One day after school, I was scrolling through my TikTok feed, when I came across a video asking the question: “What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?”. This video really got me wondering what topics do I know enough about and am passionate enough about to give a full monologue on? So, for my last blog, I thought I would deviate from my narrative stories a little bit and write on a topic that I could talk forever (a speech that I have given to my family many, many times)- the importance of Botox, and its impact on society. 

Most people would never willingly put a deadly poison into their bodies. However, the injection of botulism toxin, a bacterial neurotoxin that, in its natural form, is a lethal substance, has become the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States, under its more well-recognized and much less intimidating name: Botox. During World War II, it was even rumored that Germany was prepared to use botulinum toxin as a biological weapon, which is a very dark history for a product millions of people use. Annually, Botox sales reach into the billions, because of its famous ability to smooth complexions, reflective of its obvious cultural impact. But, it is more than just cosmetics- it is a revolutionary treatment that has helped patients in many ways, such as migraine and phantom pain relief, and many urinary issues, among many other applications. 

To explore the science behind the product a little bit, Botox is from Clostridium Botulinum, a bacteria with properties that are able to cause paralysis in the human body, which botulinum toxin can be derived from. The Botulism toxin operates by stopping the release of acetylcholine, halting muscle activity by blocking this neurotransmitter. That is how the product Botox smooths wrinkles; by paralyzing them away temporarily, also allowing it to paralyze muscles and treat spasms, giving it numerous medical applications.

The impact of Botox has reached into all of our lives, in some ways more obvious than others. It has shifted the way we take care of ourselves and changed the ways of popular culture, mass media, and the world’s beauty standards as a whole, promoting the prevention of aging. However, its purpose has extended into usage well beyond these bounds, and into arenas such as health, wellness and the economy, which is why it has been so important to society. 

Health and wellness, a person’s holistic state of well-being physically, socially and mentally, is a subject in which the usage of Botox has impacted greatly. Botox can greatly improve an individual’s health and quality of life, especially for people who struggle with different chronic ailments and disorders, including blepharospasm, hair loss, excessive sweating, cervical dystonia, muscle spasms, and cerebral palsy. These are just a couple of the utilizations Botox has, providing a medical basis for the usefulness of the injection. 

Furthermore, Botox has massively impacted the economy, stimulating a new and booming industry that is continually progressing. Botox has left a clear mark in culture and the way we take care of ourselves and present ourselves, but it has also paved the pathway towards growing the cosmetic procedure and osteopathic fields. Osteopathic medicine is a more holistic approach to medicine that can help their patients manage chronic pain. The field has experienced exponential growth in the past decades, and is one of the fastest-growing medical fields. Its growth is parallel to the popularity of Botox. Botox is known as somewhat of a “beginner” cosmetic procedure, along with lip injections and filler, because it is non-invasive and non-surgical, making it easy for osteopathic practices to use and market, simultaneously increasing the popularity of botox and osteopathy. Similarly, the cosmetic procedure industry has experienced astronomical growth, which can be greatly credited to the increased usage of Botox. The product draws in a large number of consumers each year because it is such a normalized, non-invasive procedure, making it a well-known and trusted treatment with high amounts of effectiveness. Botox not only has cultural and medical benefits, but has also fostered growth in the economy and built massive industries.

So, now you have it- the importance of Botox, and its importance in modern society, a subject I find absolutely fascinating. This blog definitely comes off a lot like a Botox ad, but there are also a lot of downsides to the usage of the product, relating to an unrealistic standard of beauty and affiliated problems. But, the downsides of Botox is another 40-minute presentation for another day, but the effect the product has had is undeniable. Its impact extends far beyond its plastic surgery fountain-of-youth reputation; it has single-handedly grown both the cosmetic and osteopathic markets, and revolutionized culture and mass media, truly changing the world, one injection at a time. 

 

My family has always been a big fan of road trips. I’m not really sure why or how we decided that vehicular travel was our preferred mode of vacation, but I think it has something to do with how frequently we went and visited our family in Virginia and Boston, and that constant airfare expenses were not ideal on the salaries of two students, one getting their masters and the other their Ph.D. However, the thing about road trips is that they are awful at the moment, but they make for really good memories. It seems to be that the worse the road trip, the more I remember it. 

I’ve been to countless places via road trip. When I say that my family drives everywhere, I mean it. Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Massachusetts, Washington, Washington D.C., Colorado, Montana- the list continues to grow. However, the craziest and most memorable trip was the second 30-hour drive to Buena Park, California, to visit my grandmother. For some reason, my parents had decided to do it non-stop. I made this journey twice, once with just my parents in May 2020 and again a couple months later with my parents and siblings. To be honest, I don’t really remember much from the first trip. It’s mostly a blur of books, TV shows, food, rest stops, and my back hurting. The second time around is when things took an interesting turn. 

The ride there was uneventful, just way more cramped in our old minivan due to the added presence of my siblings, Jonathan and Sarah. The infamous ride back started on December 30th, 2020, two days

 before New Year’s Day. It started normally, but sometime around 2 A.M, about two hours outside of Las Vegas, our car started to shudder and make a really weird sound. Our red Honda Odyssey slowly came to a stop in the highway median, where we were stranded, when a state trooper kindly came and helped us call a tow truck. Waiting in the car for the next couple of hours, stranded in what was basically the desert of Nevada, felt unreal. What happened, you ask? My brother put diesel in the car. 

Thanks to the kindness of the tow truck driver, who let us all in the truck cabin despite COVID policy, we made our way to a small town (I have no idea what its name was) and parked outside of the auto repair shop. At this point, it was probably 4:30, and the only place to go to the bathroom was the sketchiest 24 hour casino I could have ever imagined. I try to block it out of my memory, but the smell and the squish of the carpet are permanent remainders in my brain. To fast-forward, we somehow got our car fixed (thank goodness the auto shop was open on New Year’s Eve), slept in a hotel for a couple of hours, and then were on our merry way. And so the story continues, with about 22 hours left until we were home, when things seemed to go wrong yet again. The whole point of leaving December 30th was to miss this large snowstorm, and because of the diesel mishap, we were right in it, plowing through the Rocky Mountains with only one headlight (one went out somewhere in Utah), driving at probably only 25 miles an hour. But somehow, we made it home safe and sound, and that was the last big road trip

the five of us took. 

The moral of the story is: do not put diesel in the car, because if you do, you’ll be stranded in the desert of Nevada, forced to celebrate New Year’s in the backseat of a minivan. However, I also think that through this experience, I left with an understanding and greater appreciation of the value of life’s moments, all the highs and the lows.  Road trips were always something that I complained about when I was younger, but now I realize that hours spent in an airport pale in my memory compared to the time a bull charged at our car, all the hours I spent playing car games squished between my cousins’ car seats, or the sight of tunnels opening to mountain ranges, or looking up at the brightest stars I’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I would still much prefer flying to California, but I would also never want to take back the time I’ve spent driving to those places with my family, because it gave me so many memories, all the good and all the bad.