No longer considered a vanity but an essential in today's increasingly appearance conscious world, your face is indeed your calling card, and holds the key to how the world perceives you.
· First impressions are indeed last impressions, make sure you make a good one.
Age and stress take their toll on your appearance, especially your face, why let them taint your natural beauty?
· But then, is it possible to keep on looking good?
Is it really possible to stop time from ravaging our appearance? Well, yes. Medical science now comes to our rescue. To find out how, just read on.
· What are wrinkles?
Looking good does marvels for the inner self. Unfortunately, time can play spoilsport. For many, the first line, the first tension crease on the forehead may leave more than just a mark. This is where the word 'wrinkle' comes into play.
Technically, wrinkle is the thin creased and sagging skin the is especically noticeable on the face, neck and hands.
· What causes wrinkles?
wrinkles are certainly not lines one is born with. Over time, the increased muscle activity, exposure to the sun, wind etc. cause these undesirable lines.
Most of us do not realize that wrinkles are being formed on our face over time, due to continuous muscle activity which results in muscle contraction.
These get more pronounced when we use facial expressions and eventually they become permanent features of our face, whether we like it or not.
There are 4 most commonly seen wrinkles on the face.
· Forehead Lines: These are horizontal lines which appear on the forehead and become more pronounced when one raises eyebrows.
· Frown lines: As the name suggested, these lines form between eyes and appear prominent when one frowns.
· Crows feet: Their shape distinctly reminds you of the feet of a crow and these lines are found around the eyes. They become pronounced when one smiles.
· Bunny lines: These are lines formed on the nose which becomes dominant when one scrunches, making the nose resemble that of a rabbit.
What are the common treatment for wrinkles?
There are various solutions in the market which promise to fight wrinkles but then it's not the numbers but the effectiveness of each solution that counts. People have been using various antiwrinkle solutions but are mostly left dissatisfied by their tall claims. What most people fail to understand is that wrinkles can only be removed if the applied solution either works on contracted muscles which cause wrinkles or expands the volume of the skin. Cream work on just the upper surface of the skin.
Is there a solution?
There are a few solutions. To name a few, these are collegen, derma filler and protein complex. Collagen is a traditional for wrinkles, an injection to fill soft tissues which smoothness the creases. This is usually safe but not for those (2 out of 100 users) who are allergic to collagen injection. Derma fillers restore volume and fullness to the skin, in places where it is injected. The main complaint against it is during the treatment. Moreover, these do not work on dynamic wrinkles, i.e. wrinkles which become apparent when one makes expressions. BOTOX, the protein complex works well for dynamic wrinkles.
The doctor is the best judge to decide the suitable treatment, based on one's conditions. It's always advisable to consult the doctor before embarking on these treatments.
· What is BOTOX?
BOTOX is the most popular wrinkle reduction treatment. it is a natural, purified protein that relaxes the wrinkle causing muscles, creating a smoothened rejuvenated and a more youthful appearance. It’s a simple non-surgical procedure that smoothens the deep persistent facial lines which develop over time.
BOTOX is the only Botulinum toxin in the world registered for the treatment of frown lines and approved by the US FDA.it has been widely tested with over 15 years of safe and effective use in millions of patients worldwide.
· How does BOTOX work?
It's simple, BOTOX relaxes the tiny facial muscles that cause expression lines, leaving the overlying skin smooth and unwrinkled. Once the muscle is relaxed, one cannot contract it. Thus the line gradually smoothness out from disuse and new creases are prevented from forming. Simply translated it means one has a face that looks a lot younger and fresh.
· Does BOTOX act on a specific part of the face or does it act on other parts too?
That's the beauty of BOTOX. It works only on that particular area for which treatment is sought. For instance, it does not affect the other muscle responsible to raise the eyebrows, and so natural expression is maintained. It will not freeze facial expressions. It softens them and works only one wants it to.
· Are there any side effects of BOTOX?
BOTOX is approved by US FDA for cosmetic use, thereby declaring it a safe product. There is no report of serious allergic reactions or other significant side effects such as bruising. BOTOX has been in use for over 15 years and its safety in long-term use had been well established.
· How much time does the BOTOX therapy take?
Ten minutes. Yes, that's all it takes to get treated with BOTOX. That is why it is known as a 'lunch-time procedure'. Just a few tiny injections relax the muscles that cause age related lines to form. The muscles are kept relaxed for 4-6 months. In the process, one gets a new younger look.
· Is it painful to undertake BOTOX therapy?
Most clients describe it as an ant-bite sting for a few seconds. The client goes through none of the discomfort they perceive. The doctor determines where to use BOTOX, to achieve best results.
· How long does the BOTOX effect last?
As every patient is different from the other, it depends entirely on theindividual, but a single treatment of BOTOX will normally last forapproximately 4-6 months and eventually there is a gradual fading of its effects. At this point, it's advisable to return to the doctor to continue treatment.
· How long does it take to see the results?
It is wrong to think that BOTOX takes a long time to start working. The results are dramatic and apparent within a few days. After the injection, it takes 2-3 days for BOTOX to begin taking effect and around 10-15 days to see the full effect.
· Can one return to regular activities after the BOTOX treatment?
Of course one can. In fact, the treatment is so easy and convenient that people can take it during a lunch break and return or work almost immediately. No wonder it's known as the 'lunch time procedure’, as this is the norm.
· Will the lines look worse if i choose to discontinue the treatment?
No, lines gradually revert to their pretreatment appearance. However, this may take 6 to 12 months from the time one stop BOTOX treatment.
· Can man also use BOTOX?
BOTOX is equally effective on men and women. Over 220,000 BOTOX procedures were performed on men in United States in 2004, making it the leading cosmetic treatment for men.
· Is BOTOX only for celebrities?
Contrary to popular belief, BOTOX is most widely used by people like you and me and not necessarily only by celebrities.
When considering one's facial enhancement options, BOTOX is quite affordable. many people are surprised at the relative cost compared to other appearance related investments such as facials, hair colouring and wrinkle creams. As one patient reported: "BOTOX is surprisingly affordable around the same as few facials or visit to the hair colourist".
· Is BOTOX expensive?
When considering one's facial enhancement options, BOTOX is quite affordable. Many people are surprised at the relative cost compared to other appearance related investments such as facials, hair colouring and wrinkle creams. As one patients reported: "BOTOX is surprisingly affordable around the same as few facials or visit to the hair colourist".