"Convenience" seems to be the key word these days. People can shop home parties for food, jewelry, toys and even purses.

Taking that idea one step outside the home, Nxt Phase Hair Designs plays host to Botox parties, opening its doors to clients and Dr. William Carter of Medical Cosmetics of Lancaster.

For the past year, the salon on Lititz Pike has hosted a party every few months and invited clients and others to experience an atmosphere that's more relaxed than anxious.

On a recent Monday night, about a dozen women and one man between the ages of 38 and 63 visited the salon to receive Botox or Dysport injections. As they mingled and enjoyed refreshments, Ellie Myers, nurse/office manager for Medical Cosmetics, explained the salon parties create a different feel for the clients.

Some clients prefer privacy during the procedures, she said, but others prefer being around others.

"It makes them a little more at ease," Myers said. "It's not the sterile environment of an office, and they get to hear about others' experiences and see it being done before it's done to them."

Second-time client Diedre Brown, 44, of Lancaster, was there for that very reason. She had her first injections about six months ago and returned to the salon because of the comfort of being with friends and others throughout the process.

"It takes the edge off a little," Brown said as she was stuck with a needle that had the circumference of a thick strand of hair. "It's a little nerve-wracking to know that somebody's sitting here ready to put a needle near your eye."

Botox, introduced more than 16 years ago, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002. Dysport has been used worldwide for about 20 years and was recently approved by the USDA, according to Myers.

The difference between the two injections is that Dysport is less expensive, Myer said. Both are applied the same way, injected into the facial muscle that cause the frown lines, Carter said.

"The drug freezes the muscle and those deep lines in between and around the eyes disappear," Carter said.

Carter, who has done more than 15,000 applications, uses a numbing cream on the patient's forehead prior to the injections.

"This is not necessary, but I find it helps the patient with the injection," Carter said.

One client returns to Carter because of that very reason.

"It can be a very bad experience," she said. "But the cream and Dr. Carter's disposition helps so much. You don't even feel it."

Most of Carter's patients are seen in his office, but those who attend these parties get a small discount on the procedure, according to Gail Trout, esthetician for Carter's practice.

The typical application at the frown lines can cost between $140 and $200, according to Myers. The drugs are priced per unit, and the final cost depends on how many units are required for the effect the patient wants to achieve. Most clients receive between 30 and 100 units, depending on what they want done.

A recent photo of herself prompted first-timer Julie Brown, 39, of Lititz, to get the injections for her frown lines.

A nurse, Brown works out daily and takes good care of her skin. She found that having the "11" between her eyebrows taken care of by Carter was just another step in presenting herself in the best way she could.

As she waited to have her first Botox injection, Brown said she wanted it to result in subtle change, not something people will notice.

Several return clients, who didn't want to share their names, said they experienced just that. After past procedures, friends or family would say they noticed something different, but weren't sure what it was.

"It's very subtle, but just enough to make a difference," one 48-year-old single mother said. "People would say, 'You look different, did you have your hair done?' "

One client, who has had about four treatments, said she knows she needs to have injections done when she starts to show emotion.

"All of a sudden people can tell when I am mad," she joked.

Another client said that she has it done when she gains some weight. Claiming her face looks "droopy" with weight gain, the injections "pick her up" and make her look "perky."

As she waited for the injections, Brown said she was more excited than nervous. She would have to wait to see results, though, because it takes several days for the drug to take effect.

Trout said that, although these types of gatherings are perceived by many to be for the rich housewives, a la "Housewives of Orange County," a wide range of women is represented. Those attending this night were everything from executives to stylists.

cesbenshade@lnpnews.com