Can Preventative Botox Make You Look Older? An Expert Weighs In
If you've been curious about ways to help yourself stay and look youthful, you've likely heard of preventative Botox. Listen up, because we have the piping-hot tea to spill about this skincare trend that's gained a lot of hype. Beware, because all is not always what it appears to be. We spoke with an expert to learn if preventative Botox can make you look older, and you may be surprised to hear what he has to say. Keep reading to learn more, and next, be sure to check out The 5 Best Face Yoga Exercises For Ageless, Sculpted Skin.
What is preventative Botox?
Eat This, Not That! spoke with Dr. Sadyk Fayz, PA-C at Beso Aesthetics, to learn all about preventative Botox. These Botox injections are a cosmetic treatment used to prevent fine lines and wrinkles from forming on your facial skin. This process is usually given to individuals in the 20-to-30-year age bracket who have not developed wrinkles quite yet but are rather doing it as a "preventative" measure to avoid getting them in the future.
Dr. Fayz tells us, "Using Botox before lines show up to me doesn't make a lot of sense. There is no persuasive, scientific evidence that preventative Botox actually works. It's like removing someone's gallbladder in anticipation of them having gallstones before it happens." He adds, "In my opinion, it is absolutely ridiculous that there are people in their 20s with flawless foreheads requesting this procedure to be done and it's even more ridiculous that there actually are medical providers that are happy to oblige instead of educating their patient and having the patient's best interest in mind."
You may be interested in knowing that Botox is actually considered a prescription drug. This means there has to be an actual purpose for it to be administered, as with any other prescription drug. Dr. Fayz puts it this way: "You wouldn't ask a cardiologist to prescribe you blood pressure medication before it happens. Botox procedure is not an entirely benign procedure and there can be real complications and side effects with its use. I think it's key that a provider takes his or her time to really study the psyche of the patient and make them feel like they have a chance to avoid it if it's not necessary."
Can preventative Botox make you look older?
A major negative about preventative Botox—which is also incredibly ironic—is that getting too much Botox on your forehead over the years, for instance, can weaken and flatten those muscles. Your skin may also develop a looser, thinner appearance. To make matters even worse, over time, the weakened muscles in the area can negatively impact the muscles surrounding the area when you make expressions with your face.
"If one stops using his or her forehead muscles, they may start squinting using their nose and have wrinkles along the side of their nose. So now they would need even more Botox for the newly recruited muscles," Dr. Fayz explains. "To avert these kinds of mistakes, researching a provider meticulously is essential, as is approaching injectables conservatively, and asking many questions about how your particular treatment will be tailored to your individual needs."
Also, keep in mind that Botox will only last three to five months; any results are not permanent.
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