We’ve Found More to Love about Botox
May 15, 2019
For the past ten-plus years, doctors have turned to Botox to correct signs of aging such as worry lines, frown lines, and crow’s feet. Most adults know that a few injections can visibly refresh their face.
For the past ten-plus years, doctors have turned to Botox to correct signs of aging such as worry lines, frown lines, and crow’s feet. Most adults know that a few injections can visibly refresh their face. Botox is well-known for being safe and convenient and for temporarily reducing muscle contractions around the eyes and on the forehead. According to a new study, there may be one more thing we should know about this cosmetic drug.
Botox Offers More Benefits Than We Knew
It would be easy to think that we know everything there is to know (and love) about Botox but a research team in Canada sought to learn more. We’re happy they did because now we can appreciate one more thing about this injectable treatment. In a small study of 43 women who had never been treated with Botox, researchers analyzed the effects that injections may have on the elasticity of the skin.
Elasticity is the trait that makes the skin relatively stretchy. When we pinch the skin on the back of the hand or another part of the body, we want to see it retract; and the quicker the better. Skin that retracts is less likely to look crepey and wrinkled. That means it is also less likely to appear older than you’d like.
To observe the effects of Botox on the skin, researchers measured each woman’s elasticity using an instrument called a Cutometer. After obtaining a baseline reading, doctors administered the wrinkle-reducing treatment using usual dosage guidelines. Then, subsequent elasticity measurements using the Cutometer were performed. These readings indicated that elasticity improved over time after treatment and reached a peak of up to 30 percent in some women. This boost in the skin’s elasticity lasted up to 4 months, which is the average lifespan of Botox’s wrinkle-smoothing capacity.
What Does This Research Mean?
Researchers conducting this study concluded that the elasticity improvement stemming from Botox injections provides more insight into the mechanism through which the drug works. What this means for patients is that a few Botox injections not only refresh their face in the moment but that treatment also offers long-term benefits such as the slower progression of new wrinkle formation.
We are pleased to offer Botox and other facial rejuvenation treatments in our Teaneck, NJ office. To schedule your visit with us, call 201.836.9696.