Botox Might Not Do What You Want It To Do

As the societal pressure for women to look younger mounts, many cosmetic procedures have become more popular recently to fulfill the increased demand for a younger looking appearance. Botox has become one of these procedures, which we will discuss the pros and cons of below. But before we can do that, first, we have to define what Botox is and what it’s not.

According to Dr. Misbah Khan, owner of M. Khan Dermatology in New York City, many people confuse what Botox actually does with other age-fighting beauty injectables.

The Difference Between Botox and Fillers

While they are often used in unison, there are a few major differences between Botox and fillers that all potential users should know. Botox is a purified protein that is injected directly into the muscle to stop wrinkles from forming, most often targeting frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet.

“Botox’s only benefit is to render a muscle weaker for 3-4 months. It doesn’t fill lines, it just makes it harder to make the muscle contraction that creates the lines,” Khan explains. In other words, it will not make any deep-set wrinkles disappear. Khan says if you want to erase your wrinkles, you’ll require a filler, like Restylane or Juvederm to do the job.”

Dermal fillers, such as Juvéderm, are clear gels that contain Hyaluronic Acid which are often used in conjunction with Botox to address deeper lines. Hyaluronic Acid occurs naturally in our body and maintains our skin’s firmness. Hyaluronic Acid is even able to hold 1000x its weight in water, which is why dermatologists use it to add volume to the deeper lines that Botox can’t fix. Unlike Botox, the visual results are instant giving you a younger, more relaxed appearance.

The Facts

An Unskilled Injector Might Leave You Lopsided.

If the Botox is injected wrong in any part of your face, your appearance may become lopsided, so be sure your physician is highly experienced and skilled at administering it.

Overdoing It Could Lead to Drooping—or Worse

Khan explains, “drooping of the eyebrows can happen even in the best of hands; it can occur if too much is injected in one place. Overuse of Botox can cause the muscles to become so weak that they can’t support the flesh. The results can look unnatural, and even worse, be painful. If too much Botox is applied during a neck rejuvenation, it can cause the side of the face to droop, or in some cases the muscles that hold the neck up weaken to the point where you can’t swallow or hold your head up.”

Results Are Not Instant

The effects of Botox take three to seven days to appear, two weeks to see the full effect and the results will last about four months. And those results will vary, depending on you deep your wrinkles were prior to treatment. If Botox treatments are started just as fine lines begin to develop, you may be able to prevent select expression lines from forming at all.

Precautions

Prior to your Botox treatment, stop taking medication that can thin the blood. Doing this will minimize any potential post-Botox bruising. If you require something for pain, however, Tylenol is okay. Also, avoid drinking alcohol a few days before you get Botox. One week before you get Botox injections, stop taking:

• Aspirin
• Ibuprofen, either generic or Advil, Aleve, or Motrin
• Exedrin
• John’s Wart
• Vitamin E
• Fish oil or Omega-3s
• Ginko Bilboa
• Ginseng