Preventative BOTOX^®

CHOOSE TREATMENTS BEFORE WRINKLES FORM OR WORSEN FOR NEWTON AND THE BOSTON AREA

Most of the time, people think of BOTOX® as a corrective treatment for deep wrinkles that have become established—but with preventative BOTOX® at the Boston area’s Dr. Happe Medical Aesthetics, you can age gracefully and prevent those wrinkles from occurring in the first place.

If you’re interested in taking a proactive approach to counteracting signs of aging, the use of BOTOX® to prevent wrinkles could be ideal.

WHAT IS PREVENTATIVE BOTOX®?

You may be familiar with the standard use of BOTOX®. This injectable treatment contains botulinum toxin as its primary active ingredient and works by blocking chemical signals that trigger muscle contractions. Treatments work by relaxing the muscles that cause expression wrinkles, which are linked to habitual facial expressions.

Just like standard BOTOX®, preventative BOTOX® works the same way: by disrupting the nerve signals that cause certain facial muscles to contract when you make specific expressions.

Patients interested in delaying or preventing the onset of dynamic wrinkles will need to start having preventative BOTOX® treatments earlier, before deep wrinkles have become established, in order to limit repetitive muscle movement and prevent wrinkles from forming.

But does preventative BOTOX® really work? If you do a quick search for “preventative BOTOX® near me” or “preventative BOTOX® Reddit,” you’re likely to find a variety of different opinions from a range of people (not all of whom are educated or experienced in the nuances of neuromodulators). The truth is that this treatment can be highly effective for some individuals.

There are long-term benefits associated with preventative BOTOX®, including the fact that when you start having these treatments when you’re younger, there will be fewer wrinkles to treat when you get older. You may also require fewer units of BOTOX® at that point compared to someone who never had the treatments before. When wrinkles have become more pronounced later in life, treatments work to reduce them—taking them from dramatic to less noticeable. When the injections are performed in a subtle way, starting from a younger age, your face will barely seem to age.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN PREVENTATIVE BOTOX® TREAT?

Preventative BOTOX® can be applied to the same areas as a regular BOTOX® treatment, addressing moderate to severe forehead wrinkles, glabellar lines, and crow’s feet.

WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR PREVENTATIVE BOTOX®?

There isn’t one specific age that’s best for everyone when it comes to preventative BOTOX®. This type of BOTOX® treatment can be an ideal choice when wrinkles first begin to bother you. This may be during your 20s, 30s, or 40s.

There are several factors that will affect when you first begin to notice wrinkles, including age, genetics, and skin type. If you are starting to notice faint lines that will become future wrinkles, you may want to try this treatment. At this stage, you will be able to see where the lines are eventually going to develop even if they haven’t become etched in yet.

Patients with fine and thin skin, asymmetric muscle overactivity, excessive frowning, gummy smiles, or very expressive faces who are likely to get excessive or very deep wrinkles are good candidates for BOTOX® at a younger age. BOTOX® can help to “retrain” those facial muscles. You can look around at other family members and see whether they have an excessive number of wrinkles or deep wrinkles. Preventative treatments are not intended for patients who don’t have any visible wrinkles yet or those with deep, established wrinkles.

WHAT IS THE NEWTON PREVENTATIVE BOTOX® EXPERIENCE?

Patients typically only experience minimal discomfort from these treatments, and there is virtually no downtime. Just as it does for the standard use of BOTOX®, preventative BOTOX® lasts for three to four months on average. Avoid taking blood thinning medications and supplements prior to your treatment.

How often do you have to get preventative BOTOX®? The frequency of these treatments will vary for each person. Dr. Holly Happe can assess your needs, muscle movement, and skin type to help you decide on the amount required and the time frame for treatment sessions.

SKIN REJUVENATION AND ANTI-AGING OPTIONS BEYOND PREVENTATIVE BOTOX®

Maintaining a good skin care routine with antioxidants and sun protection can help you preserve healthy skin and avoid wrinkles. Dermal fillers from Dr. Happe Medical Aesthetics are another type of temporary treatment to restore a smoother, younger look. These soft gels are injected below the skin to restore volume to areas where it has been lost or augment certain areas of the face such as the cheeks for a more balanced or defined appearance. Skin rejuvenation treatments such as chemical peels and microneedling can help to stave off signs of aging by stimulating the production of collagen, one of the proteins that’s responsible for maintaining strong, tight skin.

BOTOX^® itself can be used for a range of cosmetic treatments besides wrinkle prevention, including face slimming and jawline slimming; smoothing crow’s feet or smile lines, frown lines, forehead lines, bunny lines, and chin dimpling; and providing a brow lift. Treatments focusing on the neck are known as “Nefertiti lifts,” and injections can also help reduce the look of under-eye “jelly rolls.” Beyond cosmetic applications, it can also be used to reduce chronic painful headaches and migraines, as well as jaw clenching and excessive perspiration in the underarms or feet.