If you’re considering BOTOX injections for the first time and want to know how long the results last—which describes just about every first-time BOTOX patient—the answer is “it depends.” Are you getting BOTOX to reduce forehead wrinkles or crow’s feet? The duration of your results depends partly on the treatment area, how fast your body metabolizes the drug, and your lifestyle.
BOTOX Treatment Areas
BOTOX remains the most popular cosmetic treatment globally because it consistently produces excellent results when you choose an experienced, knowledgeable injector. BOTOX and Dysport®, another neuromodulator, temporarily limit the movement of facial muscles when you change expressions. These “dynamic wrinkles” (expression lines) include crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes, vertical worry lines between the eyebrows, and horizontal forehead wrinkles.
Those aren’t the only areas BOTOX treats. For example, we inject BOTOX into the masseter muscle—a muscle in the upper jaw used when chewing food—to create a slimmer jawline. BOTOX can also minimize the appearance of neck bands.
Now, let’s answer your questions about timing—including how long it takes BOTOX to work and how you can help BOTOX results last longer.
How Long Does BOTOX Take To Work?
BOTOX injections don’t produce immediate results. It usually takes about 4 to 7 days for the first noticeable results to appear, and you’ll continue seeing wrinkles and lines diminish for another week afterward.
How Long Does BOTOX Last?
As mentioned earlier, the answer depends on the treatment area. Those treatment areas include the following:
Forehead
People associate BOTOX with smoothing forehead wrinkles more than any other area. Our skilled nurse injectors use just enough BOTOX to minimize wrinkles without affecting your ability to show expressions. The dosages for this area may be a bit higher, and results can last from 3 to 6 months. As with other areas, factors affecting the duration of the results include your age and metabolism rate.
Crow’s Feet
BOTOX is a popular and widely employed treatment for combating crow’s feet, the fine lines and wrinkles that form around the eyes. You’ll notice the muscles around the eyes will relax after BOTOX injections, preventing the skin from crinkling when you smile, laugh, or squint. You can expect the results to endure for about 4 months.
Worry Lines
Also called frown lines or “the 11s,” worry lines between the brows are often inherited traits that may appear before other expression lines. The amount of BOTOX injected depends on the severity of the lines and your cosmetic goals. Your results may last anywhere from 2 to 6 months.
Neck Bands
One of the more recent uses for BOTOX is to minimize the appearance of neck bands—vertical strips of the platysma muscle that can become prominent with age. BOTOX neck injections can last up to 6 months.
Masseter
An overdeveloped masseter muscle—often resulting from grinding your teeth while sleeping—can give your face a boxy or broader shape. Most people consider a V-shaped face more attractive, and that’s where BOTOX comes in. Relaxing the masseter muscle produces a slimmer jawline closer to the desired V shape. The results can last 3 to 8 months.
How To Make BOTOX Last Longer
Like other med spa treatments, BOTOX is an investment you make to look and feel your best. Prolonging the results means stretching the time between BOTOX appointments and making your investment look even better.
Here are some ways to extend the life of your BOTOX results:
- Avoid extended time in the sun: This is a good idea for keeping your skin looking healthy and youthful whether you get BOTOX or not. Sun damage causes an inflammatory response within the cells, breaking down BOTOX.
- Consider low-intensity workouts: Regular exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle. High-intensity workouts designed to boost your metabolism, burn calories, and build muscle quickly may cause your body to metabolize BOTOX so it breaks down sooner than expected.
- Take a zinc supplement: In a study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, researchers found that people who took a 50-milligram zinc supplement after BOTOX injections saw a significantly longer duration in their results. More than 90% of participants who took the supplement reported around a 30% increase in the duration of the initial BOTOX injections.
- Don’t use nicotine: This is good advice for anyone. Smoking, vaping, or any other form of inhaling nicotine breaks down collagen, damages skin cells, and reduces the effectiveness and duration of BOTOX injections. If you’re concerned about wrinkles and fine lines, don’t smoke.
Read this previous blog post to learn more about the best anti-wrinkle treatments at White Orchid Spa. To get BOTOX injections, start by requesting a consultation using the online form or by calling us at (772) 231-1133 to schedule an appointment.
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