It’s normal for your skin to age, and as you grow older, you begin to notice dryness, wrinkles, or sunspots on your face. This is why it’s important to always wear sunscreen even when the weather seems cloudy. You may also notice that your skin’s elasticity has reduced, and scars and injuries take longer to heal. Luckily, there’s a solution for facial wrinkles by using Botox which is an FDA approved cosmetic procedure. Botox injections are generally safe, however, you must get them done by an experienced plastic surgeon. If you are planning on getting Botox for your wrinkles, then you should visit Dr. Alexis Furze of Newport Beach Otolaryngology
Always remember that there’s nothing wrong with facial wrinkles. Some people choose to keep them, and that’s fine, whereas others want to free themselves from them. There are several ways you can use to get rid of wrinkles, and one of the most preferred non-invasive methods is botulinum toxin, popularly known as Botox.
Botox is a protein produced by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. Only small amounts are needed to get rid of facial wrinkles. Botox works by blocking the nerve signals that are responsible for facial muscle contraction. Once injected, the muscles relax for a few months to allow spots resulting from repetitive facial expressions to heal, then the wrinkles will reappear once it no longer blocks the nerve signals. This is why you see people going for regular Botox injections because its effects wear off after three or six months.
Before getting your Botox injections, you should know what Botox can and cannot do. There are two categories of facial wrinkles, namely static and dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are a result of muscle movement. Everyone has these types of wrinkles, however, the only difference is how deep they get which makes them more or less visible.
Dynamic wrinkles can be seen when you squint, smile, or when you raise your eyebrows and lines appear on your forehead. Botox injections will paralyze these muscles to make them less visible, hence creating a youthful appearance.
Static wrinkles, on the other hand, appear when the collagen found in the dermis gets damaged by the sun, then becomes thin or weakened due to smoking. The loss of skin elasticity reduces the skin volume, making the skin sag, hence making these static wrinkles more noticeable. Botox is not effective in getting rid of these types of wrinkles, so the doctor will recommend getting fillers.
Common fillers that are used by dermatologists include Juvéderm which works by smoothing out facial lines, reducing skin volume loss, lifting the skin, as well as smoothing out wrinkles.
There are a few dynamic wrinkles that Botox injections can treat.
Glabellar Lines
These are wrinkles that appear between the eyebrows, and studies show that these are the most commonly treated facial wrinkles.
Chin Dimples
Chin dimples are the “Y” shaped folds that appear in the center. The facial mentalis muscle causes these folds. Botox helps to relax this muscle while still allowing natural facial movements.
Marionette Lines
Marionette lines are vertical furrows located in the corners of the mouth and go all the way to the chin. Injecting Botox will prevent you from making expressions that could continue to make them more prominent.
Lipstick Lines
These are vertical wrinkles that form above the lips as a result of photoaging, smoking, or hereditary factors.
Crow’s Feet
These wrinkles occur on the eye’s corners and are the second most commonly treated wrinkles, just after glabellar lines.
It’s always good to know how Botox works and what it can do to get rid of facial wrinkles. You should always discuss the procedure with your doctor before getting these injections. This is why it’s essential to visit a knowledgeable and experienced doctor such as Dr. Alexis Furze of Newport beach otolaryngology.