Botox is one of the most popular aesthetic services offered at Biotech Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Aventura, FL. In part, this is due to the incredible durability of the results. However, there are several factors that affect how long the treatment will last and things you can do to extend your results.
How Long Do the Results of Botox Last?
By far, Botox offers the most durable results of all neuromodulators. If you smoke, drink alcohol, and don’t wear sunscreen, you may need a follow-up treatment in two months. However, the results of treatment usually last between three and four months in most individuals with healthy lifestyles. If you take steps to care for your skin, your results can last up to six months.
Keep in mind that there are several factors that affect the longevity of your results. One of the most significant factors is the condition you are trying to treat. Here’s what to expect based on the purpose of treatment:
Crow’s Feet
If you’re using botulinum toxin A to treat crow’s feet, you can expect the results of your treatment to last between four and six months depending on your lifestyle. The results of treatment around your eyes tend to last longer because the muscles around your eyes typically aren’t very active.
While you blink regularly, unless you work outside without sunglasses, there’s a good chance that you don’t squint regularly. Squinting is what causes crow’s feet lines to become more pronounced. Since the targeted hyperactive muscles aren’t used too much, you will only need one treatment session to achieve the smooth skin you desire.
Frown Lines
The results of treatment for frown lines tend to last between three and four months. The results don’t usually last as long as the results of crow’s feet treatment because the forehead muscles are usually used much more regularly than the muscles used to squint. Furthermore, these muscles are larger and stronger.
Non-Invasive Brow Lift
If you use Botox for a non-invasive brow lift, you can expect the results of treatment to last between three and four months. Again, the muscles above your eyes are used much more regularly than the muscles below your eyes. If you want results that last six months, you will need a larger dose or you will need to take steps to increase the longevity of your results.
Non-Invasive Lip Augmentation
If you don’t like the idea of implanting plastic into your lips to perfect your pout, you’re not alone. That’s why aesthetic experts and scientists came up with the technique of using a neuromodulator to relax the upper lip and roll it upward slightly to make it look larger. The results of this treatment usually last between six and 18 months.
Such a large variation in the longevity of results exists because Botox and dermal fillers are often combined to achieve the ideal luscious look. While carefully placed neuromodulator injections will enhance the appearance of the upper lip, dermal fillers can be used to correct asymmetry and enhance the volume of the lower lip.
Nasolabial Folds
If you hate the lines running between your nose and mouth, you’ll love the results of neuromodulator injections into the area. The muscles around your nose aren’t as active as the muscles around your mouth and above your forehead. Therefore, you shouldn’t need too many units of medication, and the results of treatment should last you around five months.
Smile Lines
Like non-invasive lip augmentation, you can use a neuromodulator, dermal filler, or both to correct lines around the outside of your mouth. Neuromodulator treatments are appropriate when the lines that extend from the corners of your mouth deepen when you smile. If they don’t deepen, they’re not caused by muscle hyperactivity.
While the FDA has approved botulinum toxin A to treat over a dozen medical and cosmetic conditions, they all have one thing in common. They’re all caused by hyperactive muscles. If your lines are caused by volume loss, a dermal filler is an appropriate treatment. Dermal fillers can last anywhere from six months to two years depending on the dose received and the injection location.
Cervical Dystonia
When you receive a neuromodulator injection for cervical dystonia, you will experience relief the day after treatment. However, you will notice the most significant improvement 14 days after your treatment. From there, you can expect the results to last 2.5 more months. After that, you may notice a gradual decline in symptom relief.
Hyperhidrosis
It can take up to 48 hours for this treatment to stop hyperhidrosis. Like cervical dystonia treatment, it can take a full 14 days after treatment to experience total relief. The exciting thing about hyperhidrosis treatment is the results last an astonishing 14 months. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may find that you don’t need a follow-up treatment for two months after that.
Chronic Migraines
Like most conditions on this list, chronic migraine relief can be experienced for roughly 12 weeks after treatment. This means you get three months of 50% fewer headache days and many more days per month that you experience no other symptoms, like sensitivity to light or sound.
How to Extend the Longevity of Your Neuromodulator Results
Seek Injections by Dr. Vega
Neuromodulator treatment results may last only a couple of months when injections are performed by physician’s assistants. If you want the most durable results, you must receive injections from the most skilled, qualified physicians.
