No one argues the benefits of Botox injections here, but like it is with any treatment, there are situations when you should give those a miss. When dealing with Botox, these situations go beyond the contraindications for the drug.
As says Lisa Goodman, an LA expert in Botox injections, one has to be an educated customer to know whether their problem should really be solved by this treatment. Many issues can be resolved with better skincare, so before you set out to get your injections, reassess your appearance and consult with a doctor. There might be a different solution better suited for your situation.
4 Situations When Botox Might Not Help
1. If you are a 20-something with no visible lines
Today the idea of “preventative Botox” is gaining popularity, but the truth is that getting this treatment if you don’t have any visible lines on your face is a waste of money. In fact, the only visible changes you might experience are side-effects if something goes wrong or you get a botched treatment.
However, there are some people who can benefit from Botox injections even in their twenties. This is because everyone’s muscles develop differently and some might have dynamic lines very early in life. In this case, getting a Botox injection makes sense, but only if you are getting it from a very experienced certified professional who has worked with this exact issue before. Never forget that these injections must be exceedingly precise to provide the best result.
2. If you are an athlete or have a naturally expressive face
One thing you need to understand about Botox is that its effects won’t last forever. Dr. Flor A. Mayoral, an expert on Botox in Miami, says that the effects of a good treatment could last up to nine months, but to keep your skin smooth, you should repeat the treatment every five to six months.
However, there are some people for whom the effects of Botox will dissolve much faster. These are athletes and other people who exercise a lot as well as those with naturally expressive faces.
The pattern is simple enough to understand. Botox works by making your muscles “freeze”, thus ensuring the smoothness of your face and preventing the deepening of wrinkles. However, it doesn’t paralyze your facial muscles completely. Therefore, the more you use them, the faster the effects of the injection will wear off. If you move your facial muscles a lot, the effects might disappear in under three months. This should make you think twice about investing in this particular treatment.
3. If you have very deep wrinkles
The primary purpose of getting a Botox injection is to get rid of wrinkles. And this treatment performs well, so many people mistakenly think that Botox erases wrinkles. However, as explains Dr. Estee Williams to Healthline, this solution does not erase wrinkles. Instead, it stops the movement of the muscles in the surrounding area, thus preventing the wrinkle from getting worse.
This means that even after an injection your face will look very similar to the way it does at rest. So, if you have very deep wrinkles, you will only make those more visible by removing the surrounding muscles’ ability to contract properly.
4. If you want to use it as an eye lift
Are you one of the many millions of people with heavy-set eyebrows? Getting a Botox injection might indeed give you a mini-lift that will take care of the issue without you going through an eye lift surgery.
However, you shouldn’t forget that while side effects of Botox are rare, drooping eyelids are one of the most common of them. In this particular case, the risk is higher than average and literally everything depends on the skill and precision of the person performing the injections.
As you can see, Botox has many uses, but sometimes it requires some extra care and consideration. Be sure to weight all pros, cons, and risks before getting this treatment.