The best way to explain Preventative Botox is to first clarify what (regular) Botox is. Botulinum toxin, also known as Botox, is a powerful medicine that can be used to prevent wrinkles and fine lines. Due to how powerful it is, Botox should only be administered by a trained medical professional located in a clinical setting.
Preventative Botox is simply Botox that has been applied before wrinkles and fine lines occur. It's applied prior to the patient experiencing fine lines and wrinkles to prolong the appearance of youthful-looking skin. Patients who used Botox reported softer and more hydrated skin after each use than before they had begun treatment.
How Botox Prevents Wrinkles
Wrinkles and fine lines are formed by the movements we make with our facial expressions. Smiling, pursing our lips, squinting, and other facial actions form grooves below the skin's surface. When we're young, our skin has the flexibility to bounce back. As we get older, we lose this elasticity, and the grooves become permanent. These eventually develop into the fine lines and wrinkles in our facial skin.
Botox works by putting a block on the nerve signals, which allows the muscles to relax. Now, the muscles don't move, the grooves aren't created, and neither are the wrinkles and fine lines.
Best time to Start Preventative Botox
Dermatologists recommend that Preventative Botox should be applied between ages 25 and 30. Patients younger than 25 would not have built up enough damage to make Botox effective. After age 30, patients may have already begun to experience fine lines and wrinkles so that the Botox is no longer preventative.
Where can I use Preventative Botox?
Preventative Botox can be used on the face. Most patients request Botox to be applied
- Around the eyes,
- On the forehead and between the eyebrows,
- Near the lips and chin.
The Preventative Botox Appointments
The Consultation
The first appointment for Preventative Botox is your consultation where you speak with your doctor. You should also take the time to ask all the questions and address any concerns you have. Your physician will use this time to explain the reactions and side effects of the treatment. He or she will also let you know what you should (and should not) do to prepare. It is at the consultation you should let your doctor know about your medical history and any upcoming procedures. Let your doctor know if you have ever had Botox before (even if for non-cosmetic use). Tell your doctor about your body's reaction to the treatment. Don't forget to share the list of medications you are currently on or have been previously taking. Include any herbal supplements, traditional medications and over-the-counter drugs you are using.
The Appointment
You will begin the appointment by laying face up. The medical professional will perform an assessment of your face, including having you make various facial expressions. This identifies where the lines are most likely to occur so that they know where to apply the Botox.
The application of the Botox takes 10 to 30 minutes. As the injections occur, bumps may appear on the skin. These usually disappear within 30 minutes of the procedure being completed.
Immediately After the Appointment
For the first 4 hours after treatment, you must keep your face upright. It is strongly recommended that you do not engage in any activities which could cause the Botox to move about the muscles. You should not engage in the following without medical clearance:
- Exercise, or any other (strenuous) activity which causes you to sweat. The action of wiping off sweat may cause bruising or cause the Botox to shift.
- Facial treatments, like massages.
- Applying heat to your face.
After the Appointment
In a few days, your facial muscles should relax. You will see the fine lines and wrinkles disappearing. This will occur for the next two weeks, at which point the final results will be visible. Preventative Botox can last for up to 12 weeks, so your follow-up appointment should be 3 to 4 months later.