Botox® is a drug that has long been known as an anti-aging treatment. It used to be a taboo subject, and people would make fun of the ‘frozen’ look that high doses of Botox® would give to people’s faces.
However, nowadays, Botox® is part of many people’s regular grooming routines. It is part of normal conversation among friends. It can look really natural too; with some people you see regularly, you may not even realize they have gotten Botox®.
But Botox® is not just an anti-aging treatment. Meaning, it’s not for reversing signs of aging. In fact, it can work better as a way to prevent wrinkles. That’s because it works on dynamic wrinkles, not static wrinkles (more on this below).
So what is preventative Botox®? And, if you are using it to prevent wrinkles, then what age should you begin getting your pokes?
We’ll attempt to answer those questions in this article.
First understand how preventative Botox® works
According to Vancouver Botox® provider, Beautiful Canadian Laser and Skincare Clinic, this drug works by relaxing the muscles that cause skin folding when making facial expressions.
For example, when you smile, the corner of your eyes will fold, forming little ‘crow’s feet.’
Botox® is made of an adapted, diluted botulinum toxin. This has the effect of temporarily paralyzing the muscles that cause these skin folds. So, when you smile, your muscles won’t be able to contract, and thus no folds will appear.
The same goes for other areas that contract and fold skin when you make facial expressions, other than smiling. Botox® can work to stop frown lines and forehead lines from appearing, just like it can stop bunny lines on the nose, dimples on the chin and corner-of-mouth wrinkles.
The wrinkles that appear on your face as a result of facial expressions are called dynamic wrinkles.
But we know that repeated facial expressions are what cause static wrinkles. Static wrinkles appear on your face when you are not making any facial expressions. They are the result of years and years of repeatedly folding your skin due to muscle contractions, as noted above.
So, the theory is that if you can stop the muscles from folding your skin everytime you make a facial expression, you can potentially stop static wrinkles from forming.
This is where preventative Botox® comes in.
Some will say that preventative Botox® has not been proven. However, the theory itself makes sense to most people. Thus, it is a popular preventative treatment for signs of aging.
Preventative Botox® requires consistent treatment
The other thing to know about preventative Botox® is that it doesn’t last forever. Its effects last for roughly three to four months in most people. Of course, this can change from person to person, depending on how the body reacts to the substance.
For this reason, the treatment should be repeated every three months on average. The continual treatment is what is believed, over time, will cause the formation of wrinkles to cease or slow down.
Each treatment can cost around $500, but this can be more or less depending on:
- What area you are treating
- How big of an area is being treated
- The strength of the dose needed to achieve paralysis in that area
- The experience and qualifications of the injector
- The market rate in the city in which you are receiving the Botox® treatment
At what age should I begin preventative Botox®?
The answer to this question depends on each individual. Everyone ages differently, and this can be due to both genetics and lifestyle. When you start seeing fine lines forming on your face, that would be a good time to begin finding a qualified Botox® practitioner. For example, some people start seeing wrinkles around their mid 20s, whereas others see them in their mid 30s.
Take your time when looking for Botox® providers; it’s important to find the right injector. If used incorrectly, Botox® can have serious side effects. So keep your safety top of mind and only seek licensed doctors and nurses for your treatments.
How else can I prevent signs of aging?
With the above said, keep in mind there is a lot you can do to prevent signs of aging. Many are even more primary and essential than preventative Botox®.
For example, you should be using good quality sunscreen every day. This will go a long way in preventing both wrinkles and brown spots. It can also prevent exacerbations of rosacea, acne and melasma. Not to mention, it can prevent skin cancer too.
We would also advise that you not only use sunscreen every day, but reapply it every two hours. Also, if you use a tinted sunscreen, this can help prevent aging from blue light from computer screens and devices. So yes, that means using sunscreen even on days when you will be indoors.
Another thing you can do to prevent aging is to keep your skin and body healthy. Your skin is an organ, and it needs vitamins and minerals just like your liver and pancreas do. You can apply topical skincare ingredients to your skin, to help it directly. But you can also eat healthily to get good sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free radicals, which is what causes aging.
Conclusion: preventative Botox® is a potential way to deal with signs of aging
As we’ve seen above, preventative Botox® works by paralyzing muscles that cause long-term static wrinkles. This is how it is thought to prevent wrinkles as we grow in age. Some people form wrinkles earlier than others, and this can be from genetics or lifestyle. For those who see fine lines forming in their mid 20s, they can begin seeking a Botox® injector at that time. Others may feel they want to wait until their mid 30s or even later.
However, it’s important to take the time to find the right Botox® injector. This is because Botox® can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Safety should be top of mind, above the desire to prevent or diminish signs of aging.
When you are ready to begin Botox® treatments, they’ll need to be repeated every three to four months to continue to see effects.
