Should You Start Botulinum Toxin Injections Earlier in Life?

Patients who want to stop their existing wrinkles from worsening or even prevent wrinkles from developing may find success with neuromodulators like BOTOX®, Xeomin®, Jeuveau™, Daxxify®, or Dysport®. Naples’ Skin Wellness Physicians—providing a variety of cosmetic treatments to enhance the skin, including injectable neuromodulators—explain that a growing number of patients are choosing to approach anti-aging treatments proactively.

Women and men alike tend to develop dynamic wrinkles (which are facial lines visible when various facial expressions are made), before developing static wrinkles (which form as collagen, healthy fat, and other beneficial skin elements diminish over time).

The various brands of botulinum toxin injections all work the same: by blocking the release of an organic chemical and neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which causes certain muscles to contract. The treatments contain botulinum toxin, a purified substance that’s derived from a bacterium. They are strategically injected in different areas of the face as a way to inhibit muscle movement and give you smoother-looking skin. This is a reactive approach to facial aging.

The idea behind preventative treatments is that it’s easier to delay signs of aging than to correct them once they have already become deeply etched into the skin.

Patients sometimes wonder about the best age for starting neuromodulator injections or question whether they should get them at a younger age than they are anticipating. The truth is that there is no universal “best time” to start treatments—it all depends on your unique skin type, wrinkles, personal goals, and other factors.

For preventative treatments with neuromodulators, patients should start when they first begin to notice faint lines in the mirror. The earliest signs of aging typically start to show during a person’s 20s to early 30s, so this is when many patients first begin to consider preventative treatments. If you’re not noticing any wrinkles at all, you may not be a good candidate for neuromodulators. If you’re already seeing deeper lines, it’s recommended that you have corrective treatments instead.

Continue scrolling to learn about some of the advantages of preventative treatments with neuromodulators.

Soften Dynamic Wrinkles

A good skin care routine that includes exfoliation and SPF can go a long way when it comes to preserving the quality of your skin. If you naturally have thin, fine, or dry skin and premature wrinkles have formed due to constant frowning or other facial expressions, preventative treatments may be a good option for you to consider. By relaxing the overly expressive muscles, there’s less creasing of the skin, and injections may be able to delay or prevent wrinkles altogether. This is ideal for a person who is likely to get a lot of or very pronounced wrinkles.

Subtle and Natural Results

There’s a common misconception that botulinum toxin injections make your face look frozen. The goal for these types of treatments is not to completely freeze any muscles, but simply to mellow them. You will seem to age gracefully and slowly by having these light treatments.

More Effective Treatments

Preventative treatments are often more successful than corrective treatments chosen when wrinkles have already become more deeply etched into or established on the face. A skilled injector can pinpoint the areas where lines are going to develop when the face is at rest, but aren’t quite at that stage yet. Wrinkles may have already started to subtly form in these areas.

You Won’t Need as Much in the Future

Facial wrinkles don’t appear overnight—although sometimes it may seem like they do. Instead, they start off as faint lines that deepen over time. Another major advantage of preventative treatments? You may not need as many units of neuromodulators or have to have them done as frequently in the future. The idea behind this is simple: Muscles kept at rest by injectable treatments at an earlier age become “trained” to not contract as much. Eventually, they stay at rest more readily on their own.

Contact Skin Wellness Physicians for more details about what to expect from neuromodulator treatments. Call (239) 732-0044 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation if you would like to find out more.