<i>The Botox Phenomenon: ‘Keep the Wisdom, Lose the Lines’ </i>
By AYN ROBBINS
TULSA EXPERTISE: From left, Nancy Medley, MS, RN, Dr. Joey Manduano and Paula Barnum, Surgery Coordinator are experts in Botox procedures. Dr. Joey Manduano, located at 2219 E. 21st St., is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Surgeons. He is board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as in general surgery
AYN ROBBINS for GTR Newspapers
“To me, Botox is no more unusual than toothpaste. It works. You do it once a year. Who cares?”
– Simon Cowell, “American Idol” co-producer and judge
Granted, if you make your living as a serious actress- à la Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, or, perhaps, Meryl Streep – you might want to lighten up on the Botox before an exceptionally emotional scene. If, on the other hand, you’re a “Desperate Housewife” on Wisteria Lane, who cares?
While almost no one will admit to using Botox, its most common users are reportedly working mothers from 40-55 years old. You know who you are, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anyone else does. Some people become livid over the mere mention of Botox. I wonder if they realize they could paralyze that scowl right off of their foreheads?
All right, if you are looking for “scientific” in my column, I can only say, “What, are you, crazy?????” I wanted to take a further look into this Botox phenomenon, as it is here to stay, folks, and when done well-or not “over done” – our friends and co-workers may turn out to be more “state-of-the-art” than well rested in this fast-paced, stressed-out, “bail-out” climate.
I dropped by the offices of Dr. Joey Manduano at 2219 E. 21st St. recently for a chat. Dr. Manduano is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Surgeons. He is board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as in general surgery. I found my expert!
Botox was approved by the FDA in 2002 as a treatment for moderate to severe frown lines. For over 17 years, it has also been a therapeutic treatment for a number of medical conditions: specialists have prescribed it for migraine headaches, eye twitches, excessive sweating and stiff neck, and gastro-intestinal specialists have prescribed it for esophageal spasms.
Dr. Manduano emphasizes that Botox treatments are tailored to each individual’s needs. For that reason, he does not advocate the increasingly popular “Botox Party,” which he feels could engender the herd mentality of everyone wanting the same thing. “Some lines are too close to the upper eye to be treated. A professional will recognize this.”
“The first time a patient visits the office is most important,” Dr. Manduano insists. “A patient must be focused and know what she is expecting and wants to achieve. The results are predictable.” About 10 – 15 percent of his patients are men. For more information or an appointment, call Dr. Manduano’s office at 749-5522, or visit his Web site at joeym@manduano.com.
Although it is becoming increasingly more difficult to distinguish Jennifer Aniston from Madonna or Heather Locklear, there have been no Woodward and Bernstein investigations to account for this morphing. However, whatever your personal preference regarding this relatively quick fix, there are far better examples “reported” on various Web sites to illustrate the relaxed and refreshed look Dr. Manduano’s patients might expect.
While they have neither confirmed nor denied their speculations for the purpose of this column, the folks at education.makemeheal.com claim that “Celebrities With Botox Injections & Other Fillers” include Hillary Clinton, Katie Couric, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Natalie Cole, Olivia Newton-John and Helen Mirren. Let’s not leave out the men. The same Web site lists David Beckham, Bono, George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford and Al Pacino.
Now, for a “Six Degrees of Separation” moment, I will add that my niece in California, Marisa, is married to Nick Borowick, the nephew of Virginia Madsen, Academy Award nominee for “Sideways,” who also happens to be the official spokeswoman for Botox Cosmetic. She is as real as rain and proud of her 46 years. “I’ve been treated with Botox Cosmetic for many years to relax my ‘11’s’ – those 2 vertical lines between my brows that give me the appearance of looking tired and stressed. I love the results because I lost the lines and still look like me.” She is also heading up a public health education campaign called “Keep the Wisdom, Lose the Line.” To learn more
go to the Web site www.KeepTheWisdom.com
Make a Wish
While we’re wishing away our wrinkles, why not help make some wishes come true for kids with terminal and catastrophic illnesses. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma is selling raffle tickets at $100 each with the grand prize of a 2010 Lexus RX350 provided by Lexus of Tulsa. Although the tickets are not tax-deductible, only 1,600 will be available, and the drawing will be on March 19 or sooner, depending upon how quickly they are sold. For more details call (918) 492-9474, or visit online at 222.oklahoma.wish.org
Ciao for now!
Updated 03-09-2009
READER COMMENTS
- — Carla Corrigan Feb 6, 03:33 AM #
About Post Author
