Most of us cannot logically afford botox.  Botox injections are extremely expensive, not to mention dangerous.  They are injecting you with small amounts of the poison botulism, scary thought.  And some have had bad experiences in the past and learned to avoid it all together.  But there are some who believe that you are in control to some degree of how your botox experience goes, if you have side effects, etc.  I’m sure there are ways to reduce the suffering, but are you really in control of that much?  So here are tips I’ve found:

1. Stop drinking for 7 days before, all alcohol, beer, wine, the hard stuff, no social drinking, nothing for 7 days before.  This apparently means you won’t be bruised up from the process.  I mean they don’t allow alcohol consumption right before tattoos, because from what I’ve heard, it thins the blood.  With bruises, the blood coagulates from what I understand.  So how exactly does thinner blood lead to bruising?  I am slightly unsure on that.
2. Don’t take aspirin.  Headaches are common, even though it is technically sometimes used to treat migraines.  But they usually subside within 24-48 hours. 
3. Stay busy just after.  You don’t have to go back to work if the headaches are especially bad or anything like that.  But if you keep your head in an upright position for at least 4 hours, the treatment will “stay put.”  It sounds weird, but they say it works.  So no resting, no closing your eyes and “sleeping.  I assume you can sit on a couch, just not lay down.
4. No big reactions.  Frankly, it freezes the muscles, and any big movement can have an affect on how long it lasts.  If you can avoid big facial expressions until it has time to set, well facial expressions are said to accelerate wrinkles to some degree anyway, so that might just be common sense.
5. Ignore the needle.  I for one don’t really like needles. I avoid shots if I can, I avoid the whole plasma centers and donating blood, because it’s one of those things you do if you don’t like needles.  Logically, you would also avoid botox.  But for those who think it necessary, and for those who get the normal treatments without anesthesia, a slight pinch is normal.  But if you think less about the needle, you are less likely to feel more pain psychologically speaking.
6. Don’t expect overnight results.  Now, I thought that was part of the point of botox, overnight results, quick results.  After all, the results only last about 4 months, and they are extremely expensive.  But apparently, it doesn’t work that fast after all.
7. Be prepared for side effects.  Side effects like headaches are normal, eye twitching, droopy eyelids, muscle weakness, general pain.  But what some don’t mention is that if you experience extreme side effects, medical side effects such as oh trouble breathing, that is far from normal and something you need to see your doctor about right away!  Botulism is still a poison, even in small amounts, and it could ultimately lead to death untreated.

We are all looking for those secrets to success, the ones that will magically make the pounds melt away while we sit back and watch it happen.  The truth is it doesn’t work that way.  To lose weight now and keep it off later, there are 3 major things to do, there are 3 major ways to function, and ways to set your weight loss goals so that you can achieve success.

First, make your weight loss goals measurable.  Obviously, you may not have a scale at home, because you don’t like to judge on weight.  So get a tape measure.  If you don’t know if you are making progress or not, if you cannot measure those results, how will you know if you are doing the right things or not?  Instead of just thinking I want to be thinner, set a specific goal.  Say I want to lose 10 pounds, maybe I want to lose 20 pounds, or even 30 pounds or higher.  But you have to set that number so you know what you’re working toward.

Second, make them reasonable.  If you say I am going to lose 100 pounds by the end of the summer(i.e. 4 months from now), you’re not going to make it, at least not without seriously damaging your health among other things.  If you set yourself up for failure like that, you are only going to be discouraged, because you will only fail.  You will definitely feel overwhelmed. But if you say I want to lose 2 pounds each week, that is more reasonable and more achievable.  When you surpass that goal, it will give you extra confidence, and when you meet it, you can be proud of yourself for meeting your goals.

