Police: Pontiac man, 27, killed mother, brother before turning gun on himself

The man charged with killing his mother and brother at a Pontiac hotel requires 24-hour medical care at the Peoria County jail for injuries he suffered after an apparent suicide attempt.

Cody Hetherington is charged with the Aug. 20 shooting deaths of his family at thePalamar Motel, where the three of them were living, according to the Pantagraph in Bloomington. Police say he then turned the gun on himself, and it could be two weeks before he is transferred to theLivingston County jail.

Meanwhile,Livingston County is being billed for his housing and medical care. He's being held on $300,000 bond.

Pontiac Police Chief Jim Woolford saidhe is confident they have solid information on key aspects of the case, but a motive has not been determined with certainty.

View the original article here

Gia Allemand's Phone Call With Mom Before Suicide: "She Didn't Want to Be Alone When She Left This World"

View the original article here

Jon Stewart Returns to The Daily Show, Channels Miley, Moses & More Before Stephen Colbert Whips Him Into Hosting Shape

Gavin Bond/Comedy Central

He's back!

It really was The Daily Show With Jon Stewart again Tuesday night as Jon Stewart returned to his Comedy Central seat after taking a three-month break to direct his first film while the reliably funny John Oliver filled in.

But while a summer off doesn't seem like that much time, considering he has hosted The Daily Show for 14 years, Stewart needed a little help getting back into broadcast shape before heading back on the air.

Well, more than a little help, since when Oliver first showed up to greet his boss, Stewart was unshaven and scraggly and speaking in a thick accent.

WATCH: Jon Stewart's beard shows up for Stephen Colbert's Daft Punk dance party

"Hey Jess, we have a huge problem," Oliver rushed over to correspondent Jessica Williams in the bit that opened tonight's show. "Jon's back, but I think the Middle East has changed him. He's not even acting American. Get a defibrillator and two Big Macs. Let's do this."

Jump-starting Stewart's true self with McDonald's didn't work at first, however, but merely changed him into a redneck stereotype who said, "Obamacare can suck Paula Deen's d--k for all I care. It's a politically correct culture, why can't we say that word..."

So then Oliver tried a shot to calm Jon down ("What was in that thing?" Williams inquired. "Just lox," Oliver shrugged), but that just turned him into Moses.

"Hear me, o' children of Israel," the bearded, robe-wearing Stewart began.

PHOTOS: Beard-sporting celebrities

"This is going to take a while," Oliver admitted, before turning Stewart into a pipe-smoking Brit; a unitard-wearing Freddie Mercury; a Smurf; and then a foam-finger-wielding, nude leotard-wearing, tongue-wagging someone-or-other.

Williams smashed him over the head with a bottle of Heineken, but that only succeeded in turning Stewart into Hitler, so it was time to call in reinforcements.

Cue Stephen Colbert in a hazmat suit, who somehow, some way, whipped Stewart into shape. (Literally. You could hear the whipping sounds.)

After some time with his old pal, Stewart bounded out of his office, clean-shaven and ready to host.

"I've missed you so much," he told the audience in a conspiratorial whisper after the opening credits had rolled.

We've missed you, too, Jon. 

PHOTOS: Check out what's great in pop culture right now

View the original article here

Obama in Stockholm before heading to G20 summit in Russia

Updated 5:10 a.m. ET

STOCKHOLM President Obama is seeking to use a 24-hour visit to this Swedish capital to show a softer side of American diplomacy even as the world's gaze remains fixed anxiously on Syria.

He intends to focus in the Nordic nation on climate change, trade and technology, a trio of issues on which there is broad consensus with European allies. The topics are a marked departure from the thorny, pressing matters he's facing back home on national security and the economy. He also plans to pay homage to a Holocaust-era hero whose name is commemorated on street signs from Paris to Tel Aviv.

The president arrived Wednesday morning in Stockholm after an overnight flight from Washington that CBS News correspondent Major Garrett said featured some early turbulence. In Washington, lawmakers are weighing whether to approve Mr. Mr. Obama's request for a military strike against Syria. A day later, the president was scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, to meet with foreign leaders at the Group of 20 economic summit.

Greeting Mr. Mr. Obama on a mild, sunny morning at the Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport were Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and leaders of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's center-right coalition government.

