After the age of 35, it may be too late to benefit from the preventive capacity of Botox®, especially if you have a very expressive face or fair skin, are genetically predisposed, or have unhealthy lifestyle habits such as using tan beds, overexposing yourself in the sun, or smoking.
There is no upper age limit for people who want to have Botox. In fact, many women enjoy the refreshed look they can get from Botox and complementary treatments when they are in their 60s or older.
With today's cosmetic technology, patients of all ages can have facial rejuvenation with injectables. The primary aim for patients over 60 is to soften lines while maintaining natural-looking results.
You're really never too old for Botox, as long as you have wrinkles. If you are seeing some minor wrinkling now, Botox can prevent the creases from becoming worse. A board-certified dermatologist will be able to help you improve the condition of your skin with Botox and many other methods.
There's a common misconception that Botox makes you look older when it wears off. On the contrary, regular Botox treatments make you look younger even after the neurotoxin wears off.
Many people worry that if they stop getting BOTOX injections, their wrinkles will come back faster and worse than before. However, this is not the case. If you stop BOTOX injections, your wrinkles will slowly start to come back, but slower than if you had never used BOTOX to begin with.
When people see lines forming after BOTOX wears off, they assume treatment made their wrinkles worse. Actually, your face simply returns back to its natural state. No new wrinkles or lines are ever caused by these injections.
Using Botox® After Your 40s: Part Of A Wider Treatment
If you consider starting Botox® after the age of 40, you should be aware that Botox® works better with the fine lines due to repetitive movement of the face (smiling, frowning, etc). It works much less for muscles that become heavy or sag from age.
Now is the time to mention there is no “right age” or “best age” to proceed with Botox. It's a personal choice not bound by the number of birthdays you've had. Whether you're 25 or 45, you can start treatment at almost anytime. The only difference is that the goal of treatment changes with age.
The Same Goes for Fillers
As top dermatologist David Colbert, M.D. is quick to note, however, too much Botox and filler distorts the face and as a result will make you appear older.
The short, ultra general answer, is Yes! People aged 65 and above can safely receive Botox to reduce signs of aging; as long as you are in general good health, you shouldn't have any problem with Botox treatments.
ANSWER: All forms of Botox injections approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for forehead wrinkles are intended for people 65 and younger. Beyond that, the medication may not be as effective as it is for younger individuals.
When some people see their wrinkles form again after the rejuvenating effects of Botox wear off, they assume that the treatment made their wrinkles worse. This isn't true at all. In fact, regular Botox use can actually retrain certain muscles to move less, leading to smoother skin with less Botox over time.
Can you still get BOTOX® even at a late age? Yep! BOTOX® works beautifully even for more advanced signs of aging.
If you stop BOTOX treatments after many years of regular injections, the only effect will be that your wrinkles will return, albeit a bit more slowly than if you had not been using BOTOX. It's true: Even after you stop, you will still look younger than you would have if you had never been injected.
Especially, if you are concerned about deepening frown lines between your brows, horizontal forehead lines, crow's feet, and neck banding. Botox in your 50's is also a good idea if you are a woman who is in perimenopause or menopause and experiencing noticeable changes in your skin and appearance.
There is no optimum age to start botox treatment – it very much depends on the combination of your particular skin type, genetics and lifestyle, so we always advise every patient on an individual basis. Botox as a treatment is approved for patients who are 18 years and older.
And if you're wondering if Botox works if you already have wrinkles, the answer is a resounding YES. In fact, smoothing out facial wrinkles and fine lines, like laugh lines, crow's feet, frown lines, etc., is the primary FDA-approved purpose of Botox injections.
For the glabella muscles (situated between the eyebrows and above the nose) and the forehead, approx. 20-40 units of BOTOX are sufficient. For crow's feet, approx. 20-24 units (10-12 for each side) will suffice.
If you're new to Botox, expect results to last about 3-4 months. Over time, if you continue getting Botox injections, results seem to last longer (facial muscles become a bit “out of shape”). For reference, I love going every 5 months, but can easily stretch it to 6-7 months if needed.
The average age for people to receive their first BOTOX treatment is, generally, at some point in their 30s. Most women, and some men, begin to notice a few fine lines or wrinkles around their eyes or forehead area at this age.
However, multiple studies have concluded that, for each of the three zones mentioned (glabella, forehead muscles, and Crow's feet), approximately 20 units of BOTOX, spanned over a 3 to 4 month-plan, are appropriate. This number of units allows for a full correction, comprehensively fixing the treated area.
When anti-wrinkle injections are injected into the skin it relaxes the muscle (see our 'How anti-wrinkle injections work' article) and makes the surface of the skin smooth. When light shines onto skin without wrinkles it bounces off the skin in a uniform way. The skin appears to be shiny like the surface of a mirror.
Botox once a year will slow the progress of wrinkles, but not halt it. You need to retreat the area every three to four months to keep the muscles from reinforcing the wrinkles. It's not a waste to do it infrequently.