Botox Answers

We’ve all seen it – the friend whose cosmetic treatment has changed their facial appearance, and not for the better. What do we do, when we want to say “You’ve had too much Botox,” while looking at their frozen face or puffy lips and cheeks out of proportion with the rest of their features? The answer, nothing, do not comment, unless you are asked for your opinion or your friend opens the door for feedback, announcing they are receiving treatments. Most importantly, before you say anything, know that Botox is very rarely the cause of significant changes in the face, facial oddities after treatment are almost always the result of surgery or overcorrection with hyaluronic acids (HA) fillers like Juvederm or Restylane. What, you say how can this be? The explanation is simple; Botox is a muscle relaxer, it does not stretch or create puffiness in facial features, it only…

In my practice, one of the questions patients frequently ask about Botox treatments is: does it prevent wrinkles? The simple answer is yes; before I explain the specifics of this process, let me identify the two types of facial wrinkles Botox treats.   The first type, “static” or “resting” lines, are actual creases in the skin when it’s at rest. The second type, “dynamic wrinkles,” are caused by muscular movement.   With an understanding of what Botox treats, here are five important facts you should know about treatment and wrinkle prevention.   Does Botox prevent facial wrinkles, or does it exclusively provide short term relaxation of muscles that move the skin?   It does both. Botox works first and foremost on relaxing the muscles that pull and wrinkle the skin; this movement causes “dynamic wrinkles” or movement lines. By relaxing these muscles and preventing further movement, Botox’s long term effect…