Botox doesn’t last. It freezes your face so you can’t smile. It isn’t advisable after age 60. These are just some of the common misconceptions about Botox.
What’s the best way to learn about Botox? Aside from reading trusted articles online, you’ll probably want to set up an appointment for a consultation with a healthcare practitioner who has received training to inject Botox. For example, this Botox training for health care practitioners is one way for providers in Atlanta to learn Botox injection.
Let’s examine some Botox myths and look at the truth behind them.
- Look younger by Monday! We’d all like to think that a weekend at a spa will erase years from our face — and, indeed, simply relaxing and luxuriating in a stress-free environment, perhaps with a therapeutic massage or two thrown in, can do wonders for one’s appearance. But Botox will last a lot longer. However, you won’t see the results instantaneously. After a Botox procedure, it can take up to two weeks for results to appear. Once they do, you’ll be glad you received a professional Botox treatment from a trained health care professional.
- Botox will freeze your face. This is one of the most common Botox treatment misconceptions. Botox actually works by plumping up your skin so that fine lines and wrinkles are less visible. If an experienced practitioner does the procedure correctly, it’s considered safe and effective, and will not result in “frozen” facial muscles. The latter outcome is more likely to occur with cosmetic surgery, which can tighten the skin beyond natural emotional expression. We can all think of at least one celebrity who has had the unfortunate experience of a few too many times under the knife.
- Once you start Botox, you need to keep getting injections. The myth that you’ll look worse after the Botox wears off is also false. Your face will simply look as it did before the Botox treatment. Botox doesn’t create wrinkles, but since you haven’t seen your former face in a while, you may have forgotten how it looked before you had your Botox procedure.
- Botox is another form of filler. Not exactly. Both fillers and Botox help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines through injections, but Botox achieves this result by blocking the nerve signals to specific muscles. Fillers, by contrast, contour and plump lips, cheeks, and other areas by actually filling them in.
- Botox is just for wrinkles. While wrinkles are the most common reason people choose to get Botox injections, the treatments are also useful for softening the jawline, lifting eyebrows and drooping eyelids, and raising the corners of the mouth, which begins to droop as we age. And, believe it or not, Botox injections in the armpits can help reduce excessive sweating!
- Botox is dangerous. If done by a health care practitioner who is trained in Botox injections, the procedure is very safe. It’s important to talk with your health care practitioner about any medications you’re taking, as Botox could be contraindicated in some situations. (For example, if you’re on blood thinners, Botox would probably be inadvisable.) However, the amount of botulinum toxin (the bacterium from which Botox takes its name) injected in the cosmetic procedure is far less than what’s considered toxic for the body.
- Men don’t get Botox. Oh, yes, they do. Known colloquially as “Brotox,” Botox for guys is growing in popularity. After all, men want to appear youthful and relaxed, too, so they can better compete in the job market and feel better about themselves as they age.
- People over 60 shouldn’t get Botox treatments. Your health is a more important determinant of your Botox candidacy than your calendar age. As long as you are in overall good health and have your doctor’s clearance to proceed, Botox injections can provide an older adult with a nice “lift,” literally.
- Botox hurts! Have you ever been to the dentist? Botox hurts less than a typical dental procedure. If you choose not to have the practitioner use a numbing agent, you’ll feel a slight pinch. Otherwise, it will be pretty much painless, with minimal downtime. Soon you’ll look well-rested and like you did, in fact, take a well-deserved spa vacation.
