The Truth About Botox: Two Experts, Two Very Different Perspectives Ep 35
Botox might be one of the most polarizing cosmetic treatments right now. Ask one expert and they’ll tell you it’s one of the most studied cosmetic treatments in the world and can be used safely when administered correctly. Ask another in the holistic world, and they’ll tell you we’re injecting a neurotoxin into our faces without fully understanding the potential long-term or downstream effects. So I kept asking myself, how can two worlds look at the exact same treatment and come to such different conclusions? For over a year, I’ve wanted to put those perspectives in the same room. And that’s exactly what we did. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Manolis Manolakakis, an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Facial Cosmetic Surgeon, and Shelly Marshall, a former nurse injector and Founder of Beauty Shamans. I wanted to understand how two people with so much firsthand experience in this space could see the same treatment so differently — and dig deeper into why their conclusions are so different. This isn’t a debate. It isn’t about choosing sides. And this episode isn’t here to tell you what to do. It’s an invitation to hear two very different perspectives, ask better questions, and ultimately make your own informed decision. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why this Botox conversation matters 06:54 – Meet the guests: Two very different perspectives on Botox 10:24 – My personal Botox journey 12:46 – What Botox actually is + medical vs. cosmetic uses 17:42 – How Botox became so normalized 23:15 – Who should actually be injecting Botox? 28:27 – Informed consent & responsibility in the Botox industry 31:11 – The toxin debate: Is Botox actually more dangerous than we are being told? 40:59 – The possible downstream effects of Botox 48:27 – What are women really searching for? 50:43 – Why Shelly stopped injecting Botox 58:44 – The psychology behind cosmetic procedures 1:01:39 – Can Botox actually be empowering? 1:05:42 – Can Botox, face yoga & holistic beauty coexist? 1:10:38 – Why are we so afraid of aging? 1:21:14 – Final thoughts: bridging both worlds Wherever you currently stand on Botox, I hope this conversation encourages you to stay curious, ask better questions, and make decisions that feel informed and aligned for you. I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway — or whether anything in this conversation changed the way you think about Botox — in the comments. CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS Dr. Manolis Manolakakis Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon + Facial Cosmetic Surgeon IG: https://www.instagram.com/drmanolakakis/ Website: https://advanced-facialsurgery.com/ Shelly Marshall Founder, Beauty Shamans IG: https://www.instagram.com/beautyshamans/ Website: https://www.beautyshamans.com/pages/our-story CONNECT WITH LANAROSE & CONSCIOUS CONCIERGE IG: @lanalanarose Conscious Concierge: @yourconsciousconcierge Website: YourConsciousConcierge.com Conscious Concierge helps people navigate health, wellness, spirituality, and personal growth by connecting them with trusted practitioners, resources, and support—so they can make more informed decisions and find what’s right for them. 🎙️ Conscious Conversations with LanaRose explores the many perspectives within health, wellness, and spirituality. This podcast is rooted in curiosity, nuance, and the belief that no one person, modality, or philosophy holds the whole truth. On a mission for personal truth, I invite you to explore these conversations with me. Subscribe for more Conscious Conversations. #Botox #BotoxSafety #BotoxSideEffects #NaturalAging #FaceYoga #Aesthetics #HolisticHealth #ConsciousConversations Subscribe for more.
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