[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

The other day my Spanish girlfriend (met her 15 years ago, got back together 3 months ago, possibly going to wife her up and make a couple babies) told me that I'm at my best since she's known me. This is in line with what a couple of my female friends have said, one of whom told me when I questioned her further that a year ago she would have put me at something like a 6.5 and that now I was more like an 8 or close to it.
Since I'm 35, I thought I would share what has changed.
A year ago, as I often did throughout my 20s and early 30s, my energy was primarily focused on being jacked up. I'm 6'3", and I was over 220lbs and injecting high doses of test, along with tren and deca depending.
Muscles are not a universal panacea and most women don't really like a jacked up body builder body. They go for the swimmer/moderately muscled/Brad Pitt body.
On the down side, having a big body negatively affects facial aesthetics (BLOAT), and I won't even get started about how bad juicing fucks up your skin. Even with estrogen controlled, I would break out like a teenager.
On the plus side, muscles are a big confidence booster, and are probably an overall plus for guys of moderate height who want to compete.
Anyway, I decided to focus heavily on facial aesthetics. I have cut my weight from 225 to 190 lbs, and have mostly stopped lifting. I do body weight exercises, moderate amounts of cardio, and eat mostly home cooked meals made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients possible.
As another plus, the chronic back and shoulder problems that I assumed were permanent have now SLOWLY started to get better.
In addition, I have been doing botox every 4 months, get regular peelings and dermabrasion, shower twice a day, and use professional quality skin products in the morning and evening after a twice daily shower.
The difference has been dramatic and I look about 28 or 29 at this point.
I also revamped my wardrobe with slim fit designer clothes, and get a significant amount of eye fucking when I walk around.
The weird thing is, that I pretty much knew all of these things years ago.
So why was I stubborn? Why did I choose to obsess over being as jacked as possible even though it wasn't the optimal approach for my frame and body type?
Looking back, now that I have over a year sober for the first time ever, I realize why.
It has a lot to do with me being a drug addict and an alcoholic.
I could never come to terms with that, and I didn't want to be sober or to be dead either, so I needed something to obsess over that would force me to somewhat moderate my drinking and drugging to sustainable/surviveable levels.
And that something was lifting.
At the time, I justified it by telling myself that I was spending a couple hours a day in the gym because that was how I got my dick wet.
Not true at all. At least not for me.
Now I'm healthier, have access to better quality pussy, etc.

I think most guys would get more out of putting less energy into getting huge and more energy into having a weight that was optimal for facial aesthetics and also taking the best possible care of your skin. Part of that is the right products, and part of that if you're over 30 is botox.

[Adrenaline]

100% agree and it's something I've come to the realization about lately as well. I'm between 5'11-6'0, 180 lbs, and although that's not exactly huge (especially in Australia- ouch), I'm slim/ripped with natural broad shoulders and get complimented on my physique quite often. I was tempted to start a bulk because I don't feel big enough in an environment where I'm surrounded by 6'2, 220 lbs gorillas but I don't want to end up looking to big for my frame. Being bulkier/wider gives the perception of you being shorter as well and I can't afford to lose any perceived height. I also don't want the bulk effecting facial aesthetics like you mentioned because without trying to brag, that's one of my main weapons and I get approached all the time because of it. Stay slim and chiseled, know your perfect weight and body fat %, and try to stay as close to that as possible. Bigger isn't always better.

Can I ask which aspects of your face you've noticed the botox most improving? Forehead wrinkles, those lines that run from nose to corner of mouth, crows feet etc

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(01-05-2016 08:48 AM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

100% agree and it's something I've come to the realization about lately as well. I'm between 5'11-6'0, 180 lbs, and although that's not exactly huge (especially in Australia- ouch), I'm slim/ripped with natural broad shoulders and get complimented on my physique quite often. I was tempted to start a bulk because I don't feel big enough in an environment where I'm surrounded by 6'2, 220 lbs gorillas but I don't want to end up looking to big for my frame. Being bulkier/wider gives the perception of you being shorter as well and I can't afford to lose any perceived height. I also don't want the bulk effecting facial aesthetics like you mentioned because without trying to brag, that's one of my main weapons and I get approached all the time because of it. Stay slim and chiseled, know your perfect weight and body fat %, and try to stay as close to that as possible. Bigger isn't always better.

Can I ask which aspects of your face you've noticed the botox most improving? Forehead wrinkles, those lines that run from nose to corner of mouth, crows feet etc

Yup.
I've noticed a dramatic improvement in my forehead and around my eyes/crows feet. Without realizing it I frown a lot and also squint. Over the years, this created increasingly prominent wrinkles/creases. It also made me self conscious about smiling, as when I did the area around my eyes made me look noticeably old.
Within days of the first botox treatment this went almost completely away.
I also didn't experience any of the dead/flat look that some people stereotype botox as producing.
I think that affect is most common if you get too much injected or the person doing it doesn't know what they are doing.
If you get botox, don't go to the cheapest possible place. If you do, the person who injects the botox is likely to be an esthetician or nurses's assistant.
Go to a place where a legitimate doctor will be the one injecting the botox.

[UlteriorMotive]

I'm curious about the professional skin products you are using, what are they?

