Botox simply stops the muscles from expressing so much. Because of this, it can drastically improve the look of existing fine lines. For those who have hyper-expressive faces, or fine lines they want to prevent getting any worse, botox can work well.
Botox doesn't actually erase wrinkles
Since Botox is, of course, a treatment for wrinkles and fine lines, I initially figured a few injections would pull these unwanted imperfections right off my face. But as it turns out, for most patients, Botox is more preventative than restorative.
Dr. Oscar Trujillo, a facial plastic surgeon at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says most patients will see results within 10 to 14 days but should wait the full 14 days to see the maximum results.
If you stretch the skin in the frown area and still see lines, they will still be there after Botox. These are called “etched in” lines and can be considered almost like scar tissue. They will gradually improve over time with additional treatments of Botox, but probably won't go completely away.
Vertical forehead lines are typically formed over time due to side sleeping, in which the skin is compacted from one side, causing rippling across the forehead muscle for 6 to 8 hours per bedtime.
Both Botox® and Dysport® are great choices for 11 lines, and they last for as much as four months. Botox® has other uses, as well. It's used in other types of wrinkles, like your horizontal forehead lines and crow's feet at the edges of your eyes.
Will it cause you to look older? From a medical point of view, once the effects of Botox wear off, your face will NOT look older. Actually the opposite happens with certainty. Botox injections help you get rid of some of the unwanted wrinkles around the eyes, forehead, chin etc….
There is no definite age when you should start BOTOX®—it's more about the state of your skin, and everyone's timeline is different. For wrinkle treatments, it's best to start when you notice forehead lines, frown lines, or crow's feet even when your expression is neutral.
Since Botox actually prevents your muscles from contracting, it is impossible for them to worsen your dynamic wrinkles, or those caused by aging or sun damage. Instead, they stop regular movement from occurring, helping to prevent dynamic wrinkles from worsening and getting deeper.
The results from Botox last anywhere between 2-6 months; the average result lasts about 3-4 months. Why does Botox eventually stop working? Your body makes new neurotransmitters all the time, so the “blocking” effect of Botox gradually wears off as these chemicals start circulating in your body again.
Botox has the advantage of being around longer, making it a trusted brand. This means that most patients interested in injectables would opt for Botox. However, Xeomin is just as effective at reducing wrinkles in areas like eyebrows, the forehead, and around the eyes.
For horizontal forehead lines, practitioners can inject up to 15–30 units of Botox. For “11” lines between the eyes (or glabellar lines), up to 40 units are indicated, with higher doses needed in male patients .
Botox is highly effective at treating dynamic wrinkles, such as: Forehead lines. The “11s” between your brows. Crow's feet around the eyes.
Right above the eyebrows and in between the eyes is called the frown lines. According to the recommendations, this requires 20 units.
The forehead is the most common Botox injection site, as it's where many people first see the signs of aging. Horizontal wrinkles along the brow are easily treated with Botox injections. The area between your eyebrows, also known as the glabella, or “11” lines, is also a popular treatment area.
As for the concern that your body will get “used to” Botox and stop working, doctors say there's little such evidence. “In my experience, many patients just require fewer units over time because their facial muscles are less dynamic and thus require less,” Dr. Schaffer said.
Dysport® is BOTOX®'s most well-known competitor. Unlike BOTOX®, which takes five to seven days to act, Dysport® can create visible results in as little as two days. The active ingredient in Dysport® also contains smaller molecules, so you may need less product if you choose Dysport®.
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.
There's no enzyme that can reverse Botox, so it might just be that you have to wait for it to wear off. Although it's something to avoid, going through Bad Botox can be a learning experience. You'll definitely know what to avoid for the next time.
On average, Botox lasts three to six months.
Some patient experience shorter results in the 2-month range. It's not uncommon for first-timers to experience a shorter result the first time and a longer result the second time. Regular users may notice the results last longer over time because the muscles are shrinking.
To dissolve your treatment, your esthetician will most likely inject the enzyme hyaluronidase, which serves as an antidote of sorts for hyaluronic acid fillers. Your initial type of dermal filler will determine how long it will take to dissolve.