Do you really need 3 areas of Botox?
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If a patient books in with me and states they have been having 3 areas of Botox for years I always like to question why….
I’m sorry to say that Botox is not a health product. Yes, it is safe and well tested, but less is definitely more and the more Botox you have does not necessarily mean the better the results.
Botox is a muscle relaxant or a neurotoxin. It works by preventing the muscle it is injected into from contracting. As a result, over time, the muscle weakens and begins to waste away. Much like a muscle would if you didn’t exercise it.
Don’t get me wrong, this can be very useful! I’ve never known anyone miss their strong frown muscles and resulting frown lines but I have noticed patients achieving unnatural or fake looking smiles when the muscles around the eyes are over treated. A Duchenne smile is one which doesn’t involve the eyes and is deemed to be fake and less attractive.
Another area to be careful with is the forehead. The forehead is covered in a wide and thin muscle called frontalis. It’s job is to lift the eyebrows. It’s probably not surprising to you that over-treatment over time can actually result in the eyebrows sitting lower and a hooded appearance. This itself can be ageing and patients often require more treatment in the future to compensate for this.
Having said this, don’t worry that is what I’m here for and why our consultations are free. I’ll help advise you of how to achieve the best results in the short term without affecting your appearance in the long term