TO Botox or not to Botox; that is the question..

Whether 'tis wiser to smooth your furrowed brow like Sir Cliff and Cher or to heed the cautionary tales from the anti-Botox lobby who warn against injecting a virulent toxin into your system..... was the dilemma facing Hilary Emeny.

Hilary (39) is tall, slim and elegant but, like all of us, there's a bit of her she'd like to change.

"This line is becoming a permanent feature," she said disapprovingly, pointing out the crease between her eyebrows.

So Hilary was off to the National Cosmetics Centre in Fisherton Street, Salisbury, to see Dr Duncan Carmichael, one of three doctors there, and I was going to hold her hand.

Hilary confessed to being "a bit jittery and terrified of needles", but she had already spoken to Salisbury franchise holder Marie Swaboda, who had assured her the process was really painless.

"Well, she would say that, wouldn't she?" we both thought as Hilary was shown into Dr Carmichael's room.

Youthful-looking Dr Carmichael, reassuringly loaded with medical qualifications and an enthusiastic box user himself, commutes regularly from South Africa, where he has an allergy clinic.

Hilary answered his questions on her medical history and then put forward a host of queries about the pros and cons of the treatment, which he answered comprehensively, allaying her fears.

First the safety aspect.

Botox, he explained, has been used safely to treat children with cerebral palsy for more than 40 years.

Around 13 years ago, cosmetic surgeons realised the muscle relaxation it engendered might be beneficial cosmetically, smoothing out frown lines, smokers lines, crow's feet and lifting the chin and corners of the mouth.

Doctors are currently investigating its possible use to treat other disorders like back pain, migraine and tension headache.

He also outlined the possible side effects, including bruising, which can affect one in ten.

Botox sliding into the wrong muscle and causing the eye to droop can happen, but was rare, Dr Carmichael insisted, and unlikely if you are being treated by someone with a good knowledge of anatomy.

"You are injecting specific muscles at specific points at specific angles - it's really precise," he says.

He planned a series of nine injections into Hilary's glabellar and forehead area, explaining that injecting just one area would leave her looking very surprised!

"Muscles don't operate in isolation - part of the trick is to get the balance right," he said.

He asked Hilary to frown and within five minutes the procedure was over, leaving her with a set of small gnat-bite size lumps on her forehead, a slight headache and a list of follow-up instructions - don't drink alcohol, fly or pick up heavy objects for 24 hours and don't lie down for four hours were the essentials.

She would start to see the effects develop over the next two weeks, he said, and they should last for around three months.

"It really was painless, although the last few injections were slightly more uncomfortable," Hilary reported immediately.

"I felt happier about it knowing the risks, and more comfortable knowing it's been used for 40 years."

The gnat bites disappeared within an hour but the headache dragged on for two or three days, although it was not severe.

By the time of the follow-up check two weeks later, Hilary was more than happy with the results.

"It's really quite astonishing," she said.

"The feeling of the muscles not working is quite bizarre - I'm still trying to force reaction out of them.

"That area is completely calm - there's been a complete release of all that expressed stress that you use your forehead for.

"It's surprising how much I used my eyebrows to express emotion, but because you can't express the stress, you feel more relaxed.

"Two weeks on, I feel completely comfortable with it and really pleased with the feedback I've had."

Botox injections are charged per area covered at £190 (area 1), £100 (area 2) and £75 (area 3). Hilary had two areas injected making a total cost of £290. The cost includes the follow-up session two weeks later to check results. Telephone 01722 413132 for more information.