Ever been stung by a bee? Not fun. But what about putting bee venom on your face? Royalty, celebrities, and countless other women have been doing it for years. Here’s why.

Why Bee Venom?

No one wants to be stung by a bee. It hurts! But if you take the sting out of the bee sting, bee venom may actually be helpful for our skin, especially where anti-aging is concerned.

• It is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and has been shown to improve acne and eczema.

• As an anaphylactic, it temporarily relaxes facial muscles (kind of like Botox does).

• The main protein in bee venom, melittin, causes increased blood circulation and stimulates the production of elastin and collagen.

• At least one study has documented the use of bee venom to diminish the amount, depth, and spread of facial wrinkles.

All of this makes the skin appear tighter, smoother, and firmer. And all of this has earned bee venom the reputation of being “Nature’s Botox”.

People are loving the results from using bee venom on their faces, and beauty product manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon. In recent years, bee venom has been added to countless beauty products. You can find it in cleansing balms, plumping masks, eye creams, serums — you name it.

(For our animal lovers out there, don’t worry — bees are not harmed in the collection of their venom. While it’s true that a honey bee dies after stinging a person, that is because our skin is too thick and tough for the bee to pull their stinger back out safely. Manufacturers of bee venom products use procedures to collect venom humanely.)

With all the hype about bee venom, it almost sounds too good to be true! Are there any downsides?

Why Not Bee Venom?

While it sounds appealing to have a painless alternative to Botox, here are a few points to consider:

• Bee venom is a potential allergen. If you are allergic to bees, we err on the side of caution and don’t recommend using products with bee venom. Even if you are not allergic, sensitivity can develop over time. This is true of any allergen. Using it repeatedly could cause a severe allergy to develop, and suddenly.

• Bee venom is not a miracle product, in and of itself. The effects are temporary, and you must use it continually to continue to see results. It is a certainly a powerful addition to an anti-aging skincare regimen, but it needs to be used alongside other anti-aging products that will support your skin health.

• Botox doesn’t actually have to be painful! At Hawaii Blue Medical Aesthetics, we are gentle injectable specialists. We do everything we can to minimize any discomfort during procedures. Trust us, we won’t sting you like a bee! If you’re not local to our Hampton, VA med spa, do your research to find a gentle injectable specialist near you.

Bee Venom vs. Botox

Bee venom has been called “Botox in a bottle” or “Nature’s Botox” — and for good reason!

Just remember to manage your expectations.

In cases where you want instant, longer-lasting, and customized results, actual Botox injections could leave you happier and more satisfied than bee venom.

In the long run, Botox is beneficial for anti-aging because it treats both the symptom (e.g. wrinkles) and the cause (repeated muscle movement). Botox relaxes the muscle that caused the wrinkles in the first place. While bee venom emulates this, it is only temporary, and not as powerful. Botox injections typically last 3-4 months, and with regular use, can be stretched out to only twice per year.

That doesn’t mean we don’t love natural anti-aging products! Adding bee venom to your skincare regimen may be just the product you’re looking for! As a green, environmentally friendly med spa, we appreciate the precious bounty nature has to offer, and we don’t take that lightly.

But sometimes nature could use a little boost when it comes to anti-aging and your skin! If you want to discuss your options for looking ten years younger, come visit Hawaii Blue Medical Aesthetics, or click here to easily schedule a free consultation.

In the meantime — save the bees! 🐝