those not in the know. There was a time when Botox was strictly for the rich. It was new to us in the early 2000's, and only the very wealthy could afford it. This often accompanied other plastic surgery that made our brains associate Botox with an overdone, obvious result. 

That was nearly 20 years ago. Now, Botox has become more affordable, more widely understood, and more regularly used. Every day women in their 20's and 30's are getting Botox for the first time, and unless they told you about it, you'd probably never know. 

So why do I feel like I want Botox if people keep telling me I don't have any wrinkles? Because Botox is the REASON I don't have forehead wrinkles at rest. If I wait long enough between appointments, my expressive face (think RBF) creases my skin and starts to form the lines and wrinkles that I feel way too young to have.

I don't get my Botox every 3 months like I could. I don't think I need it that often. I typically average twice a year. That's normal for a lot of people, especially those at the beginning of their Botox journey. Others rebook for 3 months out because they know their movement will return and that they'll need redosing. 

I just want to make you feel your best. Whatever that looks like to you is up to you. We can work together, using my expertise and your knowledge of your own skin and face, and make sure that you have exactly what works. No more, no less. 

So how does a nurse begin a career in aesthetics? You know what made me want to join this industry, now let's take a closer look at what steps I had to take to get here. I am still learning every day, but in case you stumble upon this blog and think, "I'd really like to do this... but how the heck can I start a business?" 

First things first, you're already an RN, right? Good! You've done the hardest bit already. Second, don't quit your day job! (Seriously) It takes a while to build clientele, and you're going to need a good chunk of savings to pay for certifications, start-up costs, and product! You can do both, I promise, just ask me and my other two jobs. Dreaming of a day I can cut back. 

Now go out and find an intro neurotoxin program that feels right for you. There are a lot to choose from! There are some that cost a ton of money and turn out a TON of nurse injectors every year. YES they have the experience to make you a skilled injector, but do you feel at home with the team? Will you have the support you need once you've left the class? How many of their students are running successful injection businesses? These are all questions you should be thinking of, if not asking of your future mentors.

Once you've been certified, you'll want to decide what path is right for you. Do you want to work in a med spa? Do you want to run your own business? Is there another path for you? Only you know this answer. 

I decided I wanted to work for myself. I am a perfectionist. I want my brand and my business to speak to that side of me. It's hard for me to represent another entity if I don't believe 100% in their business model, ethics, and the way they treat their clients. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I know that it will be worth it. I can rest my head knowing I am in control of how my clients feel when they walk out of my care. 

So here's the thing; in Massachusetts, nurses are allowed to inject botox and other aesthetic injectables as long as they have their orders signed by a licensed independent practitioner (LIP) such as a doctor, or Nurse practitioner. So you may own your own business, but you must work with another clinician as well. This has many different forms.

I decided that a nurse cooperative was the best model for me right now. I have a medical director who has been incredible. I am able to shadow her when I am not busy with clients, and she's right outside of my door any time I have a question about the patient's I'm treating. It's a monthly fee that comes with 4 hours a week of studio time. This monthly fee allows me to buy my product and supplies at cost, and gets me access to NP's that can sign my orders. I have access to them if I have worries about a complication, difficult anatomy, or anything else. 

I have been extremely lucky to find a group of women who really want to help each other. I've never felt like I was competing, only cooperating. I've gotten great advice on business plans, social media posts, and strategies to build clientele that lasts. (Message me any time if you want to know where I'm at)

In addition to the logistics surrounding legally injecting Botox, you'll need a business license, platform for your clients to schedule appointments, ways to send and receive payments, and the marketing tools that will help you build a good client base. This means a website, social media, and search engine profiles. It's a lot, and a bit overwhelming, but I've found if I set aside one day a week to dedicate to my business, I can make really good progress. 

That's a pretty broad look at the checklist of things you need to get done to get into business for yourself. I would love to help in any way that I can, so don't hesitate to leave a comment, email me, or call if you want to chat. You don't need to do this all on your own.

Okay folks, here's a long one. The who, what, where, when and why we got here.

