As I sit here, touching my face too much, I wonder how many sick patients, stressful shifts, and toddler temper tantrums I’ve endured to earn me my ever-deepening elevens. How many times have I squinted in the sun without sunglasses to deepen those brow lines? How many inappropriate jokes that I laughed at during a hard shift at work have contributed to my crow’s feet? I’ve actively watched my forehead lines transition from “waving hello” when applying mascara to “how are you dear friend” every time I look in my rear-view mirror.
Emotions and actions of our facial muscles create dynamic wrinkles. Expression makes us human. Emotions make us human. Wrinkles make us human. Dynamic wrinkles created by emotion PLUS time PLUS dry skin PLUS sun exposure can and will turn into static wrinkles. Static wrinkles are harder to get rid of. They stick around even when you're not moving your muscles. Unfortunately, you can’t iron the wrinkles out of your skin but you CAN stop the muscle underneath the skin from moving. And that is where botulinum toxin, or neuromodulators, come into play.
Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, Jeuveau, Daxxify are all brands I’m sure you’ve heard of before. All referred to as Botox. They all rest on the muscle fiber, bind to the muscle’s nerves, and block the neurotransmitter that creates movement. Eventually, about 3-6 months later, the nerve terminal re-establishes its connection with the muscle but until then your skin has time to rest. The facial expressions we have a habit of making in certain situations are blunted or changed. We get a chance to use different facial muscles.
Sure, skin can create very deep wrinkles over time and those wrinkles might have nothing to do with muscle movement. Static wrinkles alone cannot be completely erased with one or even multiple rounds of Botox. However, the more times you’ve had the procedure, the longer you give your skin a chance to regenerate without the folding motions. The static wrinkles may diminish over time. BUT there are also other treatment options that don’t involve this specific product. We’ll need to have a quick chat to determine your personalized goals and treatment plan : )
Important note to break the stigma: There IS a spectrum of how blunted your muscle function can be. That’s why I dose things according to your face. It’s not a one-size fits all procedure. We will discuss your goals. If you want to be completely smooth with minimal movement, I got you. If you want to lessen movement but also keep some emotion in your face, there is a formula for you too. I get it, sometimes I want my child to know that I’m frustrated. Sometimes, I need my RBF at work or my big, whole face laugh. Because I like being a human but I also love my newly smoothed forehead.
Amanda L Bishop, FNP-C
The Self Care Shop Owner and Injector
Find me at Honey Salon and Spa
www.honeysalonandspa.com
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