Is BOTOX® Cosmetic Safe For Long-Term Use?
Posted January 06, 2025 in BOTOX® Cosmetic
Like many cosmetic treatments, BOTOX® Cosmetic requires consistent use to keep lines and wrinkles at bay. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic for an extended period is proven to help prevent new wrinkles, but is it safe? In this blog, we explore the benefits and safety of using BOTOX® Cosmetic in the long term.
How Does BOTOX® Cosmetic Work?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a brand name for botulinum toxin type A, a neurotoxin derived from botulinum bacteria. When injected in small, controlled doses, BOTOX® Cosmetic and other similarly formulated neuromodulators temporarily block nerve signals to muscles, causing them to relax. This effect smooths out facial wrinkles, including crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead creases.
BOTOX® Cosmetic works by preventing the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for signaling your muscles to contract. When acetylcholine release is blocked, the affected muscles become less active, lessening the appearance of lines and wrinkles in the targeted treatment area.
Effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic are temporary; however, long-term use offers several benefits.
What Are Some Long-Term Effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic?
While BOTOX® Cosmetic is a temporary solution to smoothing wrinkles, it can have cumulative effects if used regularly. Some of those effects include:
Muscle Weakening
Most people know that BOTOX® Cosmetic works by “freezing” the muscles in the treatment area to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. With long-term use, the affected muscles may begin to atrophy and weaken. While this may sound like a negative, it’s not.
Suppose you get regular BOTOX® Cosmetic injections in your forehead to smooth out furrows in your brow. Because the purpose of the treatment is to prevent the muscles that cause those wrinkles from contracting, consistent use of BOTOX® Cosmetic will weaken those targeted muscles. That means those wrinkle-causing forehead muscles are weakened, making it difficult for those lines to reappear. However, once you stop receiving BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, the muscles will regain strength, and you’ll start seeing your forehead lines reappear.
Longer-Lasting Results
Along those same lines (no pun intended), the more consistent you are with your BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments, the longer your results might last. Again, because your muscles weaken over time with regular BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, it may take longer for those muscles to “unfreeze” and for wrinkles to reappear after each treatment. This allows you to wait longer between sessions, prolonging your results and saving a bit of money.
Less Frowning
BOTOX® Cosmetic addresses wrinkles created by dynamic expressions. Dynamic wrinkles are created by the repetitive facial expressions and movements we unconsciously make several times a day. You probably catch yourself frowning sometimes without realizing you were doing it: while concentrating, hearing something you dislike, or even thinking about a vexing subject. BOTOX® Cosmetic eliminates that unconscious frowning by preventing those muscles from activating.
With consistent BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, the muscles involved in frowning can become trained to stop engaging. Eventually, because the effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic have helped your muscles forget to react, you may notice that you’re less apt to find yourself frowning unknowingly—and your forehead furrows are less likely to return as a result.
Wrinkle Prevention
Speaking of keeping wrinkles from forming, long-term use of BOTOX® Cosmetic can do that, too. Besides preventing existing wrinkles from showing themselves, consistent BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments can actually stave off the formation of new wrinkles. This is primarily because of a combination of the weakening and training of the frown-inducing muscles we discussed above.
Weaker forehead muscles mean that you’re less likely to create deep lines across your brow, or at the very least, it will take longer for those lines to appear. Additionally, forehead muscles that have been “trained” to be still by regular BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments can also keep your brow looking smoother and younger, longer, because they’re not as active.
Is Long-Term BOTOX® Cosmetic Use Safe?
The short answer is yes. BOTOX® Cosmetic has been FDA approved for medical use for more than 35 years and for cosmetic use for over 20 years, and it has earned a reputation for safety and effectiveness.
Even though the effects we discussed above occur after long-term BOTOX® Cosmetic use, they will likely all wear off eventually once you discontinue treatment. Your muscles will regain strength and “remember” how to activate again. You may have fewer furrows, and it may take longer for them to be visible, but the natural aging process continues, and with that, so does the formation of wrinkles.
Ensuring the Effectiveness of Your BOTOX® Cosmetic Results
Now that we’ve established the safety of BOTOX® Cosmetic as a product, here are some tips for ensuring that your individual treatment is both safe and effective.
Find a Qualified BOTOX® Cosmetic Injector
BOTOX® Cosmetic is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. Your provider must understand the intricacies of facial anatomy and know the precise placement of the injections for optimal (and safe) outcomes. For best results, choose a board-certified plastic surgeon, dermatologist, or licensed injector with extensive BOTOX® Cosmetic experience.
Start With Conservative Treatments
Again, BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments are not the same for everyone. If you receive too large of a dosage, you will be unhappy with an overly-frozen face. Starting small lets you gauge how your body responds and adjust accordingly. Some people metabolize the injections more quickly, leading to a faster onset of results and a shorter time needed between treatments, but that’s not something you know without undergoing treatment.
Additionally, side effects from BOTOX® Cosmetic are rare, but not non-existent. That’s another reason why conservative initial treatments are recommended.
Maintain a Consistent Treatment Schedule
Once you know how your body responds to BOTOX® Cosmetic, keeping a consistent treatment schedule will help prevent wrinkles from reappearing and help extend your results.
Incorporate Complementary Skin Treatments
Adding other cosmetic treatments designed to address signs of aging can help enhance and prolong the effects of your BOTOX® Cosmetic results. Micro-needling, laser, radio frequency or ultrasound energy treatments, as well as hydrating facial treatments, can all boost the effectiveness of your BOTOX® Cosmetic results. Adhering to a skin care regimen that includes sun protection, hydration, and retinol can also help keep wrinkles to a minimum.
Learn More About BOTOX® Cosmetic in Fresno
If you’re ready to smooth wrinkles and furrows in your skin safely and effectively, it’s time to explore the benefits of BOTOX® Cosmetic. To schedule a consultation at Valley Institute of Plastic Surgery to see what BOTOX® Cosmetic can do for you, call today at (559) 435-9646 or complete the online contact form.