Botox is one of the most well-known and widely-used cosmetic procedures, for a good reason. It’s fast-acting and highly effective. But it’s best known as a way to reduce or eliminate lines and wrinkles after they’ve already formed. Recently we’ve seen more and more younger people using Botox to prevent the formation of lines and wrinkles instead of treating them after the fact.
How Do Facial Lines and Wrinkles Form?
Many facial lines and wrinkles are actually caused when our facial muscles contract – some of these lines might only become visible when we smile, for example, and be perfectly acceptable. Other lines and wrinkles might form as a result of repeated frowning or squinting and be regarded as cosmetically undesirable. Over time even minor lines can develop into more profound flaws, and some people develop permanent frowns that can be quite distressing.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox is a naturally occurring neurotoxin, which, when diluted and injected into facial muscles, prevents nerves from transmitting signals that cause the muscles to contract.
Botox is applied very carefully to the specific areas where the practitioner has determined that weakening the muscles will have the desired effect. The effects of Botox develop fairly rapidly after treatment but are not permanent. Under normal circumstances, a Botox treatment will last several months but will eventually need to be repeated.
How Can Botox Be Used to Prevent Problems from Developing?
Just as Botox can be used to treat existing lines and wrinkles, it can also be used so as to prevent many lines and wrinkles from forming in the first place. Naturally, it’s easier to identify and locate the muscles causing lines and wrinkles once they’ve formed – anticipating the development of these cosmetic problems in advance does require more skill and experience on the part of the practitioner applying Botox.
One advantage of preventative Botox is that deep lines and wrinkles will not have a chance to develop – well-established facial lines often leave a lasting trace on the skin, even after Botox has stopped them from developing further. By using Botox judiciously, in advance of developing these cosmetic flaws, you have the ability to maintain your youthful appearance indefinitely.
At What Age Should You Consider Botox?
Although there’s some disagreement as to the optimum age to start treatment, we believe that it’s appropriate to consider preventative Botox when one reaches one’s early 30’s. Of course, the decision when to start depends heavily on the condition of one’s skin, the patient’s lifestyle and general health, and not least on the patient’s expectations and desires. It’s very important to choose a Botox practitioner who is not only medically trained but also highly experienced – Botox is only safe and effective when it’s skillfully applied. Botox can easily lead to unnatural and artificial-looking results when misused by inadequately experienced practitioners.
Your Laser Skin Care
Your Laser Skin Care practitioners are medically qualified and highly experienced in using Botox for cosmetic purposes, including preventatively. We can provide expert advice on the best techniques to address your particular concerns and will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about our procedures. We also have extensive experience with a wide variety of non-invasive cosmetic procedures. We can help you choose the safest, most effective, and most cost-effective way to achieve your cosmetic goals. Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.
