According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Botox remains the most popular type of minimally invasive cosmetic procedure requested by men and women in the U.S. Out of the 13 million minimally invasive cosmetic treatments performed in 2020, nearly 4.5 million of those involved Botox injections.
Thirty years ago, a Canadian ophthalmologist noticed that patients with eyelid twitching (blepharospasms) who were treated with botulinum A exotoxin (Botox) experienced smoothing of glabellar wrinkles. Following dozens of clinical studies indicating botulinum A exotoxin safely and effectively reduces facial wrinkling, Botox quickly became the most in-demand skin cosmetic treatment in the world.
Why Do So Many People Choose Botox Over Other Similar Injectables?
The ASPS cites several reasons for the demand for Botox increasing since the FDA approved Botox for reducing the appearance of forehead lines, crow’s feet, and glabellar lines (wrinkles between the eyebrows):
- Results from Botox injections may be visible in as little as three days, depending on the severity of wrinkling.
- Results from Cosmetic Botox treatments can last as long as 4 to 6 months.
- Botox is an in-office procedure that typically takes 10minutes to complete.
- No recovery/downtime is necessary following Botox treatments.
- Numbing agents are available to minimize discomfort.
- Any soreness around injection sites typically subsides within 24 to 72 hours.
- Botox can be safely combined with dermal fillers, microdermabrasion, and other cosmetic procedures.
Another reason why people choose to retain youthful skin with Botox is that Botox also offers other benefits, such as relieving migraine pain, reducing excessive sweating, and its ability to prevent newly forming wrinkles from becoming permanent wrinkles.
How Often Do You Need Botox?
The need for touch-up Botox treatments varies among individuals and depends largely on these factors:
Your Age
There is no established age at which it’s “best” to start Botox treatments. Some people get Botox in their late 20s and 30s to stop facial movement wrinkling from becoming permanent or more severe as they age.
Amount of Sun Exposure
Everyone knows that overexposing skin to UV rays can accelerate skin aging and promote the development of skin cancer. If you were a sun worshipper in your 20s and 30s and want to get Botox treatments to reduce premature wrinkling, you will need to begin taking active measures to protect your skin from the sun.
Genetics
How fast or slow your skin ages may depend on the type of genes you inherited from your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Genetics is one factor that influences how often you might need Botox touch-ups.
Lifestyle
Smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, individual metabolism rates, and certain health problems will expedite signs of aging skin as well as the need for more (or fewer) Botox treatments.
Location of Botox Injection
Facial muscles involving the central eyebrow frownlines (Glabella)and forehead movement are the strongest and most used facial muscles. Consequently, Botox results tend to diminish more quickly around these areas. Your doctor can give you a good estimate of how long Botox will last according to the injection site.
Expertise of Your Doctor
Doctors highly skilled in giving Botox injections know precisely how much you need and where to inject Botox to maximize results. Trust only physicians like Dr. Vendetti at Virginia Surgical Arts who are licensed and board-certified to provide the best Botox treatment available.
You can also help retain Botox results as long as possible by doing the following after each treatment:
- Always use sunscreen when venturing out into direct sunlight. Wearing a hat with a wide brim also works well to keep UV rays from damaging skin treated with Botox.
- Drink several glasses of water every day and hydrate your skin with high-quality skincare products.
- Some studies indicate that taking zinc supplements in combination with Botox injections may help improve the duration of Botox results. Botox appears to react more positively to sufficient amounts of zinc in the body.
- Don’t rub your face harshly for at least 48 hours following Botox injections. While you can gently wash and hydrate your face after Botox treatment, rubbing injections too forcefully may cause migration of Botox into undesired areas of the face.
Where On Your Face Can You Have Botox Injections?
In addition to reducing wrinkles at FDA-approved facial locations, Botox can be used to diminish the appearance of:
Chin dents/dimpled chin: Puckering of the chin may increase with age as chin muscles lose firmness due to a lack of collagen. Botox can help smooth chin dents for a more youthful appearance.
Gummy smile: when the upper lip rises above your teeth when you smile, Botox injections may be able to weaken certain muscles enough so that your upper lip remains over your gums when you smile.
Neck wrinkling/banding: vertical and horizontal wrinkles that sag may start developing in the neck area during your 40s. Botox for neck wrinkling can firm skin, smooth away wrinkles and possibly replace the need for a surgical neck lift.
Smokers lines: Botox can be used alone or combined with a dermal filler to increase lip volume. In addition to supplementing the fillers , Botox will also reduce fine lines surrounding the upper lip.
Although Botox was originally approved by the FDA for smoothing away crow’s feet, glabellar lines, and forehead wrinkles, it has now been approved for treating hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating, especially under the arms), migraines, urinary incontinence, cervical dystonia (painful contraction of the neck muscles), and muscle spasticity.
How Much Should I Expect to Pay for Botox?
Doctors measure Botox amounts in units. The cost of your Botox treatment will depend on how many units your doctor uses and how large the skin area is being treated with Botox. Botox is available to licensed physicians in variously sized unit vials. One Botox injection typically contains three, four, or five units, depending on the area of concern and severity of the skin condition. How much you pay for Botox treatment is contingent on the cost of a unit of Botox in your area. For example, Botox units tend to be a little more expensive in larger cities where demand is naturally higher.
During your consultation visit at Virginia Surgical Arts, your doctor will discuss how much your Botox treatment will cost. Medical insurance companies will not pay for Botox injections for cosmetic reasons. However, individuals with severe migraines, cervical dystonia, or other health issues may have Botox treatments covered by their medical insurance.
Do Botox Results Last Longer After Each Injection?
There is some clinical evidence that suggests having repeated injections of Botox may cause a phenomenon called muscle memory response. Dermatologists think this is why having touch-up Botox treatments not only enhances wrinkle-smoothing effects but helps retain these effects longer between touch-ups. Essentially, muscles injected periodically with Botox “remember” not to contract. Automatic muscle contractions are the primary reason why wrinkling caused by smiling, frowning, or brow furrowing results in permanent wrinkles.
Researchers may have discovered how Botox invokes a memory response by studying what happens when nerve cells react to Botox. After a Botox injection, nerve cells release a special enzyme that stops muscle contractions. This same enzyme binds to proteins involved with communication between muscle and nerve cells. Eventually, nerve cells stop releasing chemicals that “order” muscle cells to contract for longer periods.
Contact Virginia Surgical Arts Today to Schedule a Botox Consultation Appointment
In addition to Botox, Virginia Surgical Arts also offers a variety of safe and effective injectables that will keep your skin looking fresh, youthful, and rejuvenated at any age:
Not offering this anymore…..
Juvederm Ultra Plus XC & Voluma: A dermal filler that adds volume and hydrating nourishment to skin, Juvederm Ultra Plus XC also contains the anesthetic lidocaine to improve comfort during the injection process.
Belotero Balance: Also a dermal filler containing lidocaine, Belotero Balance fills out and smooths moderate to severe nasolabial folds extending from the corner of the mouth to the side of the nose.
Call today at 757-430-7690 to speak with the staff at Virginia Surgical Arts. You may also complete our online contact form and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible!
