The Effects of Long-Term Botox Use
Many people think that Botox is only good for a quick fix, especially since the effects are temporary. However, long-term Botox use can actually make your wrinkles look permanently better by preventing them from getting worse in the long run.
Think about it this way: people make facial expressions every single day, whether it’s expressing an emotion (i.e. smiling) or simply out of habit (i.e. raising your brows). Making facial expressions causes temporary dynamic lines to show up in your face. These lines go away when your face returns to rest. However, as you continue to make facial expressions, day after day and year after year, and as your skin ages, these lines start to get etched in your skin. That’s when frown lines get progressively deeper for people who frown all the time. Or when crow’s feet stay put even after you stop smiling or squinting. Eventually, what once were dynamic wrinkles become wrinkles that are just there, even when you don’t make any facial expressions.
This is where Botox comes into play. When you get consistent Botox injections, you prevent potential wrinkle formations from getting deeper or worse. Botox limits the range of facial muscle movement (when done skillfully, your face will not get that frozen look) so that wrinkles don’t worsen over time. If you have a bad habit of frowning or lifting your brows for no reason, consistent Botox injections can also help your face kick these bad habits and therefore prevent any potential lines from getting etched in your skin. Getting frequent Botox injections may also help relax your facial muscles so that you don’t need as a high a dose or as frequent as an injection to maintain your results.
Bottom line: You don’t need to use Botox all the time, but long-term and consistent Botox use helps a lot.