Of all the non-surgical anti-aging treatments on the market, BOTOX® may be the easiest and most effective way to quickly turn back the hands of time. This powerful wrinkle reduction solution can instantly erase the fine lines that result from repeated facial movements. From relaxing crow’s feet and smoker’s lines to eliminating prominent brow wrinkles, this FDA-approved product has helped millions of people regain their confidence by restoring their youthful good looks.
How BOTOX® Erases Dynamic Wrinkles Across the Visage
Whenever you make a facial expression, a small amount of tension is created in your expressive facial muscles. Repeated movements throughout these muscles invariably creates more tension. As time passes, tiny cracks begin to form in the smooth layer of collagen that covers these muscles and supports the skin. Once these cracks exist, dynamic wrinkles will appear on the skin’s surface whenever the collagen layer is disturbed. This is how dynamic wrinkles are formed.
BOTOX® is a potent neurotoxin that has the power to immobilize specific muscles by blocking the nerve signals that control them. These muscles are able to relax, and the collagen layer just above them can lie smooth. Best of all, the effects of BOTOX® are extremely targeted, and they’re also only temporary. You will still be able to make facial expressions after your treatments, and full functioning of the treated nerves and muscles will gradually be restored over the months that follow your procedure.
What is BOTOX®?
BOTOX® or botulinum toxin is a powerful neurotoxic protein derived from Clostridium bacteria. Although this purified protein is incredibly potent, when strategically applied it can produce very selective changes in how the nerves and various systems controlled by the nerves perform. Once inserted into treatment areas, BOTOX® disrupts nerve activity to halt the related operations. In cosmetic applications, BOTOX® is the perfect solution to facial creases resulting from repeated movement.
Comparing BOTOX® with Other Wrinkle Reduction Procedures
In addition to being incredibly effective at treating dynamic wrinkles, BOTOX® also provides patients with a surprisingly fast and virtually pain-free procedure. It usually takes between 15 and 20 minutes to have a series of BOTOX® injections performed. Once the very last injection is complete, a patient can leave the office right away, and can immediately resume his or her normal activities. Given that this treatment is so fast, and that it doesn’t entail any downtime, it’s actually possible to have BOTOX injections performed right on your lunch break.
This isn’t the case with surgical anti-aging procedures like brow lifts and face lifts. These treatments diminish the appearance of facial wrinkles by excising excess skin, and by lifting the remaining skin to a more elevated position. They entail a significant amount of risk, and they also require a considerable amount of recovery time. More importantly, surgical skin tightening procedures require patients to commit to permanent or semi-permanent results. When people are unhappy with their brow lift or face lift procedures, they often have to undergo time-consuming and costly revision surgeries. Conversely, the effects of a single BOTOX® treatment will last just three to six months. Once the solution wears off, patients can expect to gradually regain their pre-treatment appearances.
You’ll Love the Flexibility of Short-Term Results
As the effects of BOTOX® start to wear off and dynamic wrinkles return, you will have the ability to schedule a new appointment to have your injections repeated. Many people use BOTOX® as part of their ongoing anti-aging plans. Best of all, those who commit to long-term use often enjoy the benefit of gradual muscle conditioning. As with all muscles that maintain a prolonged state of relaxation, the expressive muscles can become conditioned to their state of rest after several years of repeated BOTOX® use. As a result, some patients experience extended results (with improvements lasting approximately four to seven months), and they’re able to stave off the development of more pronounced dynamic wrinkling far longer.
Understanding What BOTOX® Can and Cannot Accomplish
Although BOTOX® is perfect for treating dynamic wrinkles like perioral wrinkles, crow’s feet, and frown lines, it is not effective for reducing the appearance of static wrinkling or general facial volume loss. This is something that is best accomplished with cosmetic fillers or more invasive methods of skin tightening. It is additionally important to understand that BOTOX® is not designed to improve superficial skin issues relating to texture and tone. This is why many patients have started pairing this injectable with other non-surgical procedures to address their full range of aesthetic concerns.
Renew Your Confidence with BOTOX®
When you compare BOTOX® to other anti-aging procedures, it is important to account for its impressive ability to dramatically renew the appearance, and within a very short period of time. Many BOTOX® patients are gearing up for their weddings, class reunions, life-changing interviews, and important vacations or ceremonies. With no downtime, no serious aftereffects, and no real need for aftercare, these treatments are easily the most convenient way to revitalize your looks and regain your confidence ahead of any major occasion. Not only will you look and feel better, but you’ll also be able to make the best possible impressions on others. In a world that’s increasingly conscious of appearances, looking and feeling your best can have a very powerful impact on your overall marketability.
The Difference Between Dynamic and Static Facial Wrinkling
There’s a very easy way to determine whether facial creases are dynamic or static in nature. Static wrinkling is ever-present. You can see these lines regardless of whether you are using your facial muscles, or maintaining a totally relaxed state. Conversely, dynamic wrinkles appear every time select facial muscles are moved. For instance, when you smile, movements in the muscles at the outer corners of your eyes disrupt the underlying collagen layer to create crow’s feet. The lines and creases that disappear when all facial muscles are at rest are dynamic. These are the very issues that BOTOX® is designed to treat.
