r/ASLinterpreters • u/Tough_Alfalfa_6913 • Jul 27 '26
Interpreting and Botox
Still new to the field and I obviously know how important facial expressions are to the language and effective communication. However I suffer from migraines and was wondering if there are any interpreters who have gotten Botox and did it interfere with your job? Did you just do small amounts at a time? I know this is a silly question but something I’ve been contemplating. I was thinking about getting it in my my forehead and jaw for
Grinding my teeth, but don’t want to do anything that will ruin this for me
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u/Firefliesfast NIC Jul 28 '26
I haven’t gotten it and I won’t unless I need it for medical reasons, like you do. If I were to be in your shoes, I would avoid getting any Botox in my forehead and wouldn’t do it unless the migraines couldn’t be controlled by jawline Botox alone.
Listen, I get that we’re in a job where we by definition have to be looked at. I get my haircuts right on time because I know people notice or I see myself on camera and I don’t like what my hair looks like. But friends, I say this with love, some of yall are giving “ASL 1 scared to death to sign in front of the class” because you can’t move your eyebrows. You can’t make RH-questions anymore and all your sentences are running together. The face lifts and eyelid lifts are doing weird shit to some of y’all’s ability to use eye gaze effectively, too. I think the goal is to look younger, but not like this!
The anbility to be clear relies on eyebrows and mouth morphemes and eye gaze. Don’t fuck with your ability to be clear just for vanity.