Finally, make them actionable.  This means that you don’t focus on where you’re going so much as how you are going to get there.  So while you should know whether you want to lose 10 pounds or 50, this means making a game plan.  You aren’t going to lose weight by sitting around on your couch and exercising 20 minutes a day while sitting around with junk food the rest of the time.  If you did, you would be either a walking miracle or a walking disease.  So maybe you say I am going to start eating salads instead of other fatty foods I might eat once a day, I am going to start going to the gym for an hour a day, I am going to run for this long, lift weight for this many reps, I am going to drink 8 glasses of water each day, etc.

Many goals fail for one, two, or even all of these reasons.  People set unrealistic goals, expect to reach them without putting in the work, or they give themselves vague ideas that really set up no expectations.  The combination of course is the worst.  But by incorporating these concepts into your diet, you can achieve greater success.

Laser Genesis.  It has been used to treat wrinkles, pores, and skin damage in general.  It apparently uses “advanced vibrant even skin tone and smooth texture in both men and women.”  They use light to promote the growth of collagen.  It sounds a lot like those blue light therapies that are supposed to either kill bacteria or promote the growth of collagen. 

The difference is, Laser Genesis is an outpatient procedure performed by a professional of some type.  It uses a laser light to penetrate the dermis to hit the collagen producing cells.  They say it produces more even skin tones, tighter pores, and smoother skin texture, targeting the microvasculature vessels beneath the skin surface.  It diffuses redness and improves complexions.  It apparently decreases fine lines, wrinkles, and restores even skin tones.  It is more effective when combined with other treatments such as chemical peels.

This could very well be because light technology has not actually been proven to kill bacteria, reduce wrinkles, increase collagen production, etc.  On the bright side, it won’t damage sensitive skin cells or any other skin cells.  But when it doesn’t work, and I can guarantee you’re paying quite a bit of money for it, it defeats the whole purpose in quite a few ways.

You should expect when receiving this treatment to feel a warming sensation.  This warm feeling can continue for up to 30 minutes after treatment, and some may also feel mild tingling and increased firmness for up to a day after treatment.  Isn’t the point to increase firmness on a more permanent or long lasting basis?  Normal activities can be resumed immediately after treatment, and you should probably use a good sunscreen, and you may have a rosy glow to your skin.  Some require multiple treatments according to distributors and so on.  But I suspect this is just to get more of your money. 

If you are getting microdermabrasion, you may require multiple treatments. But you should be able to see results after one treatment.  Multiple treatments are simply used to get better results and more noticeable results.  It is also proven and guaranteed to work.  On the other hand, Laser Genesis is not proven or guaranteed to work.  You have their word, that is as long as you are paying more money into the system.  If you don’t see the results you wanted, you probably should have gone in for more treatments or so they say.  But the reality is you’re not seeing results, because it doesn’t work.

            Everybody is always looking for ways to reduce their wrinkles.  But some of the best ways to reduce your chances of wrinkles are surprisingly simple.  Some you may not even think of, may not even occur to you.  But we outline them below.

1. Sleep On Your Back

Apparently, sleeping in certain positions night after night can lead to “sleep lines” that become etched into the skin and don’t disappear when you wake up.  Sleeping on your side can increase wrinkles in the cheeks and chin, and sleeping facedown gives you a furrowed brow.  So sleep on your back.

1. Eat More Fish

Salmon and other fish are potent sources of omega 3 fatty acids and protein, the building blocks of the skin.  It can nourish skin, keep it plump, and reduce wrinkles.

1. Get Reading Glasses!

Some of us continue to squint either due to pride or because we just don’t think about it.  So if you are having trouble seeing, get yourself a pair of reading glasses, which will help you to avoid repetitive facial movements such as squinting, which overworks facial muscles and creates wrinkles.

1. Trade Coffee For Cocoa

Cocoa has high levels of epicatchin and catechin, which protect your skin form sun damage, improve circulation, affect hydration, and make your skin look and feel smoother.

1. Eat More Soy

Research has shown that eating more soy may help to protect your skin against the sun’s damage or even heal some of it.  Apparently, soy based supplements improved the skin’s structure and firmness after just 6 months according to one European based study.