It is no secret that Botox, and other neuromodulators, are great for softening wrinkles and keeping the skin looking young. Each year, I feel like I see younger and younger patients seeking Botox to help prevent future wrinkles. For the longest time I was not convinced of Botox’s preventative capabilities, but through time I’ve come around to greatly appreciate this nature of the product.
Here’s how it works! There are two types of wrinkles or lines: dynamic lines and static lines. Dynamic lines occur when you move your face, such as when you raise your eyebrows and lines arise across the forehead. Static lines, or wrinkles, are those that are present at rest. Through time, as the facial muscles contract and relax to create expressions, the resulting dynamic lines become etched into the skin. Botox can be used to prevent this conversion of dynamic lines to static lines by relaxing the muscles that create specific lines.
One concern from the vast majority of my patients is wanting to still look natural, especially younger patients that are merely using Botox to prevent that conversion. With proper dosage and careful consideration of where to inject the product, patients can experience a natural result that still allows some movement of the eyebrows. Injecting Botox too close to the eyebrow can be one of the riskier injections and can lead to an eyelid droop. By avoiding this injection, patients retain a degree of movement to their eyebrows which decreases the chances of looking “frozen.”
Though there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to freeze all movement in the face. Each patient has their own goals for injectables so I always enjoy taking the time to understand patients’ concerns and tailoring injections accordingly. When done right, injectables can make a drastic difference in the appearance and future appearance of your face!