Along Mr. Obama's motorcade route form the airport to a hotel, crowds of people lined the streets, some waving small American flags.

Mr. Obama's trip to Sweden will mark the first bilateral visit by a sitting U.S. president to the northern European nation. While in Stockholm, Mr. Obama will meet with Reinfeldt and King Carl XVI Gustav and dine with Nordic leaders from Norway, Iceland, Finland and Denmark. He'll also stop at Sweden's premier technical university to call attention to Sweden's goal to phase out fossil fuels by 2050.

The White House hastily arranged the Stockholm visit after Mr. Obama, incensed when Russia granted asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, scrapped a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The cancellation created a two-day scheduling void when Mr. Obama was expecting to be overseas but had nowhere to go. The White House added Sweden to his itinerary.

Administration officials previewing Mr. Obama's trip offered little in the way of a specific rationale for the visit, other than to say that the country had extended him a written invitation some time ago. They added that Nordic nations are important partners in development, global security and promotion of democracy.

Many of Mr. Obama's global priorities -- like energy, global trade and science training -- parallel his second-term domestic goals as he seeks to ready the U.S. workforce for a higher-tech economy, increase demand abroad for American products and tackle climate change. But those priorities have at times been overshadowed by global outrage over massive U.S. surveillance programs revealed by Snowden, and by Mr. Obama's efforts to persuade nations to take a tougher tack against Syria.

A sobering moment was expected Wednesday afternoon when he honors the late Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited for saving at least 20,000 Jews during World War II before being arrested by Soviet forces in 1945 and then mysteriously disappearing. Wallenberg's family planned to present a letter to Mr. Obama asking for help in pressing Russia to shed light on Wallenberg's fate.

Amid tight security, protesters were already gathering in the streets of Stockholm, including a small group from Amnesty International that held a demonstration outside the royal palace to demand that Mr. Obama close Guantanamo Bay prison.

Thousands of armed police are deployed on city streets, many roads and parks are closed in the downtown area, concrete barriers and steel fences have sprung up in many locations near where Mr. Obama will stay.

View the original article here

Obama in Stockholm before heading to G20 summit in Russia

Updated 5:10 a.m. ET

STOCKHOLM President Obama is seeking to use a 24-hour visit to this Swedish capital to show a softer side of American diplomacy even as the world's gaze remains fixed anxiously on Syria.

He intends to focus in the Nordic nation on climate change, trade and technology, a trio of issues on which there is broad consensus with European allies. The topics are a marked departure from the thorny, pressing matters he's facing back home on national security and the economy. He also plans to pay homage to a Holocaust-era hero whose name is commemorated on street signs from Paris to Tel Aviv.

The president arrived Wednesday morning in Stockholm after an overnight flight from Washington that CBS News correspondent Major Garrett said featured some early turbulence. In Washington, lawmakers are weighing whether to approve Mr. Mr. Obama's request for a military strike against Syria. A day later, the president was scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, to meet with foreign leaders at the Group of 20 economic summit.

Greeting Mr. Mr. Obama on a mild, sunny morning at the Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport were Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and leaders of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's center-right coalition government.

Along Mr. Obama's motorcade route form the airport to a hotel, crowds of people lined the streets, some waving small American flags.

Mr. Obama's trip to Sweden will mark the first bilateral visit by a sitting U.S. president to the northern European nation. While in Stockholm, Mr. Obama will meet with Reinfeldt and King Carl XVI Gustav and dine with Nordic leaders from Norway, Iceland, Finland and Denmark. He'll also stop at Sweden's premier technical university to call attention to Sweden's goal to phase out fossil fuels by 2050.

The White House hastily arranged the Stockholm visit after Mr. Obama, incensed when Russia granted asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, scrapped a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The cancellation created a two-day scheduling void when Mr. Obama was expecting to be overseas but had nowhere to go. The White House added Sweden to his itinerary.

Administration officials previewing Mr. Obama's trip offered little in the way of a specific rationale for the visit, other than to say that the country had extended him a written invitation some time ago. They added that Nordic nations are important partners in development, global security and promotion of democracy.

Many of Mr. Obama's global priorities -- like energy, global trade and science training -- parallel his second-term domestic goals as he seeks to ready the U.S. workforce for a higher-tech economy, increase demand abroad for American products and tackle climate change. But those priorities have at times been overshadowed by global outrage over massive U.S. surveillance programs revealed by Snowden, and by Mr. Obama's efforts to persuade nations to take a tougher tack against Syria.

