Since Botox® first burst on the scene almost two decades ago, these quick-and-easy cosmetic injectables have changed the way we’re able to fight back against aging. Imagine — in just minutes, we can undo wrinkles that took years to form.
Well, you shouldn’t just imagine, but come in and experience for yourself how neurotoxins like Botox, Dysport®, and Xeomin® can erase years from your appearance.
Here at Los Gatos Dermatology, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Bruce Saal and our team have extensive experience with neurotoxin treatments, and we’re confident that we can meet your anti-aging goals.
Here’s a look at why, since their introduction, neurotoxins have held the top spot in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures each year in the United States, with nearly 4.5 million treatments in 2020 alone.
Neurotoxins are so effective because they tackle the prominent lines and wrinkles on the top half of your face, including:
Not only can these wrinkles make you look older, but they can also make you look angry or concerned — especially those vertical frown lines that take up permanent residence between your brows.
All of these wrinkles are what we call dynamic wrinkles, which means they form over time and because of repetitive use. Each time you squint, smile, or frown, these lines form, except that when you’re younger, they quickly disappear with your expression.
But over time, the lines become etched in your skin, especially as the collagen breaks down as you age. As a result, dynamic wrinkles aren’t so dynamic and become permanent fixtures on your skin.
With neurotoxins, we’re able to quiet and relax the muscles that contract to form the wrinkles. The scientific explanation is that these cosmetic injectables block the release of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that communicates with your brain to contract muscles that create the wrinkles.
With neurotoxins, we temporarily suspend these communications, allowing your skin to relax and smooth out. Afterward, your laugh lines only appear when you’re actually laughing, and the same thing for those frown lines.
Between expressions, your skin reverts to a more youthful, relaxed state.
Getting neurotoxin treatments is an incredibly easy process. When you come in, we make you comfortable in our treatment chair, and then we administer the injections, which only take a few minutes.
Afterward, you’re free to continue on with your day, but we suggest that you ice the injection sites to deal with any potential redness or bruising.
In about 3-7 days, you see gradual results as the wrinkles in your treatment areas start to fade. Once your results are in, they last for four months, on average, at the end of which you simply return to us for another round of injections.
If you’d like to see for yourself why so many people make neurotoxins a regular part of their anti-aging regimens, please contact our office in Los Gatos, California, to schedule an appointment.
