'I started injectables at 21'

This is what 10 years of Botox looks like, according to four Aussies who have been there.

This is what 10 years of Botox looks like, according to four Aussies who have been there.

It’s been two decades since botulism toxin type A was approved for use as an anti-wrinkle treatment in Australia.

Since then, the cosmetic injectables market – which include anti-wrinkle and dermal filler – has exploded, with Aussies spending $1bn annually on treatments in the collective desire for a flawless face.

Dan Kennedy, President Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, while the use of muscle relaxants has expanded to treat everything from genitourinary spasm and cerebral palsy to migraines, cosmetic use is still the most common reason.

“Muscle relaxant and filler injections are expected to show continued increase in demand as we move from Boomers to Gen X to Millenials,” he explained.

“Treatments have become generally more accessible and certain fillers can last longer due to tech advances.”

The rise in popularity of injectables has also led to a shift in perception, with a broader range of people choosing to go under the needle, and a lessening of the stigma surrounding non-surgical cosmetic enhancements.

They’re also getting cheaper, according to Dr Jonathan Hopkirk, who credits this factor – as well as improvements in safety, efficacy and patient accessibility to information - to the increasing demand for treatments.

“With the growth of social media platforms and search engines like Google, it is now far easier for potential patients to gain a lot of insight from the comfort of their homes before committing to consultations,” said Dr. Hopkirk, Global Medical Director of Laser Clinics Australia.

“To have the opportunity to feel confident about your appearance is widely under-appreciated in the traditional medical model, however we see first-hand just how much this changes people’s lives and their wellbeing.”

And it’s predicted our collective desire for a smoother, plumper complexion will only increase, with new innovations expected to change the face of the cosmetic injectables industry over the coming decade.

“I predict that technology will begin to refine treatments further, so treatments can be even more uniquely tailored to the individual,” Dr. Hopkirk said, adding that he expected to see “an evolution of the injectable products themselves”.

Dr Kennedy cautioned those considering treatments to ensure those administering them were skilled, experienced and medically qualified.

“There are a large number of clinics setting up in shopping centres without direct medical supervision,” he said. 

“Patients are becoming aware of the specific complications that can affect them when filler enters a blood vessel and blocks supply. Seeking a skilled and experienced injector can reduce this risk.” 

So, 20 years on, who is today’s typical injectables patient? Here, four Australians who have been undergoing muscle relaxant treatments for up to 10 years share their experiences.

Lucy Banks, 31, NSW, content creator

Injectables treatments: 10 years

Lucy Banks

I was always uncomfortable with the lines I had on my forehead even from a really young age, I had quite pronounced forehead lines, and it occurred to me that I could get that fixed because Botox was so relatively available. At the age of 21, I didn’t really know anyone else who had gotten Botox; my friends certainly weren’t getting it at that age.

I called a local clinic and went in for an appointment. They were really comprehensive and made me feel comfortable about my decision. The feeling I had afterwards, knowing an insecurity I’d had for so long was going to be erased, was a sheer confidence boost, and even at the age of 21 I thought, why haven’t I done this sooner?

Because I was only 21, at the time I kept it to myself. The few friends I did tell told me I was ridiculous and should have had it done so young. But what they didn’t understand was that it was something I’d been insecure about for a long time and being able to fix that was important to me. 

I started with just the forehead lines, and I did have a break for a few years in my early 20s when I had kids. For the last few years I’ve been getting my forehead done, by nose bridge done and around my eyes done every three to six months. I probably didn’t need all that initially, but ten years and a couple of kids later I need a bit more now.

I Also have had lip fillers in the past, which were great, and I’m glad I did it however I did make the decision that I quite like my lips the way they are. Botox can be quite addictive, but I was in the position of liking the lip filler and being happy that I had it, but it's not something I’d go and spend money on again.

“I was married to somebody for six years who genuinely did not believe that I regularly got it done …”

I think Botox has a bit of a reputation that people get it because they’re conceited or stuck up, but I think for me it’s a self-love thing. When I get it done I feel so much happier within myself and can go out into the world and feel happier.