A sobering moment was expected Wednesday afternoon when he honors the late Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited for saving at least 20,000 Jews during World War II before being arrested by Soviet forces in 1945 and then mysteriously disappearing. Wallenberg's family planned to present a letter to Mr. Obama asking for help in pressing Russia to shed light on Wallenberg's fate.

Amid tight security, protesters were already gathering in the streets of Stockholm, including a small group from Amnesty International that held a demonstration outside the royal palace to demand that Mr. Obama close Guantanamo Bay prison.

Thousands of armed police are deployed on city streets, many roads and parks are closed in the downtown area, concrete barriers and steel fences have sprung up in many locations near where Mr. Obama will stay.

View the original article here

Email etiquette: Ask before sending attachments

(MoneyWatch) It might not seem that way, but email has its own complex rules of etiquette, which you may violate -- intentionally or otherwise -- at your own peril. I've written about many of these rules in the past, but one issue that seems to irritate some people more than any other is the issue of the unsolicited attachment.

Specifically, I'm referring to cold call emails that contain attachments -- it's a no-no.

This rule doesn't really apply to intra-network email. So if you are sending email to co-workers within the walls of a company, feel free to send attachments without too much concern. But a lot of professionals don't like to receive attachments of any kind -- and they're particularly offended by large attachments -- from external cold-callers.

There are a number of reasons for this. Most importantly, attachments eat up bandwidth and data, which is still a worry for some people. And attachments have the potential for malware as well. Bottom line: Consider sending attachments without asking first to be in bad form.

This advice is considered important enough that it's a part of the Care and Feeding of the Press recommendations, published by the Internet Press Guild, a non-profit group of online journalists (of which I am a member).

So before you add a Word file, JPG, or -- worst case -- a PDF to an email, consider this rule. Here are some other email best practices to help you stay professional in email:

Bottom line up front. Using the BLUF method, be sure you put the action item or request at the very start of the email, and then expand on that idea with more context later. Don't bury your "ask" at the end of the email.

Put each request on its own line. Make it easy for your recipient to see everything you're asking. Don't put more than one question, request, or action item in the same paragraph.

Keep it short. Make your email as short as possible. And then shorten it a little more.

Keep the subject line relevant. Don't ambush someone with a vague subject line. And if the nature of the message changes over an extended set of exchanges, update the subject line so the purpose of the email remains obvious.

Don't BCC your boss. Don't hide people in the BCC line of an email -- if they later choose to "reply all," you've been exposed as someone who was letting people lurk from the shadows. That won't be good for your reputation or credibility.

What other examples of email etiquette do you consider important? If you were writing an email handbook, what would you put in it? Sound off in the comments.

View the original article here

Email etiquette: Ask before sending attachments

(MoneyWatch) It might not seem that way, but email has its own complex rules of etiquette, which you may violate -- intentionally or otherwise -- at your own peril. I've written about many of these rules in the past, but one issue that seems to irritate some people more than any other is the issue of the unsolicited attachment.

Specifically, I'm referring to cold call emails that contain attachments -- it's a no-no.

This rule doesn't really apply to intra-network email. So if you are sending email to co-workers within the walls of a company, feel free to send attachments without too much concern. But a lot of professionals don't like to receive attachments of any kind -- and they're particularly offended by large attachments -- from external cold-callers.

There are a number of reasons for this. Most importantly, attachments eat up bandwidth and data, which is still a worry for some people. And attachments have the potential for malware as well. Bottom line: Consider sending attachments without asking first to be in bad form.

This advice is considered important enough that it's a part of the Care and Feeding of the Press recommendations, published by the Internet Press Guild, a non-profit group of online journalists (of which I am a member).

So before you add a Word file, JPG, or -- worst case -- a PDF to an email, consider this rule. Here are some other email best practices to help you stay professional in email:

Bottom line up front. Using the BLUF method, be sure you put the action item or request at the very start of the email, and then expand on that idea with more context later. Don't bury your "ask" at the end of the email.

Put each request on its own line. Make it easy for your recipient to see everything you're asking. Don't put more than one question, request, or action item in the same paragraph.