Dr. Vega has over 17 years of experience analyzing the physical structure of the face to determine the most effective dosage, injection locations, and depths within the injection locations. Treatment with Dr. Vega will give you smooth, wrinkle-free skin that other providers can’t and results that last six months.
Exercise the Treated Muscles
To enhance the durability of cosmetic benefits, exercise the muscles in the treated area for the first three days following your treatment. For example, if you treated crow’s feet, complete three sets of 40 repetitions of squinting. There should be 10-minute breaks between your sets. This ensures the medicine is distributed evenly within the treated area.
Another benefit of exercising your treated muscles in the first 72 hours after treatment is you will see your final results sooner. While you usually have to wait 14 days to experience the full benefits of treatment, performing regular facial exercises allows you to see the final results within 10 days.
Avoid Touching Your Face
You may think rubbing the treatment area will help the medicine work its way into the treatment area faster. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Exercising your facial muscles is the only way to help the product work its way into the treated muscles more efficiently. In fact, touching your face too much will diminish the results of treatment.
When you massage your face, you run the risk of moving the injectable outside the intended treatment area. If possible, we encourage you to avoid wearing makeup within the first 48 hours of treatment. This ensures you don’t apply too much pressure to your face when you remove your makeup.
Avoid Sun Damage
During the first two weeks after your treatment, stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you have to go outside, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 55. A broad-spectrum sunscreen will protect you from all three UV rays emitted by the sun. Most sunblocks will only protect you from UVA and UVB damage.
Avoid Tobacco Products
While smoking doesn’t cause muscle hyperactivity, it damages your skin. The weaker your skin is, the faster the results of treatment will fade. Therefore, if you want the most durable results, you must put down the cigarettes, vape pens, dip, or any other tobacco product. Smoking is particularly harmful because it has such a large number of harmful chemicals.
However, smoking alternatives are nearly as bad for your skin and overall health. With the exception of 0mg e-juice, all smoking alternatives contain some level of nicotine. Nicotine destroys your collagen and slows the production of stronger collagen, so your wrinkles will return much faster.
Minimize Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol is another commonly consumed product that wreaks havoc on your skin health. First, it causes your body to flush out a dangerous amount of water, minerals, and micronutrients. This means that your skin becomes dehydrated and not even a moisturizer will help you. There’s simply not enough water in your body.
Second, alcohol constricts your blood vessels. This means that the remaining micronutrients in your bloodstream may not make it to where they’re needed most: your facial skin. When your skin is starved for hydration and nutrients, it will sag and wrinkle faster than it would if it was healthy.
Take a Zinc Supplement
Your mom may have told you to take zinc during cold and flu season to bolster your immune system. It’s true that zinc can help your body fight off infections preemptively and reduce the duration and severity of symptoms if you fall ill. However, that’s not all zinc is good for. Botulinum toxin depends on zinc to last longer and work better.
We encourage our clients to take zinc supplements year-round. An astonishing 12% of Americans are deficient in zinc, and 40% of seniors in America are deficient in the nutrient. To extend the duration of your results, take a 50mg zinc supplement that includes phytase to help your body absorb the micronutrient. You can extend your results by 30%.
Schedule a Follow-Up Treatment
Neuromodulator injections are unique in that they become more effective the longer you receive them. Dynamic wrinkles are caused by hyperactive muscles and neuromodulators prevent muscle hyperactivity. When the treated muscles aren’t engaged, they weaken and “atrophy” to the point they don’t create deep wrinkles when in use.
Start Treatment Early
For the most durable results, you should come in for treatment as soon as you see hyperdynamic wrinkles. As long as you’re over the age of 17, it’s not too early to start treatment. The longer you wait for treatment, the stronger the hyperactive muscles become. If they grow too strong, you will need a larger dose and more frequent treatments.
Learn More About Neuromodulator Treatments Today
On average, the results of Botox last six months. However, you can extend the longevity of your results by exercising the treated muscles several times per day, not smoking, and not drinking alcohol to excess.
For more actionable advice regarding how to extend the longevity of your results, please contact us today at Biotech Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Aventura, FL or Bay Harbor Islands, FL, located under 20 miles from Miami, Coral Gables and Sunny Isles. Dr. Trini Vega has proudly served the South Florida area for over a decade and can’t wait to serve you.