‘Why I Had My First Botox at 56 — And Why I’ll Do It Again’

Held off on trying tweakments into your late 50s, but still curious about them? Are you now a little worried it’s too late to start or think you’ll take the plunge and be judged for it, and no longer recognise your face? Jane*, a 56 year old health and social affairs journalist, felt the same about toxin injections, having spent decades in and around the industry, reluctant to dip her toe.  

Here’s how doing her research and choosing the right expert (which we always advocate for here at TTG), led her to the subtle youth-boosting results – and most importantly, the confidence – she craved, courtesy of leading practitioner Dr David Jack.

Why I didn’t think I’d ever have toxin injections?

Let me be clear: I never thought I’d be the kind of woman to get Botox. I’m a 56-year-old journalist covering health, and for years I watched from the sidelines, reporting on trends, interviewing experts, and admiring those impossibly youthful celebrities with faces that glowed – but crucially, didn’t look ‘done’. I told myself I didn’t need it. That I wouldn’t go there. But eventually, I did.

This is the story of how (and why) I finally took the plunge – and how a doctor known for his subtle tweakments transformed the way I feel about my face, without turning me into a frozen mannequin.

What stopped me having treatments before: from stigma to self-assurance 

My first flirtation with facial aesthetics began a decade ago. As part of my job, I’ve been offered everything from facials to vampire facelifts. Some were intriguing. Others were downright terrifying. My hesitation wasn’t just fear of needles. I was afraid I might lose the face I knew. That I’d be swept onto the tweakment treadmill and never get off. My mother used to say, “Once you start, it’ll backfire in the end.” That always stuck with me.

I was afraid I might lose the face I knew. That I’d be swept onto the tweakment treadmill and never get off.

But, if I’m honest, what really made me take so long wasn’t just the dread of getting it wrong — it was something deeper. Something cultural. I’m part of a generation raised to believe that “serious” women don’t fuss with their faces. Especially if they work in serious professions. We were taught that vanity was a slippery slope – that it suggested weakness, insecurity, or worse, frivolity.

And let’s be honest: Botox has long been a byword for vanity. It conjures images of taut foreheads, celebrity excess, or women who are desperately clinging on to youth. At least, that’s the outdated narrative I grew up with. A woman of substance – especially one in her fifties, who reports on government policies, and public health scandals – shouldn’t be dabbling in injectables. That’s what I told myself.

But here’s the truth: wanting to look in the mirror and recognise yourself isn’t vanity. Wanting your outside to reflect the energy and vitality you still feel inside is not weakness. It’s self-respect.

Wanting to look in the mirror and recognise yourself isn’t vanity. Wanting your outside to reflect the energy and vitality you still feel inside is not weakness. It’s self-respect.

Over time, I began to question this internalised shame. I wouldn’t think less of a friend who coloured her greys, wore lipstick, or booked herself a facial. So why was Botox different?

There’s still a strange stigma around women enhancing their looks. We’re praised for “ageing gracefully” but quietly judged if we get a little help, and held to impossible beauty standards – especially those of us still in the public eye. Yet, men get hair transplants and no one bats an eyelid. So I say – enough. Why shouldn’t we look as good as we feel?

I realised that rejecting tweakments out of fear of being judged was, in itself, another kind of prison. It meant letting other people’s perceptions dictate how I felt about my own reflection. And I realised I was tired of that.

How my face had started to change 

At the same time, no amount of sunscreen, hydration, or healthy eating could stop what age does to a face. In winter, I noticed my skin looking sunken. My once-plump cheeks lost volume, my eye sockets seemed to widen, and wrinkles deepened around my chin. I still stayed active and healthy – but the camera wasn’t so kind.

TV work made things harder. I’d film live bulletins over Zoom and cringe watching them back. In one particularly dreadful moment, someone posted a clip of me online with horrific lighting. I looked tired. Worse than tired. I looked old — and not in that “wise and elegant” way. That was the turning point.

I looked tired. Worse than tired. I looked old — and not in that “wise and elegant” way. That was the turning point.

What are toxin injections like to have?

I began my research in earnest and, after a few underwhelming consultations, I landed at the door of Dr David Jack. Known for his light touch and subtle results – which makes him great for first timers – his clinics are a haven for women (and men) who want to look like the best version of themselves – not a different person. His team? All highly trained. All lovely. And all aligned with his philosophy: natural is beautiful, but confidence is everything.

With three clinics in London (Harley Street, Belgravia, and The City), plus one in his native Edinburgh – Dr David also offers a 360-degree approach to skin health,  blending high-end treatments with nutrition advice and world-class skincare. His spaces aren’t your typical sterile white boxes either. They’re calm, elegant, and utterly chic – interiors he designed himself. Think stunning artworks, plush seating, and the kind of vibe that makes you feel instantly at ease. It’s as if your nervous system exhales the second you walk in.

Best of all, from the moment I met Dr Jack, I felt understood. He didn’t upsell. He didn’t bombard me with jargon. He asked me very simply and non-judgmentally how I felt about my face – and then really listened. When I told him I couldn’t afford two weeks of downtime (no cold lasers, please!), he suggested something gentle: light Botox.

Did I panic? Absolutely. I asked all the neurotic questions: Can I go out in the sun? Will it hurt? Can I still exercise? (I’d read that you shouldn’t, in case the Botox migrated, but you are fine after 24 hours).

Dr David smiled and said calmly: “You can do everything.” And somehow, I believed him.

He made four teeny injections. I barely felt them. And just like that, I’d had Botox. No drama. No pain. No regrets.

What does Botox look like in your 50s?

The results? Subtle. But I noticed. My face looked softer. Fresher. The deep crease between my brows had eased. I could still frown – but it didn’t feel like I had to. And my daughter? She peered at me and said, “Mummy, have you been airbrushed?”

I grinned. “Botox,” I whispered. “Let’s keep it between us.”

The final word

My decision to have Botox was personal. But it was also a quiet rebellion against that old idea – the idea that taking care of your appearance at 56 is somehow vain, shameful, or incompatible with being smart and serious. I refuse that binary now. I can be both. I am both.

And if a few drops of Botox help me walk into a studio with a little more confidence, face the day with a little less self-consciousness, and smile at my reflection without flinching – then I call that a win. Not a failure. Not a vanity project.

It took me decades to say yes. I’m now 56, and this small act of self-care – guided by the right hands – made me feel like myself again. Not a younger version of me. Just a me who looks a little less tired, a little more luminous, and a lot more confident.

So yes – I’ll absolutely do it again. And next time, I won’t whisper it.

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Visit Dr David Jack Clinics at drdavidjack.com to find out more about his London and Edinburgh locations.

*  Names have been changed

The writer of this piece received a complimentary treatment from Dr David Jack Clinics, but was not obligated to write this review and was not paid for it.