Keep it short. Make your email as short as possible. And then shorten it a little more.

Keep the subject line relevant. Don't ambush someone with a vague subject line. And if the nature of the message changes over an extended set of exchanges, update the subject line so the purpose of the email remains obvious.

Don't BCC your boss. Don't hide people in the BCC line of an email -- if they later choose to "reply all," you've been exposed as someone who was letting people lurk from the shadows. That won't be good for your reputation or credibility.

What other examples of email etiquette do you consider important? If you were writing an email handbook, what would you put in it? Sound off in the comments.

View the original article here

Martha's Vineyard lighthouse to be moved before it falls into sea

(CBS News) MARTHA'S VINEYARD, Mass. -- It's tough to beat the view from Richard Skidmore's office.

He's the keeper of the lighthouse atop the Gay Head Cliffs at the tip of Martha's Vineyard -- cliffs that are being chipped away by erosion.

Richard Skidmore

/ CBS News

There's 47 feet between the cliff and the lighthouse.

"We've put a date of 2015. It has to be moved by that year ... or it would tumble into the sea," said Skidmore.

Which explains the lighthouse's prominent place on the list of the country's most endangered historical landmarks.

They need $3 million to move it as far as 500 feet.

"We are playing against mother nature," said Skidmore.

The Gay Head Cliffs lighthouse in Martha's Vineyard sits on eroding cliffs.

/ CBS News

There's been a lighthouse here since 1799. This one was built in 1856 at a time when this channel was the busiest shipping lane in the country, and boats were guided by the beacon on the hill.

"It's two things. It's warning you about those rocks, and welcoming you home," said Skidmore.

Even today, the lighthouse plays its part in keeping the local economy going. Hundreds of tourists are drawn here each day.

Cully Vanderhoop's family has been running businesses alongside the lighthouse for 70 years.

Cully Vanderhoop

/ CBS News

He really likes it when those tour buses pull up and says it would be a different place without that lighthouse.

"It's like losing a member of your family. It takes a chunk of your heart, your soul," said Vanderhoop.

Surveyors and engineers have identified three potential spots where the lighthouse would be safe for at least another 100 years.

"It's really a matter of keeping the lighthouse here. That's the job of the light house keeper now, is preserving the light. This was a big part of life here," said Skidmore.

Because those who love this lighthouse are not willing to see the light go dark.

View the original article here

nprfreshair: “The day before the buildings were razed, the 43...

“The day before the buildings were razed, the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows. I was set up on my fire escape across the streeet, directing the scene, with bullhorn in hand. Of course I was concerned for the Models’ safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.”

- Ormond Gigli, 1960

via Retronaut

View the original article here

There’s a Black Market for Botox & Other Things to Know Before Getting Injected

Botox might take years off your appearance, but before requesting your own injectable Fountain of Youth, make sure you know exactly what you're doing

By Kristin Booker - July 5, 2013

Botox Might Not Do What You Want It to
Many people confuse what Botox actually does with other age-fighting beauty injectables. “[Botox's] only benefit is to render a muscle weaker for 3-4 months. It doesn't fill lines, it just makes it harder to make the muscle contraction that creates the lines,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Misbah Khan, owner of M. Khan Dermatology in New York City. So will it work on those wrinkles around the mouth? “No. If you have smile lines [the parentheses around the mouth], you'll need a filler [like Restylane] to erase them.”

There's a Black Market
Many coupon services run deals for cheap series of Botox, and they’re probably all too good to be true. Before you buy into anything, know who and what you’re dealing with. “Do not look for the better deal. Make sure you know what’s going in your face. If it's too cheap, it may be acquired on the black market, or the Botox they’re using might be expired or about to expire," warns Dr. Khan.

You Could Have an Allergic Reaction
You may know that Botox is derived from the same bacteria as the toxin botulism, and while you absolutely cannot catch botulism from the use of Botox, there is a small chance that you could have an allergic reaction to preservatives and ingredients used. "Some reactions that have been reported include itching, rash, welts, asthma symptoms or feeling faint,” says Dr. Dennis Gross, founder of 900 5th Dermatology and creator of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. If you do have a reaction, call your doctor right away.

An Unskilled Injector Might Leave You Lopsided
“If the Botox is injected wrong in any part of your face, you may have a lopsided appearance,” says Dr. Gross. “Just remember that there is an artistry involved in the technique, so be sure your physician is highly experienced and skilled at administering it.”