Static wrinkles often form at the mid-portion of a person’s face. For instance, you may start seeing creases along your nasolabial folds that are present when your face is relaxed, and significantly more prominent when you smile. This is a facial changes primarily caused by volume loss. Both the tissues and the bones can begin progressively losing volume after a person’s mid to late thirties. Static wrinkling can also occur between the lips and chin. These creases are often called “marionette lines”.
When Other Treatments Don’t Work
With such a wealth of over-the-counter, anti-aging treatments to choose from, many consumers wind up spending veritable fortunes on products that either don’t work, or simply don’t work well enough. That’s because most store-bought systems are designed to address facial wrinkling as a superficial skin issue, rather than one relating to the muscles and collagen layer. None of these products have the power to actually stop dynamic wrinkling at its source, like BOTOX®. As such, if you’ve been using night creams, collagen-infused lotions, and other high-cost products with less than stellar returns, consider trying BOTOX® to relax the facial muscles that are directly responsible for the creases you’ve been trying to self-treat. Even the very best skincare products will be incapable of producing the right results if they’re not targeting the problem in the right way.
Using BOTOX® In Conjunction with Other Anti-Aging Therapies
Like many people, you may have a combination of both dynamic and static wrinkles that you want to treat. When dynamic creases begin to appear, many patients are simultaneously experiencing noticeable changes in their facial volume. Volume loss gradually creates hollows at the cheeks, loose skin under or around the jaw, noticeable creases that travel the naso-labial folds, and “marionette lines” that run from the corners of the mouth to the edge of the chin. Unfortunately, the evidence of these changes is always present, whether the face is in motion or not. Immobilizing select muscle groups with BOTOX® will not diminish the appearance of static wrinkles. In this case, BOTOX® can be applied to treat any dynamic wrinkling that exists, and lost volume can be restored with injectable dermal fillers. High-quality fillers are frequently paired with BOTOX® to address multiple signs of aging at once. These treatments are commonly referred to as liquid face lifts. Liquid face lifts can be customized to suit the specific needs of each and every patient.
BOTOX® can also be paired with a variety of skin resurfacing procedures. With these combination treatments, BOTOX® injections are performed after any controlled damages at the surface of the skin have already healed. For example, micro-needling, micro-dermabrasion, or chemical peels can be used to slough away dead skin cells and balance out texture and tone. After several days or weeks of healing have passed, BOTOX® can then be injected to promote further skin smoothing by erasing all dynamic wrinkles. If you have multiple issues to address, talk to the doctor about finding the right combination of non-surgical skin renewing and anti-aging treatments for your needs.
This Injectable is Also an Excellent Form of Wrinkle Prevention
Surprisingly, you don’t have to wait for dynamic wrinkles to appear before taking advantage of BOTOX®. Regular and early use of BOTOX® can actually prevent the formation of cracks in your skin’s foundation layer of collagen. Preventative treatment relaxes the specific muscles that are responsible for dynamic wrinkle formation. Patients can continue showing off natural-looking smiles and many other facial expressions, even as they stave off the very tension ultimately responsible for aging the face. Qualified BOTOX® patients are at least 18 years old, and most doctors recommend starting preventative BOTOX® sometime during or even after one’s mid to late twenties.
The Role of BOTOX® In Functional Medicine
Although BOTOX® has made a very impressive name for itself in the cosmetic industry, it also plays a major role in many aspects of functional medicine. People who struggle with recurring migraine headaches have been able to get lasting and significant relief from the nerve-blocking effects of this injectable. BOTOX® is also used in hyperhidrosis treatment given its ability to stop excessive sweating by blocking the nerve signals that control the patient’s sweat glands. Even aging adults with Parksinon’s disease are benefiting from this solution. When applied as part of a comprehensive PD therapy plan, BOTOX® may be able to alleviate the tremors and muscle stiffness associated with this progressive ailment. Understanding that doctors throughout the world trust this product for its pain-relieving, therapeutic, and cosmetic enhancement benefits makes the use of BOTOX® for wrinkle reduction seem all the more appealing.
Is BOTOX® the Right Wrinkle Reduction Procedure for Your Needs?
People who use BOTOX® for wrinkle reduction should not be allergic to the botulinum toxin or any botulinum-containing or derived products. In addition to being 18 or older, qualified candidates should not be breastfeeding, pregnant, or have known neuro-muscular disorders. This fast-acting, FDA-approved product can instantly help with wrinkle reduction and minimize fine lines across the visage that are the result of repeated movements in the expressive facial muscles. To learn more about our BOTOX® anti-aging procedures and to discover whether these treatments are right for you, feel free to make an appointment with Bentley Skincare & Wellness & Wellness. At our convenient location in Springfield, MO, our caring and devoted team of professionals will be pleased to explain this wrinkle reduction option to you in full and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!