A new Botox procedure is making “waves” across the United States for helping to keep Black women’s edges laid even while they sweat.
Kemi Fakunle, 30, is a popular social media influencer who swears by the new procedure, which uses Botox or Botulinum toxin that is injected near the hairline to block the nerve signals to the muscles, causing them to contract. The Botox then works to temporarily block secretion from the biological response to stimulate the forehead’s sweat glands, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
In a feature story for Business Insider, Fakunle disclosed that she works out three times weekly and incorporates daily cardio into her routine, which has made it difficult for her to keep her edges laid.
“I love convenience. It’s like switching from dairy to oat milk — it’s such a subtle change in your life,” she told Business Insider. “Botox definitely has me as a full-time customer now.”
“Edges,” sometimes referred to as “baby hairs” have long been a staple in the Black community, with hundreds of videos available online showing women across the world how to perfectly style the hair along the perimeter of their forehead.
The procedure only takes about 10 minutes but can cost anywhere between $850 – $1,000. A standard Botox treatment for the forehead typically involves administering between 25 and 35 units of Botox over a span of 10 minutes. The quantity of injections a patient receives is contingent on their individual muscle mass, leading to variations from person to person, Dr. Jeanine Downie told the publication.
“It lasts the typical three months,” Dr. Downie added. “Many times after you’ve done it for one or two times, then it starts lasting more like six months.”
Throughout history, Black women have employed various tools for smoothing edges, including gel, edge control, hairspray, scarves and toothbrushes. But it appears Botox may be changing the game for now. And for some women, like Wendy Pittman, she has no issues with it.
“What I’m learning about myself, more so than any other time in my life, at 54, is that women have a really hard time being selfish with themselves,” Pittman told Business Insider. “We have a very difficult time doing things for ourselves, and that has to change.”
