“My friend had a Botox-and-bubbles party and the doctor and nurses came to the house.
“It was fun; all the girls were getting bits and bobs done.”
Botox, a brand name for botulinum toxin, is injected into muscles to reduce wrinkles and fine lines by decreasing the muscle’s ability to contract.
It is used to also treat excessive sweating, chronic migraines and bladder dysfunction.
Burnard, 41, said she stopped the cosmetic treatments when she had her daughter five years ago, but now has regular sessions every four months.
“For a few years, it wasn’t a priority; then last year I started going back as a regular thing.
“Most people can’t tell; they say I look more refreshed and happy and less stressed because the line in my forehead is gone.”
There are numerous Caci Clinics, Face Doctors, TruYou cosmetic clinics and others dotted around Northland.
Burnard said while her anti-wrinkle sessions were not cheap for about $550 a pop, they were worth it and she planned to keep them up.
“It’s a lot of money for five minutes worth of injections, but once it’s done you don’t think about it.
“I absolutely feel better about myself.”
The Hits Northland presenter Charmaine Soljak said she had no qualms admitting she used Botox.
The Hits radio host Charmaine Soljak has been getting regular Botox injections for years to stay looking youthful. The popular radio host has been visiting Face Doctors in Whangārei for 10 years.
Soljak looks after herself by getting enough sleep, eating well and taking care of her fitness – along with Botox sessions every four or five months.
“Even if I’m in a meeting, if someone says you look great for your age, I’ll say ‘Botox is my friend’.”
Soljak, 55, started using cosmetic injections when she began doing a breakfast show, which meant getting up at 4am.
“Back then I was making sure I looked my absolute best for a person getting up at that time of the day.
“Now it’s about maintaining a particular look and having a high level of presentation that represents the brand.”
She said Botox was “a personal choice” rather than societal pressure.
“It provides some confidence for me in the role that I do.
“At my age now I’m aware I’m doing a job that’s quite public,” Soljak said.
“There’ll be a time when it’s less important for me ... depending on what I’m doing next, maybe I’d give it up.”
Sarah Hart, an Auckland-based cosmetic doctor for more than 20 years, said using Botox had become more normalised .
Dr Sarah Hart says people should do their research before getting cosmetic injectables. “Women realised it’s not about a plastic, frozen celebrity look, it’s about looking happier and more rested.
“A lot of the time the obvious results were the bad ones and people didn’t come clean when they had it.
“There was a lot of secrecy around it, that secrecy is decreasing.”
Hart cautioned women about using injectables.
Only a doctor or a registered nurse working under a doctor’s supervision can administer Botox.
“A lot more providers have good training – but some don’t.
“It’s very much buyer beware.”
She said people needed to do their research because there were not yet regulations on training standards for practitioners other than doctors.
“There are some illegal injectors who are not health professionals floating around.”
Hart said she was conflicted about the increased use of Botox.
“Beauty standards are forever going up. From a feminist point of view it’s a difficult conundrum.
“Now a fake tan, full-on lashes, nails done, everything waxed ... it’s like Botox has been added to that.
“These new things that are available, people flock to them and they become the new standard.
“But that doesn’t mean that you have to.”
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business and animal welfare issues.
