Should I Get Preventative Botox?

One of the most commonly asked questions we receive during injection consultations is when someone should start getting Botox or Dysport injections.  Should they wait until they develop etched-in lines or be proactive and get preventative treatment?  The answer is not always black or white and can vary based on the patient’s preferences for aging.

To help you decide whether or not you should get preventative botox or dysport, I’ll first briefly break down how these treatments work!

What is Preventative Botox?

Do fine lines and wrinkles run in your family? Maybe your goal is to prevent etched in lines from forming. If that is the case, it will be beneficial to start getting Botox/Dysport before noticing these wrinkles. These would be considered preventative injections. By relaxing the muscle earlier on, the skin does not have time to develop etched-in wrinkles.

Preventative botox is exactly how it sounds—starting botox (or dysport) to prevent the onset of lines and wrinkles from forming in the first place. It’s similar to the idea of using sunscreen to prevent sun damage. Rather than having to repair the skin, why not set things in motion to prevent the damage in the first place! Or in the case of injectables: lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.

When to Start Botox?

There’s no specific or “right” age that one should consider starting Botox or Dysport. Some patients start in their early to mid-twenties. Botox/Dysport is FDA approved for those 21 years and older. If etched in lines and wrinkles are present at rest, it is certainly appropriate to start Botox or Dysport to help smooth these out. Whether that’s at the age of 25, 35, or older.

When lines are present at rest, it can take multiple treatments to fully smooth out these lines at rest. For your entire life, up until the point of starting Botox or Dysport, you have been able to make expressions with your facial muscles that have caused the wrinkles. It will take time for the relaxation and decreased movement to allow the skin to smooth out.

What are the Pros and Cons of Preventative Botox?

Botox and Dysport injections are not always about vanity. Sometimes those fine lines can really bother patients. Injections are an easy way to soften the lines and wrinkles, oftentimes giving patients a much-needed confidence boost. When done right and in the hands of a skilled injector, there are no downsides of preventative botox. You don’t have to look frozen and overdone to get great results! Another bonus is that Botox and Dysport can have positive impacts on your skin, both short and long term.

How to Get Started with Botox Treatments!

Less is more when it comes to injectables. Achieving a natural look is always our goal here at Atalo, so we typically recommend our patients work up to a certain amount of units. It’s much easier to add more units of Botox or Dysport than it is to start with too many. Again, the goal should always be for results to look and feel natural. This is why every patient’s treatment plan is different! We all have different skin and skin goals, so what works for one person may not work for another.

With Botox and Dysport, you can reduce fine lines and wrinkles as soon as they start to show or even before they start to show. Whatever your preference for aging is, we are here to help! To get started with your botox treatments at Atalo, give the office a call to schedule a Botox/Dysport consultation with one of our providers! We’ll make sure all of your questions about the treatment process and what to expect with botox injections are answered.

You can also fill out our consultation form and we’ll be in touch to get you scheduled!