Overdoing It Could Lead to Drooping—or Worse
“Drooping of the eyebrows can happen even in the best of hands; it can occur if too much is injected in one place,” says Dr. Khan. And if you’re already using Botox, over-application could make it worse. “Overuse of Botox can cause the muscles to become so weak that they can't support the flesh.” The results can look unnatural, and even worse, be painful. “If too much Botox is applied during a neck rejuvenation, it can cause the side of the face to droop, or in some cases the muscles that hold the neck up weaken to the point where you can't swallow or hold your head up."

Speaking Up Can Divert Disaster
You might think that you really, really want Botox no matter the small risks, but the pursuit of beauty is never worth harming your health. As with any other procedure, you should always disclose your full medical history before sitting in the chair. “Make sure to tell your doctor about all of your muscle or nerve conditions, as you may have an increased risk of serious side-effects, including difficulty swallowing and/or breathing,” cautions Dr. Gross. “Also, inform your doctor of any surgery plans, weakness of forehead muscles, recent injections, or medicines you are currently taking.” Dr. Gervaise Gerstner, L’Oréal Paris Consulting Dermatologist adds one more caution to that list: “Be sure to disclose any autoimmune neuromotor disease like myasenthia gravis.”

Results Are Not Instant
“It takes about three to seven days to show the full effect, and results will last about four months,” says Dr. Gross. And those results vary, depending on the depth of your wrinkles. “If you start Botox treatments just as fine lines are beginning to appear and continue them as you age, you can prevent select expression lines from forming at all,” advises Dr. Gross. Patients who already have pronounced lines may see benefits in a bit more time, “It takes a few days to see results, and a full two weeks to see the full effects of a Botox treatment,” explains Dr. Khan.

Botox is Not Painless
Although getting Botox is not particularly painful for most patients, since there are needles involved, you can’t expect to feel absolutely nothing when getting injected. “During the procedure, you can expect a slight pinch from the needle. There are numbing creams available in topical and aesthetic forms,” says Dr. Gross. Dr. Khan is also known to use ice to numb the area for people who have a low tolerance or phobia of needles.

Aspirin and Fish Oil Don't Mix With Botox
“We tell our patients to stop using aspirin products up to a week before a treatment because they are blood thinners,” cautions Dr. Gross. "Discontinuing the use of aspirin the week before will help to keep bruising down. Also, we tell our patients to stop using fish oils a week beforehand because they also promote bruising for the same blood thinning reason.” Of course, always discuss changing the dosage of medicine with your primary physician beforehand.

Hair-Drying Is Off Limits Right After the Procedure
“There’s no lowering of the head for two hours post-procedure,” says Dr. Gerstner. “No yoga, no bending over, no blow drying your hair, no tight hats, no napping. In other words, heads up!”

It Might Cure More Than Wrinkles
If you have excessive underarm or palm sweating or suffer from serious migraines, talk to your doctor about using Botox to cure these ills. It's been proven to diminish or stop excessive sweating, called hyperhidrosis, and to reduce the severity of migraines too—but don’t try tacking either treatment onto your cosmetic visit. You’ll need to book separate appointments. One quick tip: always take a quick peek at the box. “Botox meant for cosmetic purposes will say ‘Botox Cosmetic’ on the packaging,” says Dr. Khan. “Botox for medical purposes will say that on the package.”

A Happier Look Might Actually Improve Your Mood
If you’re prone to frowning, “eventually those muscles strengthen in that formation, which means it takes much effort to smile and look happy. When Botox relaxes those muscles, you look happier, which can really improve your mood and confidence,” says Dr. Gross.

Kristin Booker is a contributing writer on iVillage. Follow her on Twitter andGoogle+.

Connect with Us Follow Our Pins

Yummy recipes, DIY projects, home decor, fashion and more curated by iVillage staffers.

The very dirty truth about fashion internships... DUN DUN @srslytheshow http://t.co/wfewf

On Instagram

Behind-the-scenes pics from iVillage.

