A Numbers Game: 3 Ways To Deal With 11's

Eleven

I spent most of my retail career furrowing my brows. It was one of my signatures actually. Whenever I was surprised, disappointed or incredulous, I’d furrow. (It was also a coping mechanism, but that’s another blog post entirely.)

Little did I know all of that would lead to 11′s. *Sigh*

In case you don’t know, 11′s are vertical lines between your brows that become way more prominent as you get into your late 30′s and early 40′s. They’re brought on by excessive furrowing and/or squinting as well as (surprise!) genetics. You won’t find much evidence of 11′s in pix these days though, especially not on social media because no one wants to show those off on FB, Instagram or Snap Chat. I, for one, have a strict No 11′s policy for any photos (of me) that get uploaded.

The good news is I’ve done a lot of research (mostly on my I-Phone) and found the 3 best ways to address 11′s:

1. Live With Them. This is the easiest and cheapest option. If it works for you, then kudos and congrats. I’m jealous. Tried this and am realizing that it may not be a good solution for me long term. Ah, yes, it's called VANITY. 

a box of Frownies

2.  Frownies. Bought a box of these at Whole Foods last year. They’re little pieces of paper with adhesive on the back that you can customize to cover different areas on your face. Wet the adhesive and then, apply the sticky side to your 11′s. Leave on for as long as possible, preferably overnight. Frownies are supposed to help retrain your facial muscles, so that your 11′s smooth out and become less noticeable. Sorta like a retainer, but for your lines, not your teeth. Sadly, in my experience, the results are only temporary.

Bonus points for anyone who sees you walking around in flannel pj's with a dirty hair ponytail and a frownie between your eyebrows and still thinks you're sexy. 

A Hypodermic Needle

3. Botox and Fillers. This is the costliest option, but not something you want to scrimp on either. (In other words, if a DR is sticking a needle in your face, you should make sure they’re super qualified, even if it winds up costing you more.) A lot of people get regular injections, but don’t cop to it. That bugs me. That’s why I love Kelly Ripa – She’s one of the only celebs I’ve seen who admits to having 11′s and using Botox to make them go bye bye. Applause, applause.

 Update:

December 2014

I still haven't gotten any Botox for my 11's. Truth be told, I had an appointment with a Cosmetic Dermatologist, but had to cancel because someone give me Springsteen tix for MSG in NYC (aka, Madison Square Garden). Hey, I have my priorities. 😉