Sure, there's a hundred-word blurb telling you the short story of who I am, and what I do. But it does very little to tell you who I am, what I stand for, and how we got here. So I'll take a few minutes to try to do that. Think of it as a getting to know you exercise, but it's just me, writing to all the future "you's". 

I went into nursing school after spending 1 1/2 years going to college for early education and environmental sciences. I was unsure of my future, couldn't picture myself in any job I knew existed, and felt overwhelmed by all of the choices. In a casual conversation with one of my cousins, (thank you Katie!) she mentioned that if she could do it over, she would have gone to nursing school. We briefly chatted about it, but no one thought too much of it. Three days later I dropped out of school and applied to nursing programs. 

Suddenly it had clicked! I love science, I love working with people, a 9-5 office job would have sucked the life out of my body, etc... I attended UMass Boston and got my bachelor's in nursing 4 years later. By chance, I was placed in the operating room during clinicals, and I immediately knew that's where I wanted to stay. It's one of the few places in a hospital where the staff work together as a team and their focus is explicitly on one patient. Surgeries are mostly satisfying.. a patient comes in with a problem, and we work together to solve it. I love the technicality of each little piece involved in such a high stakes environment. I love seeing results right before my eyes. 

A little over a year ago, I was given the opportunity to work for an amazing surgeon outside of Boston in her own private practice plastic surgery office. Almost instantaneously, the environment surrounding aesthetic surgery, reconstruction, and the excitement of the patients had me hooked. These were people who had a real desire to make a change, and we could help provide them with that. It's a collaborative effort between practitioner and patient... one that starts with a person's wishes, meshes with experience and expertise of the staff, and becomes a result the entire team is proud of.

Our surgical patients go to sleep excited; they've spent a long time dreaming, saving and planning to get this day. They wake up happy! I don't take a second of that for granted and I am honored to be a part of their journeys. But I wanted more! I wanted to be able to work 1:1 with more patients, helping them love what they see in the mirror. So I found a program and a mentor that I adore (shout out to the team at Advanced Medical Aesthetics Academy // Academy 165!) got certified, and here we are! A business owner, certified aesthetic injector and apparently, blogger!  

I don't have any desire to change anyone's face, or push anyone to do something they're unsure of. My goal is to help people maintain and enhance the beautiful faces they've already got. (Yes, I am talking to you, and YES you are ALREADY beautiful)

More than anything, I want my patients to feel how much I care about them. Safety is my TOP priority. I want to work together with you, hear your thoughts, understand your life, and then come up with a plan that will make sure your results are the best possible. I understand that you may have questions and concerns and I am SO ready to chat with you about them! I want you to feel heard, understood, and in control. 

Make an appointment, send me a message, leave a comment! Whatever you want, I'm here for you. Let's chat. 

In the age of social media, it's not hard to see everyone's highlight reel. There aren't very many people who showcase the hard days, the doubts, the fear, or the let downs. It's easy to remember to snap a photo of your most favorite people, or something rare & exciting. We're constantly bombarded with the best new thing. It can start to feel like you're the only one with just small blips of bliss followed by long bouts of trying to survive everyday life. 

I've always been the kind of person to stop and take it all in. I soak up the sunshine on the short walk from my car into our apartment. A sweet little bunny munching the flowers can hold my attention for longer than most people could. Every sunset I see has me captivated. I'm a real stop and smell the flowers kind of a girl. So when I feel I've accomplished something, big or small, I want to celebrate. I want to feel all the feels.

So I've decided to keep track. A short blog post here and there to remember everything that could slip by with the passing of time and the potential for growth in my business; the small steps on the path to bigger ones. It's not reasonable for me to take myself out to a nice dinner every time I check something off of my list, even if I really, really, really want to. What I've accomplished so far has me already wanting to celebrate. I've officially opened a licensed Aesthetic Injections business. I've got the website and bank accounts to prove it. My first official client all on my own is on the books. And I'm ready, let's do it. 

On to the next small thing, and another, and another. Someday I'm sure, it'll add up to something really big. See you there. (Bring champagne!!)