Can Preventative BOTOX® Prevent Wrinkles As We Age?

Most everyone these days has at least heard of BOTOX, and chances are pretty good that you — or someone you know — uses BOTOX regularly. Generally speaking, many patients begin to think about BOTOX injections once lines and wrinkles have become visible, which may be in their 30s, 40s, or beyond. However, more and more people are turning to BOTOX at an early age in an attempt to prevent wrinkles before they happen. Board-certified physician Dr. Stuart B. Porter and the expert aesthetic team at Xage Medical Spa in Provo, UT, share their patients’ desires to look and feel their best at any age and are proud to offer injectable BOTOX to combat — or perhaps prevent — the unwanted signs of facial aging. Discover the benefits of preventative BOTOX here, and find out when it may be the right time to begin your treatment.

Who needs BOTOX?

Virtually anyone frustrated by dynamic lines and wrinkles — or those caused by repetitive facial expressions — can benefit from BOTOX injections, which works to temporarily paralyze the underlying muscle and smooth lines on the surface. Some of the most common signs of aging that can be dramatically improved with BOTOX injections include:

• Crow’s feet
• Brow lines
• Furrows
• 11 lines
• Glabellar lines
• Smile lines/frown lines
• Lip lines

What’s the best age for BOTOX?

Because everyone has different goals and experiences the aging process at different rates, there is no perfect age to begin BOTOX. In general, patients often think about BOTOX injections once they notice visible lines and wrinkles that are difficult to conceal with makeup and/or have escaped the control of their regular at-home skin care routine. For many men and women, this happens between age 30 and 40. However, it is important for patients to understand that once they begin BOTOX treatments, repeat injections will be needed 3 – 4 times per year to maintain their results. Because this involves financial and time commitments, some patients delay the start of BOTOX until they feel it is absolutely necessary. For other patients, the idea of preventative BOTOX is particularly attractive, leading them to seek BOTOX as early as their 20s.

What is preventative BOTOX?

Preventative BOTOX has become more and more popular in recent years among younger patients hoping to get a jump start on the aging process and avoid wrinkles before they become visible. This approach involves the regular injection of BOTOX wrinkle relaxer in areas that are highly susceptible to dynamic lines, such as the glabella and Crow’s feet, either at the very first sign of visible aging or even before a line has become visible. Most often, preventative BOTOX is initiated during a patient’s 20s or 30s.

Does preventative BOTOX stop wrinkles completely?

It is important to remember how BOTOX works to better understand its use as a preventative measure. Because BOTOX temporarily “freezes” the muscle, causing surface lines and wrinkles to relax, using BOTOX before a wrinkle has even developed can certainly keep the skin looking smoother for longer periods of time. However, even modern medicine and technology aren’t able to fully halt the aging process, and most everyone will experience some degree of skin laxity, lines, and wrinkles over time. For patients who have used preventative BOTOX, though, dynamic wrinkles are often less severe and develop later than for those who wait until their lines are visible to begin treatment.

Another important factor to consider when thinking about BOTOX for wrinkle prevention is that the treatment must be repeated every 3 – 4 months to keep the muscle relaxed. If a patient stops using preventative BOTOX, their muscle movements and facial expressions will ultimately lead to the development of dynamic lines and wrinkles, though these symptoms may be less severe or slower to progress than they would have been otherwise. While starting BOTOX at an early age does involve a significant financial commitment over time, many patients find that they actually save money in the long run by obviating the use of expensive topical products and delaying the need for more costly procedures, such as facelift surgery.

Still looking for the fountain of youth? Preventative BOTOX in Provo, UT, may be the next best thing!

In the never-ending quest to preserve our smooth, youthful, wrinkle-free skin, preventative BOTOX offers the exciting opportunity to get ahead of the facial aging process before it even begins. To learn more about the benefits of preventative BOTOX, including how it can keep you looking younger for longer, call Xage Medical Spa to schedule your private consultation with acclaimed board-certified physician Dr. Stuart B. Porter today. We look forward to helping you love the skin you’re in for years to come with BOTOX wrinkle prevention in Provo, UT!