Botox or botulinum toxin type A is said to be one of the most popular anti-ageing procedure that’s minimally or completely non-invasive to erase or diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Botox is usually favored by women who are on the wrong side of 30s or for those who are suffering from premature ageing. While some women develop early signs of ageing due to excessive sun exposure and bad lifestyle practices, others opt for botox injections from their late 30’s or even 40’s. We all know that botox can make fine lines and wrinkles less prominent, but the burning question is, “does botox slow down ageing.” Can botox be used as a preventive measure to keep ageing at the baby. We will find out the answer of this question in this post.
How Does Botox Slow Down the Ageing Process?
A person develops wrinkles on his/her face with a drop in collagen in their skin and also due to the constant movement of their facial muscles. Facial movements such as laughing, smiling, frowning weakens the facial skin and drop in collagen production deepens up the creases and fine lines formed from constant movement. Botox injections work by relaxing facial muscles and preventing them from constricting. These lines include lines across the forehead, around the sides of the mouth, crow’s feet and wrinkles on the sides of the nose. Botox temporarily blocks the facial muscles that transmit signals of contraction to the brain. Once someone is on a regular dose of botox injections, their facial muscles get paralyzed temporarily, hence reducing the appearance of wrinkles and lines.
Does Botox Help in Reducing Existing Wrinkles?
An interesting thing about botox is that it doesn’t perform effectively on all types of wrinkles. As we start ageing, the elasticity of our skin reduces and collagen production also gets diminished. This causes a permanent crease in such regions and such lines do show up on the skin even if botox injections are given for muscle relaxation, though less prominently. Even though botox doesn’t actually remove old wrinkles, it does help to soften such lines so that they do not stand out on the face.
Is Botox Treatment Permanent?
No, botox treatment is not permanent. The process of injecting botulinum is reversible, but the effects of such injections reduce over a period of time. The acting period of such treatments usually starts from 5-10 days post injecting it on your face and the results typically last for about 4-6 months. So, once that period gets over, you will be needing another session of botox injections to maintain the anti-ageing effect. Also, regular sessions don’t imply that you will have to remain hooked on to these injections forever. With regular treatments of botox injections, the process of ageing gradually reduces. Therefore, while some women may need regular sessions after 5-6 months, others might need it once a year. It all depends on your choice of lifestyle and frequency of facial movements.
Does Botox Slow Down Ageing?
Now, coming to the main question of this article of whether botox slows down ageing, then yes, botox helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and slow down the ageing process. Botox is more appropriate to be used on areas that have significant muscular movement. Botox injections will help from lines from getting deeper on the face by relaxing the facial muscle, and in that way, it can slow down ageing (only where it is injected). Experts say that if you get botox done earlier and following the correct prescribed procedure, the need for botox injections in the future is less. As mentioned earlier, the effect of botox stays for 4-6 months on an average, but chances of your first botox treatment wearing off faster is really high. In that case, you will need frequent touchups for the maintenance of elasticity of your skin. While botox can’t give you any magical results or get you back that teenage glow, it shows noticeable results in enhancing the much needed youthful look. So, before going for such injections, one must be well-aware of the do’s and don’ts of these treatments very well. In addition to that, it must also be noted that there are some side-effects associated with regular intake of botox injections. Hence, weigh out the pros and cons properly, talk to your cosmetologist and then only give in to such anti-ageing non-surgical procedures. At the end of the day, proper skincare, healthy lifestyle, refraining from bad habits like smoking and drinking together play a key role in helping maintain the optimal health of your skin. So, think wisely and then choose the right plan for the skin.