I told my partner about it after we were together for a while, and he didn’t believe me. It’s not something I’m embarrassed about but not something I brag about either and so he’d just never seen me get it done. 

We separated almost three years ago now. But it’s interesting that I was married for somebody for six years who genuinely did not believe that I regularly got it done.

I spend anywhere between $2000 and $2500 a year. I’m really happy I started having it when I did. I haven’t noticed any side effects and I regularly get complimented on my skin, which I credit to both Botox and good skin care. I don’t think I’ve prematurely aged or anything.

Now a lot of my friends get it done. There will still be some women in our group who don’t but they’ll be curious and feel like it’s still too early because they’re not in their 50s.

Right now I don’t feel the need to get a facelift, but in five years or ten years It might be something that’s important to me. But I plan on staying happy and confident and secure, so the goalposts might change.

Karen O’Hare, 66, NSW, fashion retailer

Injectables treatments: 10+ years

Karen O’Hare

A relative of mine was having her 30th birthday and was telling me all about this Botox stuff. 

I thought it was ridiculous for someone to be having Botox at her age, but it also made me think well, for me it’s not ridiculous. 

But she went and had it done, and I thought to myself, ‘well I’ve just got to do it’, so, at 56, I thought I’d get on the bandwagon as well. I went and had some Botox and some fillers done at that time. It was a big decision.

I got some Botox around the eyes and the forehead, and some cheek and lip filler.

The very first time I had it done it really did feel – I felt stiff – and I did feel quite anxious about it. 

I thought everyone was looking at me and saying ‘what’s she done to herself’. But no one ever did, and probably nobody noticed any difference except me. 

I had some fillers done to my lips, and they blew up like you’ve never seen before, and that lasted for about two days. I was very self-conscious and didn’t want to go anywhere.

“When you’re young, you just never think (ageing) is going to come along and hit you, but it does.”

I’m not putting it down, because the end result was really great. I didn’t really like the sensation of it, but I was never going to stop doing it because of that. But as time’s gone by, I don’t get that anymore.

At the beginning it was all a bit secretive, but when you did start talking about it almost every single person would say ‘oh, yes I’ve had it done too’.  I’ve got some friends who are completely against it, but also friends who are all for it, and surprisingly they’re usually the younger ones.

I haven’t had it done through Covid because we couldn’t, but I was getting a bit anxious to get back into it, but aside from that I‘ve been pretty consistent, having treatments three to four times a year.

I would have had it done when I was younger had it been available and if there had been a fair bit of research about it. I’m a bit of a scaredy cat and those sorts of things worry me a bit, but when I was in my thirties I probably couldn’t have afforded it anyway. 

A doctor said to me once that it’s like when you fold a piece of paper. Once the fold is in there, you’ll never get rid of it. But I think having it done in your 20s is way too young, but I don’t really know why I’d say that. I think at 20 it would seem like a waste of money. 

These sorts of things are for people my age. Yes, we should be grateful that we have the privilege of getting older, but there’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror and going ‘oh my god, what happened? How did I get this old?’.

When you’re young, you just never think (ageing) is going to come along and hit you, but it does.

I don’t think I could ever go under the knife; I think that would be too drastic, but what I’m doing now is just keeping a little bit of ageing at bay. And whether anyone can see the result or not, I’m happy with it, and don’t think I’d go any further.

James Vivian, 38, VIC, skin therapist

Injectables treatments: 10 years

James Vivian

I’m a dermal therapist; I don’t use injectables in my clinic but I use other skincare modalities.

I’ve always looked after my skin, but as you age you start to notice changes in the skin, and for me, it was lines in between my eyes which I started to notice about 10 years ago. 

I’d wake up in the morning it would seem like I’d been frowning all night, and I knew, with the amount of knowledge I had about skin, that skincare wasn’t going to do anything for that. So I went to a friend of mine who’s a plastic surgeon for some advice, and he said ‘well it’s time for Botox’.  

“I’m doing this not to look weird, but to look better.”

He said ‘you’ve got lines there, and we can relax those muscles’, and he did.

Being in the industry, it fills you with quite a lot of relief, because while I work with a lot of things which do what they say they will do, but there’s still a lot of grey area in this industry where you’re just trying something on a particular skin or condition and hoping it will work. 

