I have had people ask me if Neuromodulators – commonly known as Botox – is it right for them? Many clients have heard of Botox and assume that it is a treatment for the rich and famous, or maybe it is only useful for someone with significant wrinkles on the face. They may have heard of possible complications of using Botox and therefore have reservations about considering using Botox. This blog post is to give more information around the use of botox, who would benefit from it, and some tips on how to keep the skin and underlying tissues healthy and youthful looking.

Botox was first used for cosmetic purposes in Canada starting in the late 1980s. Dr. Jean Carruthers – an Ophthalmologist in B.C – was using Botox to treat spasms of the muscles in the eyelid. After treatment, she and her patients would note that their wrinkles were smoothed out and they were very pleased with the cosmetic side effect of treating their muscle spasms. Dr. Jean Carruthers mentioned this finding to her husband Dr. Alastair Carruthers who was a Dermatologist, and so began their research on Botox as a cosmetic procedure. In 1991, their research was presented, and in 2001 Health Canada approved botox for anti-wrinkle treatment between the eyebrows.

These days, Botox is used in several areas of the face in addition to the forehead. The most common areas that my clients have requested treatment for are the forehead as well as what is called ‘crows feet or smile lines’. There are many different treatments that are available, including brow lifts, “bunny lines” on the nose, lip lines, and droopy lines that can occur at the sides of the mouth.

Botox for cosmesis is not approved for clients under the age of 18, though Botox is safely used for muscle spasticity in children with medical conditions such as Cerebral Palsy. Botox when used for cosmetic purposes “stop or slow” the clock of aging. For this reason, I have clients who have had great results in their early 20s, as well as clients who have had good results in their 50s. Neuromodulators such as Botox, work by simply relaxing the muscles underneath the skin to create a smooth and refreshed appearance. This concept is important, as it is muscle contraction that causes dynamic lines (forehead lines that appear with lifting the eyebrows), these dynamic lines will eventually become static lines (forehead lines that are present without lifting the eyebrows).With the muscles being relaxed, this means in young clients dynamic lines are less, leading to decrease in static line formation; and in older clients, the static lines are reduced leading to a more refreshed, youthful appearance.

Some simple skin tips for helping to prevent wrinkles include the following:

Hydration:

The importance of drinking the correct amount of water daily cannot be understated when it comes to skin health. Skin is the largest organ of the body as well as the first line of defence to the environment, and providing it with the appropriate amount of moisture is key to helping to prevent wrinkles and skin breakdown.

Moisturizer:

Along with proper hydration, daily use of a good natural moisturizer is key. The product that we recommend here at Vibrance Cosmetics is from the Arbonne Skin Care Line. The choice of which moisturizer to use is tailored to you, based on your skin type.

Sun Protection:

Everyone is aware of the damaging affects of repeated and prolonged exposure of UV light. UV light both from the sun as well as something like tanning beds increase the risk of not only harmful skin conditions such as skin cancer, but also increase your risk for decreased skin elasticity and dryness. With decreased elasticity and dryness, your risk of developing unwanted wrinkles and skin changes is much higher. A good example of this is when a client comes in for treatment of Crows Feet – lines around the outside edge of eyes – and the left side is more noticeable than the right side. This is typically because while driving the sun will shine through the window on the left side of face leading to increased sun exposure as well as squinting while the client is driving. Don’t forget to wear your sunglasses to prevent squinting and sun exposure to the Left side of the face!!

The simple take away point is this: Daily hydration, a good moisturizer, and sun protection are all required to have healthy, youthful looking skin. For best results, Botox is used as an adjunct to a good skin care plan.