When I turned 40, my body started to do weird things. Hair growth patterns started to change, my energy levels changed, and most notably, my skin changed. I’ve been blessed with good genes, I don`t smoke, I eat well (I’m vegan), exercise, and I use organic skin products, so I think that I could look a lot worse, but I do see myself age and I understand how people feel once they start to physically and visually change.
I`m certainly not going to judge anyone for wanting to retain their youth – I`m doing it too, but I want to suggest some non-toxic anti-aging options for you to consider when the time comes. Before I go on, know that I err on the side of natural products and services for wellness, so this is my bias. I believe that there have to be better answers to anti-aging than having chemicals injected into the face to paralyze your muscles to keep wrinkles at bay, and that there are natural, effective, cruelty-free alternatives to toxic chemical concoctions that will not further spoil the earth.
Botox
If you look at the official Botox website, you`ll see lots of pictures of youthful-looking, Botox-injected women, and below that, the approved uses: BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of both moderate to severe crow’s feet lines and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults.
Below that, you`ll see a really long list of warnings and side effects: IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening . (Caps and bold text theirs.) Some of these side effects include problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, and hoarseness. What is particularly interesting here is that these side effects are just the same as the symptoms of the life-threatening type of botulism. This is not a coincidence. Botox is made from a neurotoxin that is produced by bacterium Costridium Botulinum – botulism bacteria. This means that people are having neurotoxins made of food-poisoning bacteria injected into their face so they look younger.
Does this seem weird to you? It does to me. Still, the treatment remains popular for wrinkle reduction. The latest stats I could find were from 2005, when 142,374 Botox injections were given in Canada, and it has been increasing in use since then.
Google “Botox”and the first thing you will see are ads selling it for $7 – $10 per dose. Seems like a good deal, then you may learn how many of these discount shots you’ll need. Apparently, the forehead “could require about 12 to 16 units; frown lines can take 25 to 30 units and crow’s feet need 12 to 15 units per eye (men will need almost double that amount)” according to Canadian Living. Let`s say it costs $900 for a man’s face. If the Botox treatment lasts for 3 – 4 months and you get treated four times a year, that’s $3600 a year for facial injections of botulism bacteria to make you look younger.
Non-toxic age-defying options
A couple of weeks ago, I went to see my client, Dr. Greg Wells, the physiologist and sports television commentator, who offered me a glass of wine. I asked for a small pour and told him that if I have more than one glass of red wine, I feel as though I had ten, and wondered if I had developed an allergy.
”No,” he said, ”it’s the chemicals. There are chemicals in everything now and our bodies can have adverse reactions to them, that`s why you feel drunk after a glass of red.”
The vast majority of commercial grooming products, including skin care, consists of mostly water and chemicals. In fact, most of these mass-produced personal care products are made by chemical companies and our skin absorbs these products when we apply them. Have you noticed how many people now have allergies or sensitivities? The chemicals in personal care products can cause reactions in us like the red wine caused a reaction in me.
If this bothers you, read on. I’d like to introduce you to some options that I have tried myself and recommend.
Natural anti-aging options
Your first line of defense for youthful skin is your skin care regimen. A few years ago, I had a chance meeting with David Brooke, a partner at Skin Essence, an organic Canadian skin care company. David scheduled a demonstration of his products with me and I have been using Skin Essence products since then.
What I like about the line is that everything is organic and is made of natural extracts, oils, and minerals, free of all parabens, carcinogens, and sodium lauryl sulfate (often found in drug store personal care products as mentioned above). Skin Essence products are stored in tinted glass bottles to protect from UV light damage (as opposed to plastic containers which can leach chemicals into products), and their packaging is completely recyclable.
Skin Essence has a lot going for it but the best part is the results. Their line has specific products for dry, sensitive, and aging skin. I use their cleanser, eye serum, and facial moisturizer regularly, and my skin has greatly improved over time. For a woman over 40, this is good news, but what about the gents? One of my clients who leans toward natural products started using the eye serum and facial moisturizer and he’s happy with the results: ”I feel like a movie star every day!” he says.
Facial acupuncture
Facial acupuncture is an uncommon practice and requires extra accreditation. Compared to Botox, facial rejuvenation acupuncture is a non-toxic method of reducing wrinkles and signs of aging, and you`ll still be able to fully express through your face. I made an appointment to see Dr. Hilary Booth, naturopathic doctor at Toronto`s Darou Wellness to check out the procedure. Dr. Booth`s literature states that ”this treatment promotes a more youthful, glowing appearance by encouraging natural collagen production, increased circulation, and improved skin elasticity… and is noticeable after your first visit”. Indeed, my skin was noticeably smoother, tighter, and spongier after my first visit.
After a lengthy interview during the appointment, I lied on the table and Dr. Booth began the process. I had needles of varying thicknesses in my feet, legs, hands, and scalp, and dozens more in my face. Afterward, she gave me a cold compress to close facial blood vessels, then a warm compress to bring the blood back to the face, applied a lovely coconut, vitamin E, and rosehip oil blend, and gave a gentle head and neck massage. It’s a very relaxing treatment that works better on men than women, and the results last longer for men.
Neither Botox nor facial acupuncture is cheap, and like Botox, once is not enough. The first acupuncture treatment ($200) lasts a mere 24 – 72 hours (I was sad to see my chin droop after a couple of days). After that, Dr. Booth recommends patients come in for 1 – 2 shorter treatments per week ($130 per treatment) for 4 – 6 weeks, then wean down to twice a month, then maintenance once a month. This treatment is not permanent and varies from person to person, skin condition to skin condition, and age, so some form of maintenance will have to continue. Again, men are better off than women in this case because they have thicker skin which results in fewer facial wrinkles, and men don’t experience any loss of collagen like aging and post-menopausal women do.
If a person came in with deeply-lined skin did the full facial acupuncture treatment and monthly maintenance for a year, they would pay around $3250. Less than Botox, non-toxic, and no side effects; only the treatments take longer.
For anti-aging options, you be the judge.
In the Key of He 