Our facial expressions are part of what makes us who we are. They convey what we’re feeling and thinking. Over time, those same expressions can lead to etched lines and wrinkles on our skin. If you’re struggling with the appearance of these signs of aging, call Jon Ric International Health and Wellness in Edmond, OK and ask about the benefits of Botox.
There are a few things that lead to the formation of wrinkles, and we’re all destined to get them at some point. There are things we do that speed up the appearance of these frustrating signs of aging, but others we can’t avoid.
We have three powerhouses that work together under the surface of our skin to keep it strong and youthful-looking. When we’re young, collagen, which is the most abundant protein in our bodies and makes up 80% of our skin, is tightly packed together in the middle layer, or dermis, of our skin. It keeps healthy cells regenerating and forms a solid and smooth surface for our epidermis to adhere to.
Elastin makes sure our skin stays flexible and snaps back to place. When you make expressions as a teenager, your skin keeps its original smoothness when your face relaxes. This elasticity keeps our skin perfectly molded around our muscles and bone structure. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar that attracts moisture and keeps our skin and connective tissues hydrated, which is why young skin always looks dewy and fresh.
As we age, our production of collagen declines by as much as 1% per year after we turn 20 and another 30% after women reach menopause. Our once smooth foundation weakens in spots and allows crevices and volume loss to form. Gravity kicks in and our epidermis, or outer layer of skin, falls to create wrinkles.
We don’t have as much elastin, so our skin doesn’t bounce back the way it used to, and it is more easily pulled out of place. Gravity pulls the fat pads that are in our deepest layer of skin downward, which can leave larger areas of volume loss in the upper portion of our face. This loss of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid leads to the production of four types of wrinkles.
Elastic Creases
We can avoid these wrinkles for the most part. They result from oxidative stress and show up as small creases on the neck, upper lip, and cheeks. The root causes of these wrinkles are:
To reduce the likelihood of these wrinkles always wear sunscreen, don’t smoke and eat a healthy diet full of antioxidants.
Compression Wrinkles
These are most often a problem for people who sleep on their side or stomach. When your face is squished against a pillow night after night, the wrinkles that used to fade in a few hours can become a permanent addition to your complexion. The best way to avoid this kind of wrinkle is to train yourself to sleep on your back.
If that’s impossible, as it is for most people, investing in a satin pillowcase will keep your skin from “catching” and being compressed.
Gravitational Folds
Losing collagen and elastin will eventually cause our skin to sag. This results in a heaviness toward the bottom of our faces and can add to the appearance of jowls, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines.
While the breakdown of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid can’t be avoided, there are lifestyle choices we make that speed their rate of decline and breakdown. If you want to keep your collagen levels as healthy as you can for as long as you can, avoid:
Dynamic Expression Lines
When we’re young, these lines are temporarily formed while we make various expressions. They come and go but will slowly etch their way onto your skin permanently. These will eventually keep the “map” of your expressions even when your face is at rest. This can give people the appearance that you’re feeling those emotions when your face is at rest.
These lines usually affect the:
Luckily, cosmetic medicine has made advancements in tackling all types of wrinkles. The most popular requested and administered cosmetic treatment in the world is Botox.
Botox is an FDA-approved injectable made from small quantities of a purified form of botulinum toxin and is considered a neuromodulator. Neuromodulation means that Botox can interfere with a nerve’s signal and keep it from reaching a muscle that causes the movement that creates dynamic wrinkles.
Your provider can inject strategic muscles that can temporarily prevent certain muscles from moving so that those muscles relax and the skin and wrinkles affected by those muscles smooth. Over time, this can lead to the diminishing or elimination of these lines.
Because Botox is so popular, there have been advancements in how this treatment is used. Its use for dynamic wrinkles is still the biggest request, but there are more benefits of Botox being discovered every day. Talk to your provider about how Botox can help you with the different areas of concern you may have.
Dynamic Wrinkles
Your doctor will examine your skin and point out the areas of wrinkles that can best be addressed by Botox. These lines are:
Botox is the reason many men and women in their 40s, 50s and older show very few dynamic wrinkles. Another benefit of Botox is that it still allows for movement, so you’ll never look frozen, but it prevents lines from becoming more etched and allows them to be temporarily smoothed away.
Brow Lift
As wrinkles on your forehead are addressed, your provider can activate other muscles. This is a common technique. When one muscle’s movement is disrupted, others around it pick up the slack and become more active. When this is done around the eyebrows, the muscles that create frown lines and other wrinkles relax, allowing the muscles that control the arch to be more pronounced.
This gives clients an enviable arch and addresses the drooping of the eyebrow area that can happen over time. The result is a more pleasing, open and youthful aesthetic.
Crow’s Feet
Even though these lines show you’ve done a lot of laughing and smiling in your life, they still leave permanent marks that can age your appearance. Botox can stop those specific muscles from crinkling the skin on the sides of your eyes but still allow enough movement for your entire face to smile, not just your mouth. The result is natural and prevents a deeper etching of these lines.
Botox Lip Flip
One of the more recently discovered benefits of Botox is being able to prevent more vertical lines from etching into the top lip while bringing out the volume that may disappear when you smile. By manipulating the muscle around the top lip, your provider can get the lip to flip up when you smile so its volume is highlighted and won’t disappear.
Many clients are surprised by the amount of volume their lip has that was just being folded in when they smiled.
As we get more in tune with the benefits of Botox, we realize that almost any age is good to get this treatment. It depends on your motivation. Clients in their early 20s are getting Botox injections as a preventative measure. They’ll receive smaller amounts that will manipulate their expressions just enough to avoid a deep etching of lines.
Clients who have already developed lines will use Botox as a treatment for existing lines. Most cosmetic providers agree it’s better to focus on what you want from treatment than it is to focus on age. This is a universally successful treatment that can be strictly preventative, reactive or both. No matter what you age, talk to your skincare specialist about how Botox could benefit you.
When you and your skincare specialist have decided the benefits of Botox will address your areas of concern, there’s no preparation for you to do. This is a quick, easy and non-surgical treatment that requires no downtime.
When you arrive, your specialist may apply a small amount of a topical anesthetic to the injection sites to ensure you’re comfortable throughout the session. Once your skin is numb, they will make a series of small injections to the muscles that will create the results you’re looking for.
Botox is considered a lunchtime treatment because so many people go right back to their busy work or social schedules immediately after their appointment. You can expect your appointment to last between 15-20 minutes depending on the area or areas you’re having treated.
If you want results for an upcoming event, be sure to make your appointment two weeks out from the event. Botox results take one to two days to appear, but maximum results will be visible in one to two weeks. Most people will enjoy the results for three to four months.
If you work with your skincare specialist on a follow-up appointment routine, you can enjoy consistent results. The longer a wrinkle is allowed to relax and smooth, the better your long-term results will be.
One thing that makes Botox so popular is how well tolerated it is and the versatility of concerns it can address. Only your provider can determine if this is the right treatment for you, your areas of concern and your expected results. Most healthy adults wanting to address the appearance dynamic wrinkles are excellent candidates for treatment.
Clients who receive Botox injections report high satisfaction with treatment and come back for repeat appointments more often than any other treatment.
If you love the expressions you make, but not lines etched in your skin, it’s never too late to experience the benefits of Botox.
Call the offices of Jon Ric International Health and Wellness in Edmond, OK to schedule your initial consultation. We have developed an elite team of compassionate wellness professionals who were committed to make your aesthetic dreams a reality. They will help develop the right treatment plan for you so you can look as good as you feel. We look forward to assisting you!
