Botox treatment is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the market because of its effects on eliminating facial wrinkles. With such popularity it is important to understand what Botox actually is, the effects it has on different types of wrinkles, and how it gets rid of those wrinkles so efficiently.
What is Botox?
Botox is a neurotoxin that may be injected into a wrinkle to smooth it out gradually. It may also be used in the armpits to aid with excessive sweating, in the temple area to help with migraines, and it can even be injected into the jaw muscles to decrease teeth grinding and slim down the area. Botox essentially disables the muscles from anywhere from 2-4 months, and this can depend entirely on the individual client. With the application of Botox, the muscles in the applied area have limited facial movement thus causing less movement than they are normally accustomed to. The end result is that wrinkles gradually fade.
Botox is frequently used to smooth out creases in the forehead and between the brows, around the eyes to diminish crow’s feet, under the chin to prevent dimpling and even to elevate the brows and provide more space between the eyelid and the eyebrow.
It can be common to confuse botox with filler, but they are not the same substance. Filler can be used to give volume to the lips, beneath the eyes to eliminate tear troughs, and in other locations to plump out and conceal wrinkles. However, Botox’s function just prevents the muscles from expressing themselves less than they normally would. As a result, it can significantly reduce the appearance of existing fine wrinkles.
Botox can be effective for those who have hyper-expressive features or fine wrinkles that they want to keep from growing more defined. Botox works for both dynamic and static wrinkles with its effectiveness more prevalent against dynamic wrinkles, Botox can still be used with static wrinkles as well in combination with other treatments. It is highly recommended that you do extensive research beforehand so you know precisely what to anticipate during and after the Botox procedure. It would also be best to speak to a doctor if Botox is right for you.
Different types of wrinkles
Dynamic wrinkles
Muscle movement, such as when you grin, laugh, or squint, causes dynamic wrinkles. Crow’s feet around your eyes and lines on your forehead are examples of common dynamic wrinkles. Botox is a suitable alternative for dynamic wrinkles since it utilizes various kinds of botulinum toxin to paralyze or relax muscle action temporarily. It can smooth out wrinkles and make you appear younger.
Static wrinkles
The loss of collagen and elastin in your skin causes static wrinkles. When you are young, your skin contains a lot of elastin and collagen, which make it seem firm, elastic, moisturized, supple, and smooth. However, aging, sun exposure, and environmental pollutants deplete your skin’s natural collagen and elastin, and your body’s capacity to make additional collagen steadily declines. A deficiency of collagen and elastin causes static wrinkles such as fine lines around the corners of the mouth, cheekbones, and nasolabial folds, to name a few. Static wrinkles can also be reduced by Botox, but not as substantially as dynamic wrinkles.
Botox applications
It is reasonable to assume that anything with the term “toxin” in its name is something you should probably avoid. However, when it comes to Botox, quantity is everything. Botox solution contains an extremely small quantity of diluted botulinum toxin. This implies it is safe to use in cosmetic applications as well as other areas of medicine. In actuality, Botox was originally used to treat eye problems such as blepharospasm (uncontrollable blinking) and strabismus, a condition in which one eye becomes misaligned which is also called crossed eyes, although the affected eye can “drift” in any direction. Botox is now used to treat a variety of muscular spasm diseases, as well as excessive sweating and headaches. Botox works by impacting the nerves that control the contraction of your muscles, which is why it works so well in reducing wrinkles.
Botox effectiveness
When you move your arm or leg, your nerves transmit messages to your brain, which instructs your muscles to contract in precise ways to achieve the desired movement. The same is true for facial expressions. When you want to smile, frown, or seem surprised, your nerves and brain work together to signal your facial muscles to contract in very particular ways. Those contractions strain and yank on your skin, causing lines and dynamic wrinkles to appear. When you smile, frown, or make other expressions year after year, the lines that form etch themselves into your skin, and wrinkles begin to appear even when you are not making an expression.
The “mechanism” behind Botox is simple: The nerve signal process is blocked when Botox solution is injected into your facial muscles. Your muscles do not get the “message” to contract unless those nerve impulses are there. This means they do not irritate your skin and do not cause lines and wrinkles. Botox is intended to treat dynamic wrinkles or lines that emerge as a result of facial movements. Crow’s feet are the little lines that stretch out from the corners of your eyes and frown lines or furrows occur between your brows, as well as horizontal forehead lines, also known as glabellar lines that appear between your brows.
Static wrinkles are those that grow as a consequence of sun damage, gravity, or other non-movement-related reasons, and they require dermal fillers or other techniques to help lessen their appearance. The good news is that Botox may be combined with these procedures, allowing you to address both types of wrinkles for an overall rejuvenated appearance.
The only way you can know for sure if you are a candidate for Botox is to book in for a consultation and get the opinion of an experienced professional. In addition, Botox should only be administered under the supervision of a specialist. In order to avoid negative effects, injections must be carefully positioned. If you want to improve your appearance, seeking the right certified professional with the expertise required in providing Botox procedures is highly recommended. A professional and properly trained doctor will analyze your objectives and assist you in determining which solutions best meet your health and needs.