Preventative Botox: A study on Identical twins
Take a look at the photos below. They aren’t before and after photos, but instead photos of identical twins from a study published in 2006. One of the twins received Botox 2-3 times a year for 13 years and the other didn’t. Technically, the other twin also received Botox but she only received it twice (in years 6 and 10), which is much less than the twin who received it every few months on the forehead and glabellar region (the lines between the eyebrows). The summary of the study is below for your reference, but basically it showed that the twin who received regular Botox had less dynamic facial wrinkles and lines compared to the other twin. It’s also important to note that there wasn’t any significant side effect noted with the twin who received the regular Botox.
It’s easy to think Neurotoxins, such as Botox, Jeuveau, or Xeomin, are for older individuals with deeper wrinkles. However, although it’s true that neurotoxins can soften wrinkles that have already started to settle in, it’s also important to realize that they can prevent the development of fine lines and wrinkles. Not that wrinkles are necessarily bad, as after all, they are a natural part of aging. However, if there is a way to delay them from forming or prevent them from getting deeper, then why not? As long as the treatment is safe of course.
All medical grade aesthetic treatment have some risk and Neurotoxins are the same. One can look frozen if injected too much or get ptosis (droopy eye) if injected in the wrong muscle. Also, there is a very small but possible risk that if you get Botox continuously for years, you could develop resistance (which is why I prefer Xeomin; we will talk more on that on a different blog post). However, overall, Neurotoxins are relatively safe and very effective.
The preventative use of Neurotoxins are sometimes called “baby Botox”. This is because when used for preventative purposes, as the wrinkles/lines are usually faint, very little amount (“baby dose”) of Botox is needed. The goal here is to inject as little to prevent wrinkles, while maintaining your facial expressions. The best time to start getting Neurotoxin injections would actually be when you start noticing tiny fine lines with certain facial movements, before the lines settle in and become permanent. There might be topical skin products that advertise their wrinkle reducing effects, but it’s difficult to beat the effectiveness of Neurotoxins. This preventative aspect of Neurotoxin was what initially drew me to it as well.
Long-term effects of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) on facial lines: a comparison in identical twins
Objective: To evaluate the presence of imprinted facial lines in identical twin sisters, one of whom had received botulinum toxin type A (Botox) treatment in the forehead and glabellar region regularly for 13 years and one of whom had not. Crow's feet were also compared.
Methods: One twin received Botox in the forehead and glabellar region (approximately 2 to 3 times each year over the past 13 years) and in the crow's feet (twice in past 2 years). Her twin received Botox only twice (in the forehead and glabellar region, 3 and 7 years ago).
Results: Imprinted forehead and glabellar lines were not evident in the regularly treated twin but were evident in the minimally treated twin. Crow's feet were less noticeable when the regularly treated twin smiled (even at 7 months after treatment) than when the minimally treated twin smiled. Untreated facial areas (eg, nasolabial folds) showed comparable aging in both twins. Neither twin experienced adverse effects.
Conclusions: Long-term treatment with Botox can prevent the development of imprinted facial lines that are visible at rest. Botox treatment can also reduce crow's feet. Treatment is well tolerated, with no adverse events reported during 13 years of regular treatment in this study.
Reference: Long-term effects of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) on facial lines: a comparison in identical twins; William J Binder; Arch Facial Plast Surg Nov-Dec 2006;8(6):426-31.