Busting the Biggest Myths About Botox: Separating Fact from Fiction
Despite being used for cosmetic purposes for more than 20 years, Botox is still the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure in the world.
As you can see from the graph below, according to data from Statista, Botox is more popular than every other non-surgical cosmetic procedure by a long shot, with more than 7.3 million treatments done in 2021 alone.
What’s more, according to Statista’s projections, by 2026, the market for Botox is expected to grow to about 6.9 billion U.S. dollars.
This may seem like an absurd amount, but the truth is, there’s good reason for the exponential growth in the popularity of Botox.
Botox, otherwise known as botulinum toxin, which works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles associated with various medical conditions and cosmetic issues, offers many benefits, so its popularity is no surprise.
Not only can Botox help you to revitalize your skin, correct facial asymmetry, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it can also be used to treat a range of medical conditions, including bladder dysfunction, excessive sweating, chronic migraines, and even cerebral palsy.
And because it only offers temporary results, it allows individuals to assess the results they’re getting and adjust the treatments they’re receiving according to their preferences.
But unfortunately, as is the case with many things that become this popular, there are a lot of misconceptions and myths about Botox that continue to persist to this day.
Over the years, our founder, Dr. Dheshnie, has had countless clients who share similarly erroneous ideas and believe the same myths about Botox, so she figured it was time to set the record straight by publishing an article that dispels some of the most common Botox myths.
So, if you’re thinking about getting Botox treatments, and you want to make sure you’re not believing the same old myths about Botox, then this article is right up your alley.
And if you want to learn more about Botox injections, including what they are, how they work, their potential side effects, and more, you should check out our article, which explains Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Botox Injections.
The Biggest Myths About Botox
If you want to get the absolute best results from Botox injections, then you’ve got to make sure you’ve got realistic expectations, and aren’t getting led down the garden path about this treatment.
That being said, if you know nothing about Botox, then you should probably read the article we linked to above first, so you can get a better idea of what Botox is, how it works, and everything else you need to know to make an informed decision.
But if you’re confident that you already know enough, and you just want to ensure you’re not getting the wrong idea about Botox, then you should definitely keep reading.
Because below, we’ve explored several of the most common myths about Botox, so you can ensure you have a proper understanding of this treatment before you choose to go through with it.
The Treatment and Results Will Be the Same for Everyone
Like it or not, Botox is not a standardized, one-size-fits-all type of procedure.
That being said, the way the treatment plays out, and the results you’re going to receive from it, can be vastly different based on a variety of factors.
For example, typically, one side of a person’s face tends to be stronger than the other, and this can create dramatic differences both in terms of how the Botox is administered, and the results one will receive from the treatment.
Experienced injectors will always consider this natural asymmetry, in order to create a customized treatment plan that will allow for a more natural and harmonious appearance.
Another thing that most people don’t know is that men tend to require more Botox in order to achieve the same results as women, perhaps due to the fact that they tend to have tougher skin and more pronounced muscles.
We’re not exactly sure why this is, but at least in Dr. Dheshnie’s experience, if a woman requires 40 units to deal with forehead wrinkles, for instance, then a man will probably need 70 to 100 units to get the same effect.
At the same time, another interesting factor that’s recently come into play is the effect that COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations can have on Botox treatments.
Believe it or not, preliminary research shows that these mRNA vaccinations can actually shorten Botox’s duration of action, meaning the results won’t last as long.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology concluded that Botox “might be less effective after COVID-19 vaccination.”
So, as you can see, there are a lot of factors at play here, and regardless of who you are, you shouldn’t assume that your experience with Botox will be the same as anyone else’s.
Less Botox Will Offer a More Natural Look
One of the most common concerns we hear from clients regarding Botox injections is that they don’t want the results of the treatment to look unnatural.
As a result, many clients – especially those who’ve never gotten a Botox treatment before – will say that they only want a little bit, thinking that this will provide more natural-looking results.
But achieving a natural look using Botox isn’t about using less or more of it, it’s about using an appropriate amount, and using it in the right way to get balanced and subtle results that don’t look overly frozen or artificial.
The truth is, achieving a natural look with this treatment can actually require far more Botox than you might think, and using too little can actually affect the quality and longevity of the treatment.
That being said, depending on many factors, including those we outlined above, a client may require less or more Botox in order to achieve a natural look.
Still, what we tend to see is that people who insist on only using a small amount of Botox will come back a few weeks later with weird-looking faces, complaining that the results don’t look natural.
For instance, many people will ask us to just apply the Botox injections to the skin around their eyes, but often, achieving a natural and uniform look will require us to target multiple areas, which is going to require more Botox.
So, if you want the results of your Botox treatment to look natural, you should trust the advice of your injector (assuming they’re properly qualified), and don’t get caught in the trap of thinking less Botox will always translate into a more natural look.
Focusing on the Face Alone Will Provide a Natural Look
When it comes to using Botox for cosmetic reasons, most people focus solely on the face.
But if you want to achieve the most natural look possible, and especially if you’re trying to look younger, you might want to consider getting your neck treated, as well.
Because according to Dr. Dheshnie, you can tell exactly how old someone is just by looking at their neck.
With that in mind, if you’ve got a significant number of wrinkles on your face and your neck, but you only treat your face, the vast difference between the skin on your face and the skin on your neck is not going to look natural.
At the same time, if your decolletage, or cleavage area, has a considerable number of wrinkles, then this can also create a more unnatural look, so you might want to consider treating that area, as well.
What’s more, depending on several factors, like where your wrinkles are located, creating the most natural looking results may require the use of other types of wrinkle-reducing treatments, in addition to Botox, like dermal fillers, laser, radio frequency energy and microneedling treatments, and anti-aging creams, like skinbetter science’s Techno Neck Perfecting Cream, which Dr. Dheshnie swears by.
All things considered, if you want to achieve the most natural-looking results from Botox, you should think about treating other areas, aside from just your face, and consider the benefits of other wrinkle-reducing treatments, as well.
Ideal Results Can Be Achieved After Just One Treatment
Surprisingly enough, many people seem to think that Botox is just a one-and-done kind of treatment, but nothing could be further from the truth.
You see, Botox is only able to paralyze the muscles associated with fine lines and wrinkles for about three months, and then the effect begins to wear off, and the wrinkles will return.
Think of it like dyeing your hair. You can’t expect to dye it once, never come back to get your roots done, and think that your hair’s going to look perfectly natural and uniform. It just doesn’t work like that.
With that in mind, many of our Botox clients seem confused when we tell them they’re going to have to come back for a two-week review.
Dr. Dheshnie absolutely insists on doing this, because typically, it’s not possible to achieve the most desirable and natural-looking results after just a single treatment.
This review involves taking note of everything we’ve done immediately after administering the treatment, and then comparing that to what the results look like after two weeks have passed.
Truth be told, this is probably the most important part of the entire process, as it allows Dr. Dheshnie to make any necessary adjustments, and analyze things like which side of the client’s face is stronger, which can help her to determine where additional injections may be required, in order to achieve the most uniform, natural look.
It’s also important to remember that if you want the results you’ve obtained to remain, you’re going to have to get additional treatments, ideally every three months.
This isn’t necessarily true for every patient, as some may need more or less frequent maintenance, but this is something Dr. Dheshnie can determine during follow-up appointments.
So, make sure to keep in mind that it usually takes more than one treatment to achieve your desired results, and once you’ve obtained those results, additional treatments will be required to maintain them.
Are you looking for Botox in Vancouver? Contact us to book a free consultation or schedule your treatment today.