How Quickly Does BOTOX® Cosmetic Start Working?
Posted December 13, 2024 in BOTOX® Cosmetic
When you’ve got an important event to attend and realize that your forehead looks much more furrowed than you’d like, you might decide that a BOTOX® Cosmetic injection is in order. However, how much lead time is necessary for the treatment to start working? In this blog, we discuss the factors that influence how much time is required for BOTOX® Cosmetic to take effect, including treatment area, dosage, frequency of injections, and how quickly your body metabolizes the injection.
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How Does BOTOX® Cosmetic Work?
We have two types of wrinkles on our faces: active and passive. Passive wrinkles are lines that are the result of genetics and environmental effects. The natural aging process, thin or dry skin, excessive sun exposure, and smoking all contribute to collagen and elastin breakdown in your skin, leaving you with varying degrees of damage and signs of aging.
Dynamic or active wrinkles are caused by long-term, repetitive contractions of your facial muscles—the natural, reflexive ones you don’t even realize you’re using. When you frown or raise your eyebrows, those muscles contract, making your skin fold and wrinkle. When you squint or smile, you activate the muscles around your eyes, eventually creating crow’s feet. The combination of near-constant use and the naturally decreasing collagen and elastin in your skin make it possible for dynamic wrinkles to etch themselves into your face.
BOTOX® Cosmetic solely works on dynamic wrinkles. It’s formulated using a strain of botulinum toxin, a protein derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. When injected into the muscles that control our dynamic expressions, BOTOX® Cosmetic temporarily reduces their activity. The result is smoother skin; however, with consistent use, BOTOX® Cosmetic can “train” the affected muscles to relax, reducing the chance of wrinkles returning and preventing the formation of new ones.
How Long Until I See My BOTOX® Cosmetic Results?
For most people, your BOTOX® Cosmetic results begin to appear within three to four days after your injection. Your final results are visible ten days to two weeks after your treatment and typically last for three to six months.
Below, we explore some factors that influence both the onset and duration of your BOTOX® Cosmetic results.
Does the Treatment Area Matter?
The most common areas targeted with BOTOX® Cosmetic injections include around the eyes (crow’s feet), vertical frown lines (“elevens”), and horizontal frown lines. The strength of the dosage should be tailored to the strength of those muscles, so a stronger dose for stronger muscles will probably take longer to show results.
For example, the glabellar muscles in your forehead that are responsible for vertical frown lines vary in strength from person to person. If you have strong glabellar muscles, you will need a higher dosage of BOTOX® Cosmetic, and it may take a bit longer for it to take effect. On the other hand, if you’re treating crow’s feet, you’ll likely see results more quickly, as the muscles around your eyes aren’t as strong as the ones in your forehead.
Does the Dosage Matter?
Speaking of dosages, when determining the dosage of your BOTOX® Cosmetic injection, you should consider not only how long you want your results to last but also what you want them to look like. A higher dosage of BOTOX® Cosmetic can not only kick in quicker, but it can last longer. However, that same high dosage may give you a “frozen” appearance rather than a softer, more natural look.
You also want to consider that under-dosing the treatment area with BOTOX® Cosmetic will affect your results. Under-dosing won’t give you the desired results, and the effects will wear off before the typical three to four-month mark.
Does Injection Frequency Matter?
To keep your brow smooth, you’ll need to stick to a consistent schedule of BOTOX® Cosmetic injections. If you regularly get BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments, you may notice that your results start to show up earlier. This is because your muscles adapt to the effects of the neurotoxin and take less time to react. Quicker results can also be attributed to the muscles weakening with regular treatments, so they react faster to each injection.
Does My Metabolism Matter?
Metabolism speed varies from person to person. People who are regularly active and have a lot of lean muscle have a faster metabolism than those who are more sedentary. Your metabolism speed can also affect the onset of your BOTOX® Cosmetic results. The quicker your body metabolizes the neurotoxin, the faster your results may appear. However, this can also work against you, because quickly metabolizing the injection means your results likely won’t last as long as you’d like.
Learn More About BOTOX® Cosmetic in Fresno
When you’re tired of looking tired because of the lines etched on your forehead, or you want to smooth out those pesky crow’s feet, BOTOX® Cosmetic can be the answer. To discover what BOTOX® Cosmetic can do to refresh and rejuvenate your appearance, contact the Valley Institute of Plastic Surgery today at (559) 435-9646 or complete the online contact form.