What is preventative Botox and what age should you start?

How young is too young to start Botox?

When patients in their early 20’s ask about Botox to prevent the signs of aging, we often recommend exercising caution because many issues may be resolved without the use of injectables. With that said, we do not have an age recommendation for Botox, instead we evaluate each patient’s skin individually to determine if preventative Botox is the best option to help them achieve their desired results whether they are in their 20s or 30s.  

Fine lines and wrinkles in the forehead are the first signs of aging that typically drive patients to seek Botox treatment followed by lines around the lips. For many, these lines are genetic and are characteristics they see more pronounced in older family members. However, if during the consultation it is determined that the skin problems are due to lifestyle or sun damage, we advise patients that Botox will not resolve those issues. In the case of sun damage, we may recommend other products or services better suited, such as prescription retinoids, microdermabrasion or intense-pulsed light. Recommendations for skin damage caused by lifestyle, may be improvements to diet and exercise changes. 

We recommend preventative Botox because it trains problem facial muscles to relax, by weakening them, which in turn stops deeper lines from forming during the aging process. In this proactive process, less Botox is needed, and it lasts longer. When we begin a patient on a preventative schedule, we are very conservative with the amount Botox.

Botox treatments lasts 15-20 minutes and afterward you can carry on with the day as planned. For the first four (4) hours, we recommend not to lay down to avoid the Botox from shifting to other areas of the face. Results typically last four (4) to six (6) months before needing a touchup.