It is better to prevent than repair, especially when it comes to the signs of aging. Good skin hygiene and advancements in non-invasive cosmetic treatments can stall the aging process and prevent the development of wrinkles and fine lines.
Getting older is inevitable, looking older is not.
Perhaps the elixir of youth is not drunk, but injected. Recent clinically findings suggest Botox is one of the most effective cosmetic interventions to preserve the youthful appearance of skin. Not only can this neuromodulator diminish the appearance of wrinkles that already age the face, research shows that Botox can prevent such wrinkles from showing up to begin with. Read on to discover how preventative Botox, when performed in your 20’s and 30’s, before wrinkles have set in, can keep you looking ageless in your 40’s, 50’s and beyond.
3 Types of Aging
To understand how Botox prevents the appearance of crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead wrinkles, it is important to know the different ways our skin ages. There are three types of aging: extrinsic aging, usually caused by UV exposure, intrinsic aging, the genetically programmed breakdown and slowdown of our skin, and mechanical aging. Mechanical aging refers to the fine lines and wrinkles that form from the wear and tear of repetitive muscle movements. Also known as expression lines, dynamic wrinkling is most prevalent in the facial region, especially around our eyes, the brow and forehead.
As the name suggests, expression lines appear during facial expressions, such as smiling or frowning. When we are young, expression lines go away once the face is relaxed. As we get older, expression lines tend to stick around, even when the face is resting. Medical professionals refer to expressions lines that set in as dynamic wrinkles or imprinted facial lines. You may call them laugh lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead wrinkles.
Learn more about the 3 types of aging >>
Botox: The #1 Treatment for Dynamic Wrinkles
Botox is the most popular cosmetic treatment in the world, with millions of procedures performed each year. Botox is a purified form of the Botulinum toxin, a neuromodulator that blocks nerve signals telling muscles to contract. Without these signals the muscles relaxes. This allows the overlying skin to relax as well, smoothing out the dynamic wrinkles that form around the eyes, brow, and forehead.
Botox is mostly known as a reactionary treatment, prescribed for wrinkles that have already set in. And Botox does a great job at this. (It’s the number one cosmetic treatment in the world for a reason!) However, when Botox is used as a reactionary treatment for imprinted facial lines, results are temporary. As the neurotoxin degrades over time, underlying muscles begin to contract again, and overlying wrinkles reappear. To diminish facial lines once they have set in and maintain youthful, wrinkle free skin requires regular Botox injections, usually spaced 4 months apart.
Preventative Botox: The #1 Treatment to PREVENT Dynamic Wrinkles
As the millennial generation gets older, cosmetic trends are beginning to focus more on prevention than correction. This philosophy is embodied in the emerging beauty movement known as “Prejuvenation,” or preventative skin care that prioritizes good skin hygiene, protection from UV exposure and rejuvenating the skin with non-invasive cosmetic treatments. The prejuvenation movement is credited for the surge of Millennials seeking out cosmetic treatments, like Botox, that were once thought to be unnecessary for most men and women in their 20’s and 30’s, who have yet to develop heavily imprinted facial lines.
Related Article: Essential Skincare Tips for your 20’s >>
“Millennials and Preventative Botox are Shaping the Future of Aesthetics!”
According to the 2017 annual report from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS,) “Millennials & Injectables Are Shaping the Future of Aesthetics.” The survey analyzes the upward trend of patients in their 20’s and 30’s opting for Botox treatments. Most skincare professionals admit that until recently, the youngest patients coming in for facial injections were in their late 30’s and early 40’s. But, according to the report, “The focus [strongest among the Millennial demographic] has shifted from correction to prevention. Even before the first signs of sagging, lines or volume loss, we are seeing patients adamant about stalling the aging process.”
And according to the science, prejuvenation with preventative Botox Treatments really work!
Scientific Support for Preventative Botox Injections
One intriguing study supporting the practice of preventative Botox was published in Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery and titled “Long-term effects of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) on facial lines: a comparison in identical twins.” The study followed identical twins over a 13-year period.
One twin received regularly scheduled Botox injections in the upper region of her face, around her eyes, brow, and forehead. This twin stopped receiving Botox injections 4 months prior to the evaluation, providing ample time for any superficial improvements from her last Botox injections to wear off. The other twin acted as a control, going without preventative Botox injections.
The results show similar aging patterns in the lower facial region, demonstrated in the identical depth in nasolabial folds (smile lines) on both twins. When comparing the upper region of the face, however, there is a stark difference in the appearance of aging between the twins. The twin who received preventative Botox injections displays significantly less wrinkles in between the eyebrows, on the forehead, and around the eyes.
This led researchers to conclude, “long-term treatment with Botox can prevent the development of imprinted facial lines that are visible at rest. Botox treatment can also reduce crow’s feet.”
How early should someone start Preventative Botox Treatments?
Another convincing claim for preventative Botox comes from two renowned dermatologists published in JAMA Dermatology” who address critics that argue Botox in your 20’s is too early for such a treatment. The authors focused on the emerging scientific consensus that Botox can do more than just diminish dynamic wrinkles, but can prevent them as well.
As mentioned earlier, dynamic wrinkles form by years of repetitive muscle contractions, therefore the authors theorize “if the action of the muscles of facial expression is diminished [through preventative Botox injections] the lines on the face that are interpreted as aging, tiredness or anger will simply not form.” In layman terms, if you inhibit a muscle’s ability to contract, you can prevent the development of dynamic wrinkles. The authors strongly assert, “Initiating regular treatment with a neuromodulator in an individual’s 20s or 30s will have a dramatic effect on the appearance of the face as seen in the person’s 40s or 50s. There will be few, if any, imprinted lines of facial expression present.”
For adults, when is it too early to start Botox treatments? The authors conclude their JAMA Dermatology piece by answering this question. “The initiation of conservative and thoughtful use of neuromodulators…will keep patients looking young and their skin looking healthier. So there really is rarely a time that is too early [for adults to get started with Botox.] Perhaps the better question is, ‘When is it too late?’”
Related Article: Stages of Skin Aging in Your 20’s and 30’s >>
When should I start Botox Injections?
Many individual factors influence the onset of wrinkles, making it impossible to provide a universal age that is most ideal for starting preventative Botox Treatments. However, the fundamental priority of Prejuvenation is to prevent wrinkles before they set in.
A good rule of thumb for when to start preventative Botox is “if you can see it, you can treat it.” To capitalize on the preventative power of neuromodulators, it is best to start treating wrinkles when they first begin to appear. The earlier you catch a wrinkle the better you can prevent it from setting in.
Botox Near Me: Finding the Best Botox NYC Providers
The best way to determine if Botox is right for you is to schedule a free consultation with SKINNEY Medspa at one of our 3 NYC locations. SKINNEY Medspa is a premier skin and laser spa that specializes in preventative skincare. Facial injections are performed by dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, a leading Botox NYC provider.
Call SKINNEY Medspa today at (212) 754-6639 to schedule your free consultation and learn about current promotions for big savings on Botox cost.
