This question is asked by many of my clients.
I have absolutely nothing against facial filler injectables to treat laugh (naso-labial) lines, increase volume in the lips, etc as they are made of a hyaluronic acid. This substance is naturally found in our skin and joints. Due to this existence, we have also a natural enzyme that organically breaks down facial fillers slowly.
However botox injectable (Botulinum Toxin) that causes muscle paralysis scares me! Did you catch the name? Yes, it’s a toxin. Did you know that when Botox is injected into the skin, it may migrate up to 3 cm (1.18 inches!) from where it was injected? Of course, injectable cosmetic doses are significantly lower than the toxic dose and it would take many, many times to cause any harm.
In April, 2009, the U.S. FDA updated its mandatory boxed warning stating that when locally administered, the toxin may spread from the injection site to other areas of the body, causing symptoms similar to those of botulism.
The adverse effect of botox injectables can also include a paralysis of the wrong muscle group. This can result in inappropriate facial expression, drooping eyelids, and double vision. If you opt to try botox, at least do it only with a certified facial plastic surgeon! It’s astonishing that even dentists perform injectables!
It also strikes me that there are doctors who are comfortable to recommending and performing botox on women/men in their early twenties when they have no fine lines or wrinkles! In my opinion, it’s quite unethical to say the least!
I understand the appeal of a quick fix. However, the results of botox and injectables are very temporary, requiring repeated injections over and over again. In my opinion, using botox in the long term can also cause muscle atrophy.
Another aspect to consider before botox and injectables is the overall health of the skin and underlying tissues. Botox and injectables that are injected into dehydrated skin that has TEWL (trans-epidermal water loss) or is deficient in vital vitamins and nutrients (such as vitamin A, C, E, beta-carotene, etc) required to maintain healthy skin, will gorge a filler with much less lasting results.
If you want your botox and injectables to last and look natural, make your skin’s structure healthy with professional products and facial treatments. It’s impossible to build a house without the proper foundation. Your healthy well-nourished skin is your proper foundation.
When it comes to improving the lines on the forehead, it is critical first of all to keep forehead muscles relaxed. Here are some tips on how to achieve this and avoid botox and injectables:
- Wear sunglasses all year around to reduce/avoid squinting.
- Wear a baseball hat or hat with the rim all year around to reduce/avoid squinting.
Sun light causes eyes to squint. Those with lighter eyes are even more light sensitive. This will tense up the muscles causing premature fine lines around the eyes, between the brows and on the forehead. This can absolutely lead to the deepening of the lines that can be easily prevented!
- Relax and decrease your stress. Emotional stress causes corrugator (worry) muscle tension which leads to the formation of frown lines. One of the best ways to relax your body and mind is to get a facial or massage. Any type of exercise as we all know reduces stress and increases happy hormones. When I perform facial massage on my clients, I often can feel on many clients “bulged” corrugator muscles above their brows which is a sign of accumulative stress in the body. Our facials combine relaxing facial massage with advanced modality (ies) that deliver noticeable results.
Give your face a self-massage. For the massage agent you can use jojoba or hempseed oil or Environ’s AVST Pre-Cleansing Oil. Below are few easy techniques that will help to relax forehead muscles:
- With the middle and ring finger of each hand, start upward strokes in the middle of the forehead at the brow line. Working upward toward the hairline, one hand follows the other as the hands move toward the right temple, moving back across the forehead to the left temple, then back to the center of the forehead. Repeat the movements 3-5 times.
- With the middle finger of each hand, start a circular movement in the middle of the forehead along the browline. Continue this circular lateral movement while working toward the temples. Each time the fingers reach the temple, pause for a moment and apply slight pressure to the temple. Repeat 3-5 times, starting again from the middle but at the higher point.
Above mentioned massage steps can be also used during your product application which will ensure better product penetration.
- Forehead pressure points: Start with the middle finger of the each hand in the middle of the forehead along the brow line, applying pressure and then releasing. Move out laterally towards the temples. Each time start at a higher starting point, moving again outwards towards the temples. Repeat until you reach the hairline.
- Pressure points around the orbital bone: Starting from the base of inner part of each brow, apply pressure with the thumb upwards on the orbital bone. Hold each pressure point for 3-5 seconds, moving laterally until you reach temples. Apply slight pressure with the pointing finger at the temple, now move down and start applying pressure points on the lower orbital bone moving from outside eye corners inwards towards the tear duct.
- Massage your scalp as often as you can. That’s a great stress as well as tension relieving technique.
- Some wrinkles are caused by repeated facial expression. Therefore maintaining a passive face will help to reduce the formation of these expression lines. The key is to be aware of how you move your forehead muscles and to refrain from forehead muscle movement.
It’s impressive how the cosmeceutical world is evolving. It has introduced many new effective ingredients that can not only slow down the skin’s ageing process but in many cases even reverse it.
To improve the appearance of frown lines, we love Environ’s Focus Frown Serum, based on 3 peptides which help to keep forehead muscles relaxed. This serum can be used as an alternative to botox and injectables or to prolong the effects of injectables.
If you wish to see even faster results by using topical products, we recommend Environ’s one of the rollers which enhance topical product penetration.
