Those of you who have read Stylebook for a while know about my Botox experience many years ago. For those of you who don’t, suffice it to say it did not go well. I believe my husband’s exact words were “you look insane.” Obviously, that wasn’t the look I was going for. As a result, I became very leery of cosmetic injectables of any type. I am a true believer in skincare products. I know that amazing results can be achieved from using the right products. But no amount of leg lifts can get rid of that last bit of stubborn cellulite; you need a procedure for that. And no amount of skincare can prevent my expression lines; I need Botox for that.Truth be told, that horrible experience was more than eight years ago. Much has changed during that time in the world of cosmetic dermatology. Procedures are far more effective and advanced now than even eight years ago. So when customers kept telling me that they viewed Botox treatments in the same manner they look at a manicure…mere maintenance…I decided to take another look at it.  After all, I am eight years older and while I want to age gracefully I am still trying to figure out what exactly that means.First and foremost, I needed to find a dermatologist I trusted. One who understands that less is more. That part was easy; I have been sending people to Dr. Lily Talakoub in McLean for many years. It may seem wrong, but I am not going to go to a makeup artist whose own makeup doesn’t look good. In the same way, I am not going to get a cosmetic procedure from someone who looks overdone. Dr. Lily definitely does not.In fact, the moment I sat in her chair and before I had an opportunity to share my concerns, she told me her philosophy is essentially “baby steps,” little by little so that you get the result you are looking for without overdoing it. I don’t want to be expressionless, I just want to prevent deep lines from forming that can’t be reversed. I don’t know what it is about sitting in those doctor’s chairs on the paper that always makes me feel so intimidated. Maybe it’s because it somehow takes you back to those visits to the doctor as a child. I don’t know, but what I loved most was that Dr. Lily has a very natural way about her. She makes you feel entirely comfortable, like you’re sitting talking to a good friend rather than an accomplished doctor.So, I agreed to try it out. I asked for the numbing gel because I am not a fan of needles and I hadn’t done it in so long I couldn’t recall if it would hurt. I sat for ten minutes waiting for the gel to take effect. Then Dr. Lily came in to administer the Botox. For me, she actually used less than half the normal dose of Botox and asked me to come in in two weeks for a tweak, that way she can see how the muscles are reacting and make any minor adjustments.  She gave me an ice pack to lessen a little swelling on one spot and I was on my way.I had five or six injection spot dots on my skin. A little cover up and I could totally go back to work. If you are doing it for the first time and don’t know how your skin will react I would recommend giving yourself a good hour or two before you have to be somewhere. I will keep you updated on how it works out. As of two days later, I don’t see any difference. Apparently it can take up to a week to see results, and up to two weeks for the final result to settle in.  My hope is that you will think I look rested and not really notice much else.Teaser: I liked her so much that Dr. Lily has agreed to do a pop-up “Botox and Derm to Door” event at Bellacara on March 16^th from 11am to 3pm. No need to visit her in McLean, you can come to Bellacara and ask her your questions. Don’t want Botox, but want to chat with Dr. Lily? It’s complimentary. This is a big deal! Normally a consultation with her is $150. There will be refreshments and gifts with purchase and those who sign up for an appointment have the option to be entered into a raffle to win free Botox with Dr. Lily at her new office. More information will follow, but please email info@bellacara.com if you’d like to secure an appointment now.