Botox Revolt

Take a look at celebrities and politicians. Notice something different about their faces? Fewer lines and wrinkles. Celebrities that are in their sixties and seventies look 25. All of their furrows and creases have been erased by Botox.

If you haven't heard, Botox is made from dead botulism. You know, the Black Plague. Not something I would willing place into my body. Yet, people from all walks of life are hosting Botox parties with health professionals injecting the substance into their bodies. And they get paid upwards of $175 from each person attending the "party".

Something is wrong here. First, Botox was first used on stroke victims. These patients had the concoction injected into paralyzed facial tissue. Botox relaxed the muscles and returned function and appearance to individuals. Sounds great, until some medical professionals decided to use it on their patients. Patients with deep pockets. Celebrities and Politicians were perfect candidates for the serum. They depend on their looks to get them through life. Problem is, once they get one injection, they want to get rid of all their wrinkles. Suddenly, they don't look like themselves anymore. Brow furrows they have had since the age of 10 are gone. Vanished. Their faces may look young, but take a look at their hands. They have age spots and knotted veins and alligator skin. You can hide all the ravages of time from every part of your body.

Not all medical professionals tout the praises of Botox. Most will steer you away from the stuff. Beware of those pushing it as a cure-all. They are just lining their vaults and buying Porsche's based on our vanity. Botox only lasts so long and then the wrinkles return. So you get six maybe eight weeks of smoother skin.

Let's go back to these celebrities that promote organic foods and a healthy lifestyle only to get Botox injections. These are probably the same people that refuse to get an H1N1 flu vaccine because of safety issues. How healthy is Botox? What are the long term effects?

Best prevention? Eat right, exercise, drink lots of water and be happy. And develop lots of interests and cultivate lots of friends with different points of view. People will love you for who you are and not the fact you don't have laugh lines. I adore the furrows in George Clooney's forehead and Ty Pennington's deep smile. I hope they decide to show their age. And I adore shar pei's. I wouldn't want a wrinkle-free puppy - would you?