View the original article here

There’s a Black Market for Botox & Other Things to Know Before Getting Injected

Botox might take years off your appearance, but before requesting your own injectable Fountain of Youth, make sure you know exactly what you're doing

By Kristin Booker - July 5, 2013

Botox Might Not Do What You Want It to
Many people confuse what Botox actually does with other age-fighting beauty injectables. “[Botox's] only benefit is to render a muscle weaker for 3-4 months. It doesn't fill lines, it just makes it harder to make the muscle contraction that creates the lines,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Misbah Khan, owner of M. Khan Dermatology in New York City. So will it work on those wrinkles around the mouth? “No. If you have smile lines [the parentheses around the mouth], you'll need a filler [like Restylane] to erase them.”

There's a Black Market
Many coupon services run deals for cheap series of Botox, and they’re probably all too good to be true. Before you buy into anything, know who and what you’re dealing with. “Do not look for the better deal. Make sure you know what’s going in your face. If it's too cheap, it may be acquired on the black market, or the Botox they’re using might be expired or about to expire," warns Dr. Khan.

You Could Have an Allergic Reaction
You may know that Botox is derived from the same bacteria as the toxin botulism, and while you absolutely cannot catch botulism from the use of Botox, there is a small chance that you could have an allergic reaction to preservatives and ingredients used. "Some reactions that have been reported include itching, rash, welts, asthma symptoms or feeling faint,” says Dr. Dennis Gross, founder of 900 5th Dermatology and creator of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. If you do have a reaction, call your doctor right away.

An Unskilled Injector Might Leave You Lopsided
“If the Botox is injected wrong in any part of your face, you may have a lopsided appearance,” says Dr. Gross. “Just remember that there is an artistry involved in the technique, so be sure your physician is highly experienced and skilled at administering it.”

Overdoing It Could Lead to Drooping—or Worse
“Drooping of the eyebrows can happen even in the best of hands; it can occur if too much is injected in one place,” says Dr. Khan. And if you’re already using Botox, over-application could make it worse. “Overuse of Botox can cause the muscles to become so weak that they can't support the flesh.” The results can look unnatural, and even worse, be painful. “If too much Botox is applied during a neck rejuvenation, it can cause the side of the face to droop, or in some cases the muscles that hold the neck up weaken to the point where you can't swallow or hold your head up."

Speaking Up Can Divert Disaster
You might think that you really, really want Botox no matter the small risks, but the pursuit of beauty is never worth harming your health. As with any other procedure, you should always disclose your full medical history before sitting in the chair. “Make sure to tell your doctor about all of your muscle or nerve conditions, as you may have an increased risk of serious side-effects, including difficulty swallowing and/or breathing,” cautions Dr. Gross. “Also, inform your doctor of any surgery plans, weakness of forehead muscles, recent injections, or medicines you are currently taking.” Dr. Gervaise Gerstner, L’Oréal Paris Consulting Dermatologist adds one more caution to that list: “Be sure to disclose any autoimmune neuromotor disease like myasenthia gravis.”

Results Are Not Instant
“It takes about three to seven days to show the full effect, and results will last about four months,” says Dr. Gross. And those results vary, depending on the depth of your wrinkles. “If you start Botox treatments just as fine lines are beginning to appear and continue them as you age, you can prevent select expression lines from forming at all,” advises Dr. Gross. Patients who already have pronounced lines may see benefits in a bit more time, “It takes a few days to see results, and a full two weeks to see the full effects of a Botox treatment,” explains Dr. Khan.

Botox is Not Painless
Although getting Botox is not particularly painful for most patients, since there are needles involved, you can’t expect to feel absolutely nothing when getting injected. “During the procedure, you can expect a slight pinch from the needle. There are numbing creams available in topical and aesthetic forms,” says Dr. Gross. Dr. Khan is also known to use ice to numb the area for people who have a low tolerance or phobia of needles.

Aspirin and Fish Oil Don't Mix With Botox
“We tell our patients to stop using aspirin products up to a week before a treatment because they are blood thinners,” cautions Dr. Gross. "Discontinuing the use of aspirin the week before will help to keep bruising down. Also, we tell our patients to stop using fish oils a week beforehand because they also promote bruising for the same blood thinning reason.” Of course, always discuss changing the dosage of medicine with your primary physician beforehand.

Hair-Drying Is Off Limits Right After the Procedure
“There’s no lowering of the head for two hours post-procedure,” says Dr. Gerstner. “No yoga, no bending over, no blow drying your hair, no tight hats, no napping. In other words, heads up!”

