Botox - Is It Secretly Aging You?
Botulinum Toxin, or Botox, used to be reserved for celebrities but has become a standard treatment in the last decade, promising a future without lines.
It's a quick fix for our age-related anxieties, but could there be an unseen flipside to that temporary smoothness? Like almost everything in life, quick fixes have downsides.
We rarely hear of any downside in the media about the long term use of botox. This might have something to do with the global market, valued at USD 10.02 billion in 2022 and projected to surge to USD 20.09 billion by 2030.
Yet emerging studies are worth pausing over, signalling the long-term effects could go against Botox's anti-ageing promises.
The significant concern? Muscle atrophy – the weakening and shrinking of the very muscles Botox targets. Let's dive in and unpack how Botox could inadvertently make us look older in the long haul.
Botox Basics: A Fix with a Catch
Okay, quick recap on how Botox works. It's a neurotoxin (all be it, a purified one) that temporarily blocks signals from your nerves to your facial muscles. This is why it removes frown lines and crow's feet, at least for a while, because those muscles essentially stop working. But, and here's where things get tricky, the very freezing action has consequences.
The Problem with "Disuse"
"If used regularly for long periods, muscles can literally waste away," states Dr. Patricia Wexler, a renowned dermatological surgeon [1]. That's right, our facial muscles are just like any other muscle – they need to move to stay strong and healthy. When Botox puts them on an extended gym hiatus, they get weaker and smaller. Here's how that translates to your face:
- The Great Deflation: Youthful faces have plump, toned muscles. Atrophy makes them lose volume, leading to a sunken, drawn appearance.
- Can't Fight Gravity: Weakened muscles struggle to hold things up. Weak muscles result in sagging brows, heavier eyelids, and a heavier appearance on your face.
- Frozen in Time: Too much Botox can create that "frozen face" look. This erases natural expressions we associate with youthfulness.
The Vicious "Bounce Back" Cycle
Muscle loss sounds positive for wrinkles, right? Well, Dr. Kenneth Howe, a facial plastic surgeon, warns us – it's a trap [2]. Initially, it might seem like you're "breaking bad habits" like frowning. But long-term, atrophied muscles become less receptive to Botox. It's that dreaded "bounce back" effect – wrinkles come back more severe, and you end up needing even more Botox to keep them at bay. It's a vicious cycle.
It Gets Worse... Could Botox Damage Skin Quality?
Here's where things become very concerning. Dr. Jason Emer, a dermatologist, brings up the possibility of Botox messing with our skin health. "Some long-time Botox users report thinner skin over the years," he notes [1]. It's a theory still being studied, but when Botox blocks muscle contractions, it could damage our blood flow and collagen production – with decreased collagen, the structure and elasticity of the skin breaks down, resulting in MORE wrinkles and looser skin.
It's Time to Rethink
I just wanted to let you know that this article is not meant to scare anyone. It's to highlight the risks which are currently under the radar.
Many other treatments can reduce wrinkles without paralysing facial muscles. We'll discuss our go to treatments in our next article. However, we always stress that these are supplementary to a healthy diet, clean water, stress reduction and good skincare.
The bottom line
We need informed choices, not just quick fixes. Botox-related muscle atrophy is a real possibility that could undermine your facial structure. Remember, real youthfulness is about healthy skin that radiates from the inside out, natural expressiveness, and the confidence that comes with embracing who you are.
At Terra Tonics, we're passionate about long term solutions and not bandaids and allowing you to discover your skin's true radiance.