I’ll admit, I’ve been tempted more times than I can count. From casual conversations about Botox appointments between colleagues to influencers raving about it online, it feels like everyone is getting injected these days.

The truth is, I’ve thought about it because, let’s face it, when I hit forty, I don’t want to look my age, especially when all my friends still look like they’re in their twenties. But that thought made me pause and reflect: Why is that? Why, as a society, are we so afraid of looking our age—women in particular? It’s a sad realization, but if I’m being honest, it hasn’t completely stopped me from wanting to look better than my friends (kidding… kind of).

Have you heard of preventative Botox? According to an article in Vogue, “Why Preventative Botox Injections Could Be Aging You,” Botox use among 20- to 29-year-olds has increased by 28% since 2010. That statistic floored me. To me, it feels like a clever marketing ploy preying on young women’s insecurities about aging before they’ve even started to age. It sure worked on me anyways.

For the record, I’ve never had Botox…but that’s not because I haven’t considered it. I have. The turning point came when I casually mentioned it to my husband. His reaction? Absolute horror. He’s not the type to tell me what I can or can’t do, but when it comes to Botox, he was adamant: “Please don’t.”Naturally, I asked him why he felt so strongly about it. His response? “Look up what Botox actually is and why it can be risky.” So that’s exactly what I did—and what I found might surprise you.

WHAT EVEN IS BOTOX?

In a recent episode of The Skinny Confidential, titled Your Home Is A Toxic Trap: Avoid This! & Toxins That Stay With You For Life (Full Episode), hosts Lauren and Michael Bosstick sat down with Amanda Jo, better known as “The Organic Bunny,” a prominent advocate for organic and non-toxic living. Among the many toxic substances Amanda has encountered in her career, Botox stood out as the most shocking. She described it as “the most toxic substance on earth” and explained how society has been “conditioned to think it’s okay.”

Despite admitting her own curiosity about Botox and the allure of freezing the aging process like so many others, Amanda emphasized that when you dig deeper into what Botox truly is, the risks often outweigh the benefits. This perspective raises important questions about our cultural obsession with youth and beauty and whether the pursuit of perfection is worth the potential dangers.

But let’s back up for a second. What is Botox, really? It’s derived from Clostridium botulinum—a neurotoxin that can cause botulism in high doses. Yes, the same bacteria linked to food poisoning. In small, controlled amounts, it paralyzes muscles to smooth wrinkles, but Amanda Jo’s warning lingers: “We’re injecting poison into our faces.” When you frame it like that, it’s hard not to feel a little uneasy. Yet, millions do it without a second thought. Why? Because we’ve normalized it. Smile lines? Botox. Forehead wrinkles? Botox. It’s become as routine as booking a haircut.

Then there’s the irony of “preventative” Botox. The logic is seductive: freeze your face now, and you’ll never develop wrinkles later. But here’s the catch, our faces are meant to move. Expression lines tell stories, and muscle atrophy from repeated Botox use can lead to a loss of natural facial volume over time.

That “prevention” might actually accelerate a hollow, aged appearance. As Amanda pointed out, we’re trading short-term perfection for long-term consequences and calling it self-care.

Which brings me to my husband’s reaction. His concern wasn’t just about toxins; it was about why I felt the need to erase myself. “What’s wrong with us growing old together?” he asked. And honestly? He’s onto something. Aging isn’t failure…it’s a privilege. Yet here we are, shelling out thousands to mimic the dewy, line-free faces of 25-year-olds. It’s a paradox: we want to look “refreshed,” but not “done.” Natural, but not too natural.

So where does that leave someone like me—torn between curiosity and caution? That’s when I started researching alternatives. Enter facial acupuncture: a millennia-old practice that claims to lift, tone, and rejuvenate without a single syringe. Could needles really rival neurotoxins? I had to find out.

facial rejuvenation ACUPUNCTURE

A quick Google search led me to a local acupuncture specialist. I booked my appointment, equal parts curious and skeptical about what to expect. During the consultation, my acupuncturist paused when I mentioned Botox, not with judgment, but with genuine surprise. “You don’t need it,” she said plainly, her tone warm but firm. When I explained my journey, the societal pressures, the temptation, my husband’s concerns, she nodded knowingly. “Why inject toxins when your body already knows how to heal itself?” she asked. It was a perspective I hadn’t fully considered: that aging isn’t a problem to “fix” but a process to honour, and that true radiance comes from nurturing, not numbing.

She explained how Facial acupuncture is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offers a natural, holistic approach to skin rejuvenation. Ultra-fine, sterile needles are inserted into specific points on the face, neck, ears, and body to stimulate collagen, blood flow, and energy (Qi). The session would include include facial massage, gua sha, jade rolling, and cupping to boost lymphatic drainage and relaxation. She explained it is best to stick to a schedule of 6 sessions, one every two weeks, for optimal results, with gradual improvements in skin texture and tone. The best part? It was all covered by my benefits from work.

My thoughts; although I didn’t find the process extremely relaxing, not sure why I thought getting needles stuck into my face would be relaxing. I did notice much improved skin texture. I didn’t really have any wrinkles to begin with but did notice my face appearing much brighter and my skin looked much better.

Over the course of the 6 weeks my skin improved and I was happy with the results. You are suppose to go back every 4-6 weeks after the intial 4 sessions, but I have not been consistent with it. Maybe it was something I just needed to explore for now and get out of my system.

As I reflect on my journey from considering Botox to embracing facial acupuncture, I realize it’s not just about the physical results, it’s about the values we prioritize. In a world where youth and perfection are often idealized, it’s refreshing to find alternatives that celebrate natural beauty and inner harmony.

Botox offers quick fixes and temporary solutions, but at what cost? The toxins, the maintenance, the pressure to conform to unrealistic standards, it’s a cycle that can be both expensive and exhausting.

Facial Acupuncture, on the other hand, invites us to redefine beauty. It’s a practice that honors the body’s innate wisdom, encouraging us to age with grace rather than resistance. By nurturing our skin and our spirit, we can radiate health and vitality from the inside out.

Ultimately, the choice between Botox and facial acupuncture is personal. But if you’re looking for a path that aligns with your values of natural wellness and holistic living, facial acupuncture might just be the journey you’ve been searching for.

As Amanda Jo, “The Organic Bunny,” so eloquently put it, we’ve been conditioned to accept toxins as part of our beauty routine. But what if we could redefine beauty on our own terms? What if we could celebrate every line, every laugh, every moment that makes us who we are?

In embracing facial acupuncture, I’m not just treating my skin, I’m honouring my story. And that, to me, is the most beautiful transformation of all.