Preventative Botox and Why We Love It
We’re living in a golden age of neurotoxins such as Dysport or Botox. Treatments have never been more accessible, the “frozen face” stigma is a thing of the past, and it’s normal to encounter people every day who have had treatments done.
The benefits of Botox are obvious: it reduces the appearance of fine lines, crow’s feet, smile lines and wrinkles. And instead of waiting until middle age to smooth away unwanted creases, more and more people are opting for preventative Botox at younger ages.
How young is too young?
So, what’s the best age to start getting tox? Botox/Dysport is approved for people over the age of 18; otherwise, there isn’t really a hard and fast rule because get this: WE ALL AGE DIFFERENTLY. Truly, age means nothing when it comes to starting preventative tox because everyone ages and shows age at different times depending on their lifestyles and genetic makeup. Our rule of thumb is: if you start seeing fine lines and wrinkles- you can start. The earlier and sooner you start, the less product you need (talk about saving $$$), the more natural your results will be and the further out you can push your treatments.
Being aware of your own face is the best way to tell whether or not it’s a good time to start. Does your makeup crease in lines on your face? Do you notice lines that are showing anywhere on your face even when you’re not making any faces/movement? If so, no matter if you’re 22 or 42, you may benefit from Botox. Another good way to consider is thinking about your parents! Where are your parents showing their age? You might be more susceptible to those areas and can prevent them earlier knowing how you may age. Many skin types and conditions—including wrinkles—are hereditary, so taking a cue from your relatives is a good idea.
How does Botox work?
Botox/Dysport relaxes the muscles it’s injected into, which delays the development of even deeper lines and sort of trains your muscles not to create new wrinkles. Botox isn’t an immediate treatment and takes 2 full weeks for a full effect and usually lasts 3-4 months. Oftentimes (especially if we start earlier in our lives) we can push out these treatments to every 6 months. Starting with preventative treatments keeps those muscles relaxed throughout your life, so you’ll have to get less Botox as you get older, too.
It’s also a good move financially: deeper wrinkles require more product and filler, and fine lines need less product and filler. So, those preventative treatments will save you money—and pesky wrinkles—in the long run.
What’s the bottom line?
Do what’s best for you and keep in mind that your number in age has NOTHING to do with how fast you actually age. Some 40 year olds have less wrinkles than some 20 year olds because every single person ages differently! Think about your own family history, your skin type, and how many fine lines and wrinkles you currently have. Preventative treatments will keep you looking youthful longer and will require less product than if you wait to try Botox until you’ve developed deeper lines.
Still not sure? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help you figure out what treatment is perfect for you and your beauty goals.