Smiles, laughter, and even frowning help us communicate our feelings to others. They also cause facial muscles to tug on the skin, producing fine lines and wrinkles. While you might be able to spot an overdone Botox® treatment, an experienced injector can produce results that look just like you except without the wrinkles.
How Does Botox® Cosmetic Work?
Botox® works using botulinum toxin. This neurotoxin interferes with communication between facial muscles and the nerves telling them to contract. While botulinum toxins can harm people in larger doses, those used for medical and cosmetic purposes are too small to make anyone ill. Instead, the Botox® stays where your provider injects it.
These injections will target muscles that create expression lines. No other non-surgical treatment works like Botox® and related neurotoxins to treat these types of fine lines and wrinkles.
Facial muscles contract and pull on the skin with each smile, frown, or raised eyebrow. Over time, the skin begins to wrinkle and crease in the areas where it experiences constant tension. Botox® relieves the pulling of the muscles to let the skin relax and become smooth.
Botox® accomplishes this by blocking the action of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. When the nerves powering these facial muscles send a signal to the muscle telling it to contract, the muscle doesn’t receive the signal and stays relaxed.
Botox® Quick Facts
- While Botox® Cosmetic has been FDA approved since 2013 to treat lines and wrinkles, Botox® has been approved for medical uses like eye spasms and excessive sweating since 1989.
- Although people call it a neurotoxin, Botox® does not cause any permanent harm to nerves or muscles. Once Botox® wears off after three to four months, the nerves will return to normal and start sending signals again.
- Botox® and other botulinum toxin treatments are the most popular and frequently requested cosmetic treatments in the world.
Where Can You Have Botox®?
The most common locations for Botox® are the lines between the brows (glabellar lines), horizontal forehead wrinkles, and crow’s feet around the eyes. Off-label uses of Botox® include treating bands in the neck area and under the eyes. While many providers offer Botox® for off-label uses, make sure your provider has experience using it this way.
Will I Still Look Natural After Getting Botox®?
An experienced provider will provide you with a natural, relaxed look that never looks fake or frozen. By targeting the muscles causing the skin creasing, Botox® lets you maintain your entire range of facial expressions, but without the fine lines and wrinkles.
You will still look completely normal when you laugh, smile, or frown. The only difference you will notice is that the lines and wrinkles in the treated area no longer appear with each expression. People look younger, more alert, and more relaxed. While many people envision women having Botox®, men also benefit from this treatment, especially since they usually have heavier brows and foreheads than women, making their wrinkles deeper.