With Botox, on the vast majority of people that get it done, it works, and that’s an amazing thing in this industry. 

I now get expression lines on my forehead and around my eyes, and I get Botox on my forehead but not around my eyes. A side effect of Botox is that it stops the movement in your muscles and stops you from being able to express yourself, and this is where people can start to look a bit strange so I don’t get it around my eyes because I don’t want that look. 

It’s a decision I made that yes, you’re getting some lines around your eyes, and that’s a part of life, it’s from smiling. Do I want to stop that from happening? No, I don’t. I’m doing this not to look weird, but to look better. 

I trusted my plastic surgeon and knew their philosophy was natural and less is more, as opposed so some others who act like everyone needs a tummy tuck, everyone needs some (liposuction); it’s skincare by numbers and not ‘what do you need?’ and ‘what’s your perception of beauty and does it align to mine?’.

I have tried some filler. A very small amount, by my plastic surgeon who said ‘no-one will notice this’.

I remember I saw a guy come into the clinic once with the most beautiful lips, and I thought to myself ‘I think I need better lips’. He said: ‘don’t do it, it’s not going to look right on you’, and I heard that and was over it. 

Lips can be a dead giveaway that you’ve had something done.

I think for me, it’s about coming to terms with the changes that are going to happen in my face, that I’m noticing more. The lines around my face, and around my mouth, and learning to love them, because how I feel today is that I don’t want to do anything to change those, with injectables because that’s a bit of a slippery slope. 

I’m open to exploring other options that might yield a slower burn but make me feel like I’m doing something proactive about it without relying on those quick fixes that are going to distort me.

Samantha Robinson, 34, VIC, nurse 

Injectables treatments: 5 years

Samantha Robinson

One of my friends wanted to get her lips done, and I’ve got a gummy smile so my sister suggested I try lip filler. 

I had that feeling that it would give me duck lips, but I went along with my girlfriend when she got hers done, but I wimped out and ended up getting some Botox in my forehead. 

I think my sister, who is younger than me was a lot more into injectables, and she was telling me it was good for prevention rather than necessarily changing the way you look, and I don’t wear a lot of makeup or do a lot of other cosmetic treatments, so it was a way to look just a bit more refreshed, especially with all the night shifts (I do).

It cost me a couple of hundred (dollars). After that I would have had forehead a couple more times after that, probably every six months or so. I also went into more of a leadership role at work so in terms of reducing those expression lines at work that was helpful on certain occasions.

I had an opportunity to participate in a training session where they said I could have jawline filler and cheeks and lips. So that was the first occasion that I ended up getting my lips done; that was dermal filler, and I just can’t believe the result; it was instant, the shape of my face changed, and I could not believe the result; it was amazing.

"I just love it because the best thing is it wasn’t obvious to anybody else that I’d had anything done."

I think it was something I’ve never considered getting done around the jaw, but I guess as you age the muscle tone decreases and the shape changes and I think just to have the shape back into my face made a real difference and the cheeks just highlighted that. Plus, not wearing makeup all the time, it just makes me feel good.

Again, when I noticed the result I was like "oh my god this is a big massive change, and people are going to be thinking she’s had a lot of work done", but I don’t think people noticed the specifics, they just said "wow, you look really good, really fresh, are you wearing different makeup?".

For lips it lasted about 10 months, but for the jaw and cheeks I would have had that done 14 months ago and it’s still there.

I spend about $1500 a year (on injectables). I think just because I don’t do a lot of makeup and other skin treatments I look at it as though I’m not spending it on other treatments, so I just factor it into my budget.

I just had a baby and you can’t have anything when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, so there’s been a bit of a gap. 

Obviously I’m tired because I’ve just had a baby, but I feel like I look tired and I really notice my forehead lines; that’s the thing I’d really like to do once I stop breastfeeding and I’d like to get my crow’s feet done. 

I just love it because the best thing is it wasn’t obvious to anybody else that I’d had anything done.

What I was most nervous about was that people were going to know. You have this perception that you’re going to look really fake, but it just looked natural and I feel like it was really refreshing.