I'm only 25 and most people guess my age or say slightly older/younger depending.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(01-05-2016 03:18 PM)UlteriorMotive Wrote:  

I'm curious about the professional skin products you are using, what are they?

I'm only 25 and most people guess my age or say slightly older/younger depending.

In the shower I use Fresh Cleansing Gel by Vichy.

Then I use:

Morning: First I apply Hydrabio Serum Moisturizing Concentrate by Bioderma, and then Hydrabio Perfecteur SPF 30 Radiance Booster by Bioderma

Evening: First I apply Alfa-Peeling by Martiderm, then Osmotic Antiaging Fluid by A5

Once a week: Use Exfoliant Scrub by A5 in the shower at night, then apply Hydrating Facial Mask with Hyaluronic Acid by A5

[LeBeau]

If you want to take it to the next level:

[samsamsam]

Anyone else to peels and dermabrasions or facials? Interesting point VVVV makes. Wondering if that is essential or if the products he mentions are good enough. Thanks.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(01-05-2016 04:11 PM)LeBeau Wrote:  

If you want to take it to the next level:

hahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahhahhaha.

Awesome movie and scene.

Very tastefully decorated apartment.

A bit overboard on the skin routine, but maybe I am just jealous and justifying my comparatively beta skin game.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(01-05-2016 04:14 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

Anyone else to peels and dermabrasions or facials? Interesting point VVVV makes. Wondering if that is essential or if the products he mentions are good enough. Thanks.

Like a lot of things you can get significant improvements by doing a few basic things, and then incremental improvement involves significantly more effort as you turn things up a notch.
Anything is better than nothing. Where you go from there is an individual choice.

[rudebwoy]

The problem wasn't juicing, it was you had bad skin, poor diet and your fashion was off.

Botox at 35, wow!

[Anabasis to Desta]

(01-05-2016 04:11 PM)LeBeau Wrote:  

If you want to take it to the next level:

Miscer detected. U aware?

[Mr. Brightside]

(01-05-2016 04:11 PM)LeBeau Wrote:  

A bit overboard on the skin routine, but maybe I am just jealous and justifying my comparatively beta skin game.

It's intentionally overboard... the man is a narcissistic psychopath.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(01-05-2016 09:03 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

The problem wasn't juicing, it was you had bad skin, poor diet and your fashion was off.

Botox at 35, wow!

I hear you man, always good to consider a different interpretation. What I think or feel or have experienced might not be the same as someone who has done similar things.

Juicing was one of several factors that contributed to my bad skin. It, combined with excessive lifting, also ate up a lot of my time. Juicing also played a big role in me having a bloated face.

I also never said anything about my diet while juicing. It wasn't a poor diet, it was just a fucking lot of food, because I was burning so many calories. And tons of protein, which if you're getting it from meat and eggs is hard to be healthy. .

Lastly 35 isn't young to start botox. The doctor I went to said many of her first time clients were late 20s/early 30s. She also chided me for having waited as long as I did, because some of the deep furrow lines on my brow would be more difficult to correct.

I do agree with you on my fashion sucking while I was juicing. I mainly focused on muscle t-shirts and the like. I also didn't fit into most designer labels. And I didn't bother with custom suits since I would change size a lot from bulk to cut.

[LINUX]

Does boxox take away large creases on the middle of the forehead. ?

Out of 1-10. talking about a 9.7 here.

[RichieP]

How does Botox actually work.

It sounds like you're saying it actually "corrects" wrinkles somehow? I thought it just neutralised the muscles underneath so they dont contract and tighten the skin into wrinkles.

But aren't the wrinkles still actually there? I was under the impression wrinkles/lines were cross-linked skin cells and once you've got them, you've got them.

Sounds like you're saying that's not the case, and botox actually does "correct" these lines. Could you explain a bit more?

[Adrenaline]

(01-06-2016 04:46 AM)RichieP Wrote:  

How does Botox actually work.

It sounds like you're saying it actually "corrects" wrinkles somehow? I thought it just neutralised the muscles underneath so they dont contract and tighten the skin into wrinkles.

But aren't the wrinkles still actually there? I was under the impression wrinkles/lines were cross-linked skin cells and once you've got them, you've got them.

Sounds like you're saying that's not the case, and botox actually does "correct" these lines. Could you explain a bit more?

Botox can't erase wrinkles permanently, which is why you have to keep getting it done every few months to maintain the effects.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

Botox works by temporarily paralyzing small muscles in specific places.

It doesn't directly "cure" the big wrinkles that have formed in the skin that covers the muscles.

What it does is almost immediately reduce their appearance by not having your skin stretched all the time.

And it can also give time/space for you to reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles by keeping your skin clean and hydrated with good products.

Botox does wear out after 3-6 months, but it is a quick and painless procedure and a pretty good bang for your buck in terms of cost versus results.

[Brisey]

Botox works a treat on the forehead, I've had lines disappear for up to 9 months. It doesn't work for under eye wrinkles though, only crows feet.
Regular microdermabrasion leaves the skin in great shape, I'd definitely giving that a go.
I tried the fractional co2 laser for the under eye area recently which supposedly rejuvenates collagen production but a few sessions are needed prior to seeing results. I'll use a derma roller once a week on my skin before to applying products (dermalogica) and I'm seeing some improvement there.