It Might Cure More Than Wrinkles
If you have excessive underarm or palm sweating or suffer from serious migraines, talk to your doctor about using Botox to cure these ills. It's been proven to diminish or stop excessive sweating, called hyperhidrosis, and to reduce the severity of migraines too—but don’t try tacking either treatment onto your cosmetic visit. You’ll need to book separate appointments. One quick tip: always take a quick peek at the box. “Botox meant for cosmetic purposes will say ‘Botox Cosmetic’ on the packaging,” says Dr. Khan. “Botox for medical purposes will say that on the package.”

A Happier Look Might Actually Improve Your Mood
If you’re prone to frowning, “eventually those muscles strengthen in that formation, which means it takes much effort to smile and look happy. When Botox relaxes those muscles, you look happier, which can really improve your mood and confidence,” says Dr. Gross.

Kristin Booker is a contributing writer on iVillage. Follow her on Twitter andGoogle+.

Connect with Us Follow Our Pins

Yummy recipes, DIY projects, home decor, fashion and more curated by iVillage staffers.

The very dirty truth about fashion internships... DUN DUN @srslytheshow http://t.co/wfewf

On Instagram

Behind-the-scenes pics from iVillage.

View the original article here

Should You Try Botox? What We Wish We'd Known Before We Did

From wrinkles to migraines to happy faces, women share why they jumped on the Botox bandwagon

By Jeannette Moninger - June 26, 2013

It’s not just Real Housewives and Hollywood stars who want to stay youthful. In 2012, a record-setting 6.1 million Americans (94 percent of them women) received Botox injections. While some turn to the procedure to fight migraines or excessive sweating, the majority simply want to look younger. Here, women reveal the good, the bad and the ugly truth they learned from getting Botox.

Beware the Dog Face
“I loved how Botox softened my crow’s feet, so I tried it for frown lines between my brows. The effects were great — until I cried (and I cry often out of joy, sadness, hormonal reasons, you name it!). My inner eyebrows stayed the same, but the lower sections moved down giving me a basset hound appearance. I am an emotionally expressive person, so I will not be repeating that procedure.” —Stacey, age 45

It Can Cure Your 'Anger' Problem
“The deep crease between my eyebrows always made me look angry even when I was in great spirits. Without that line, I look so much more relaxed and youthful—happy even!” —Tina, age 48

Your Face Might Spasm
“When my Botox started to wear off, it felt like my forehead was having muscle spasms and contracting my eyebrows up toward my scalp. Thankfully, these spasms weren’t noticeable to others, but the sensation (which lasted for days) was very strange and really annoying.” —Sarah, age 44

You’ll Start Seeing Wrinkles Everywhere
“Since starting Botox, I’m very aware of how wrinkly other people’s foreheads are. But I would never tell my friends that.” —Ashlie, age 21

This Is Not the Time to Bargain Hunt
“I once experienced significant swelling after going to an inexperienced clinician. Ask your friends who they recommend and make sure the technician is well trained.” —Marisa, age 51

You Need to Be Realistic
“Botox isn’t a facelift-in-a-bottle. As a registered nurse who has both given and received injections, I find that most women’s expectations are too high. Botox is great at diminishing mild to moderate facial lines and wrinkles, but it won’t help saggy skin or deeply-etched lines. A good clinician should outline the changes you can realistically expect.” —Beth, age 52

It Really Can Prevent Migraines
“Getting Botox for migraines is like being stung repeatedly in the head. Still the pain is nothing compared to an actual migraine. My migraines have gone from about 15 a month to half that. It’s a win-win: Less pain and fewer wrinkles!” —Kari, age 44

It'll Stop Drippy Armpits
“My underarms used to drip before I started getting Botox for excessive sweating. The twice-yearly injections — about 20 per armpit — are not fun, but the payoff is sweet smelling.” —Robin, age 51

You Could Get Hooked
“At first I didn’t think I needed Botox. Now I’m scared to stop because I love what it has done for me. I feel younger, prettier and more confident” —Melissa, age 35

It's Not Just for Women With Wrinkles
“When deep creases started lining my forehead at age 27, I knew they’d only become deeper and more noticeable with age. I use Botox not necessarily to look younger, but to ensure that I won’t look older.” —Michelle, age 30

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