It’s been around long enough that the association is second nature: If you’re unhappy with wrinkles, BOTOX Cosmetic can help. Our patients certainly know it, and the treatment produces consistently great results, which is why it’s a household name.
But that said, BOTOX isn’t a panacea — even when it comes to smoothing out facial wrinkles. That’s because not all wrinkles are created equal.
BOTOX is ideal for “dynamic” wrinkles.
Wrinkles form for a variety of reasons: Some of them are the product of sagging skin, some can be attributed to lost fat volume in the face, and some are simply the result of years of repeated facial expressions. When we say dynamic wrinkles, we’re talking about that last one.
BOTOX is a neuromodulator (as are comparable products out there, called Dysport® and XEOMIN®). It works by blocking the nerve signals before they trigger your facial muscles. In fact, BOTOX was initially developed as a way to treat muscle spasms in the eyelids. In its cosmetic use, BOTOX relaxes away the wrinkles and lines that are formed by our most pronounced facial expressions.
How can I tell which wrinkles are dynamic?
If the wrinkles become more pronounced when you form a certain facial expression, that’s a good sign that BOTOX will be helpful. Beyond that, here’s a good rule of thumb: BOTOX is more likely to be effective as you go higher on a person’s face.
BOTOX is most commonly used for areas around the eyes and forehead. Here’s a quick list:
- Crow’s feet
- “11’s” (i.e., vertical lines between the eyebrows)
- Forehead lines
- Laugh lines
- Frown lines
In your research, you may see a few other uses for BOTOX mentioned, such as lifting the brow or reshaping the jawline. Please be aware that these are off-label uses of the product — meaning the FDA has not approved it for those treatment areas.
Often, the best approach is combining treatments.
Wrinkles may form in different ways, but they seldom form in isolation. For many of our patients, we don’t treat wrinkles in isolation, either: We offer BOTOX alongside a range of dermal fillers such as JUVÉDERM® that are better suited for smoothing out wrinkles in other areas, including lip lines and marionette lines. For the most comprehensive result, we will often recommend combining treatments in a single session.
Best of all, through the Brilliant Distinctions® program, patients can earn points for both BOTOX and JUVÉDERM treatments (and other select products, too). Those points can then go toward the purchase of future treatments.