There are plenty of tips for keeping your skin healthy and face smooth (don’t forget to hydrate today!). But even if you take good care of your skin, wrinkles and other signs of aging still appear over time. That’s where preventive Botox® can play a role.
Preventive Botox is a treatment that could help slow or stop wrinkles, creases, crow’s feet and other signs of aging from appearing on your face and neck as you get older. Whether you’ve noticed the first signs of changes to your skin or just want to be proactive to keep the wrinkles away, preventive Botox could help.
What is preventive Botox? Injections aimed at preventing wrinkles from forming.
While Botox injections are well-known for smoothing existing wrinkles, preventive Botox is a series of ongoing treatments that focus on preventing the start of fine lines, crow’s feet and other “dynamic wrinkles” caused by repeated muscle movements, like smiling, squinting and raising your eyebrows. Preventive Botox targets the areas where muscles generally contract when making facial expressions to help relax the muscles and keep the skin smooth.
Over time, you may need fewer treatments or smaller doses if you get preventive injections regularly. If you choose to stop ongoing preventive Botox, you may enjoy some lasting benefits, but new dynamic wrinkles can start to occur.
How Botox helps prevent wrinkles
Studies show that preventive Botox treatments can slow or prevent the development of crow’s feet, as well as lines and wrinkles that would eventually be visible while your face is at rest. This can give your skin a smoother, more youthful appearance as you age.
Botox is a safe, regulated form of botulinum toxin, a paralyzing agent made by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Botox blocks the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that tells muscles to contract. Since the muscles don’t receive the signal to move, they stay relaxed for as long as the botulinum toxin is active, usually for several months following an injection. And because contractions cause dynamic wrinkles, Botox can help prevent them from forming in the first place.
Botox acts quickly, but not immediately. You can start seeing the effects of treatment in 3-5 days, with the full results becoming apparent within two weeks. In addition to temporarily paralyzing muscles, Botox can also weaken and shrink certain facial muscles over time, keeping them relaxed so fewer wrinkles form as you age.
It’s worth noting that preventive Botox is not a solution for all types of wrinkles. There are many unique factors that can impact the way your individual skin ages, including genetics, loss of skin elasticity, volume loss, sun exposure and lifestyle choices (such as smoking). While preventive Botox isn’t ideal for stopping wrinkles caused by these factors, there are other anti-aging skin treatments like retinoids and dermal fillers that can help.
The benefits of preventive Botox
If you’re looking for ways to maintain smooth, glowing skin before new wrinkles form or deepen, preventive Botox may be a good option. Its benefits include:
- Reducing signs of wrinkles and keeping them away with proper maintenance
- Giving you some control over maintaining a more youthful appearance
- Quick, fast-acting injections that don’t require much recovery – most people go about their day as normal after an injection
- Minimal side effects with low instances of serious complications
What age can you start preventive Botox? It depends.
There is no “right age” for starting preventive Botox (although you do need to be 18 years old or older). The way your skin changes over time has less to do with your age and more to do with the combination of your skin type, genetics and lifestyle. Some people choose to begin Botox treatments in their 30s or even earlier.
People start preventive Botox for many reasons, but some of the most common include signs of lines and wrinkles when their face is at rest, creased skin, or a genetic history of deep wrinkles or early wrinkle development.
“Baby Botox” is a common starting point for people in their 20s or 30s
Baby Botox, or Botox microdosing, focuses on using smaller amounts of the injectable to give more subtle results. This approach is most common for younger people trying to prevent wrinkles from starting but it can also be used as a starting point for someone who already has deepening dynamic wrinkles.
It’s important to note that while baby Botox has a playful name, it is only a reference to the smaller, more targeted amount of Botox in each treatment. The injection process and minimum age requirements are still the same.
How often you’ll need preventive Botox treatments depends on a few factors
Your skin is unique and will react to Botox in its own way, but keep in mind that maintenance will be necessary if you want to continue to see the benefits. How often you need treatment depends on how your body metabolizes Botox, your personal preferences and your budget.
Some people choose to get injections every 3-4 months, some get them a couple of times a year and others when they notice the first signs of faint lines or wrinkles. If you’re not sure what will work best for you, speak with your cosmetic dermatologist. They’ll be able to make personalized recommendations and guide you to a treatment plan that meets your goals.
When Botox goes from preventive to corrective
When deepening lines or wrinkles are already present even when your face is at rest, the approach to anti-aging treatment shifts from solely preventive to corrective. If you’re considering rejuvenation procedures, you have a variety of choices, including Botox or fillers, chemical peels, laser treatments and microneedling. A cosmetic dermatology specialist can help guide you to the procedure that will be most effective for your skin and personal preferences.
The cost of preventive Botox
Like with many treatments, the frequency of injections, your clinician and even the dosage used can change how much preventive Botox services cost. However, depending on your long-term goals, preventive Botox may cost less for the results you want than corrective Botox.
How to choose between a med spa vs. dermatologist
Med spas, as the name suggests, offer a spa-like environment and can perform some nonsurgical medical procedures, including Botox injections. However, when choosing where to get preventive Botox treatments, it‘s best to go with a cosmetic medicine specialist for the best results.
Interested in preventive Botox? Schedule a consultation.
If you are considering preventive Botox, reach out to a cosmetic medicine specialist to ensure you get proper guidance, expertise, recommendations and care.
At HealthPartners, you can access preventive Botox and other cosmetic medicine services through our cosmetic dermatology and cosmetic surgery practices. Choosing whether to see a cosmetic dermatology or cosmetic surgery clinician depends on your care preferences, timeline and other personal factors.
