Are you looking to prolong the effects of your Botox? It is common knowledge that Botox is a temporary solution for wrinkles, but the techniques for extending the effects of the neuromodulator are not well known.
First, What is Botox?
Botox is a protein that is made from botulinum toxin. When Botox is present within a muscle, it blocks the muscle from receiving the nerve signal to contract. As the muscles are not contracting, you cannot make facial movements that cause wrinkles, and your skin appears smoother.
How Long Does Botox Last?
Your body breaks Botox down over time, making the results last between three and six months. You can ensure that your results stay as long as possible by adhering to the following six tips.
1. Protect Your Skin Against Sun Damage
The sun is not friendly to your skin or your Botox injections, making sun protection essential. Ultraviolet light from the sun causes collagen breakdown, inflammation, and damage to the deepest layers of your skin cells. The sun can disintegrate your Botox, shortening its overall lifespan. Wearing sunscreen, staying under shade, and wearing sun-protective clothing can minimize skin damage and prolong your Botox treatment.
2. Take a Supplemental Zinc Product
In a study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, researchers learned that Botox results last longer if study subjects ingest 50 milligrams of zinc daily. More than 90% of the test subjects who took the supplement stated that their results lasted 30% longer than those who took a placebo.
3. Don’t Smoke
Nicotine breaks your collagen down, damaging your skin cells. Additionally, it causes Botox injections to be less effective. When you use nicotine, your wrinkles will appear faster, and you will develop more fine lines around your mouth and eyes. Avoid smoking and ingesting nicotine to support your skin health and prolong your Botox.
4. Decrease High-Intensity Workouts
High-intensity workouts increase your metabolism, so they will cause your Botox to metabolize more quickly. You must do a combination of lower-intensity workouts in between higher-intensity exercises to combat this effect.
5. Keep Your Skin Moisturized
Moisturizer ensures that your skin is smooth. If you choose a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid or collagen, your skin will maintain its plump and healthy look while preventing Botox from breaking down too quickly.
6. Avoid Stress
When you feel stressed, you scowl and frown and tense up your muscles, but these muscles are the targets of Botox. Therefore, Botox wears off faster when you do this. In addition to that, stress will cause cellular damage to your skin.
As you experience stress, the body releases cortisol, leading to an inflammatory response within the body. When you are highly stressed, your body breaks the Botox down more quickly, and you age faster. Yoga and meditation are stress-relieving activities that protect your Botox from breaking down too quickly. They will also reduce the accelerated aging that stress causes.
Schedule a Consultation
Dr. Ballert is double-board-certified in Facial Plastic, Reproductive Surgery, and Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery. Ballert Medical Practice offers injectables, facial treatments, and more in Paducah, Kentucky. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.