Botox is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures ever since it was first introduced. It was introduced more than ten years ago. But despite its global acceptance, it is also perhaps the most misunderstood one.
While it’s easy to get seduced with the promises of turning back the years and getting back your younger face literally over night, many who are intrigued by this cosmetic procedure are still held back from taking the plunge with the myths surrounding Botox and its use.
What people need to know
Some fear that they will end up with a “face freeze”. This is the notion that probably came from seeing too many stars in the media. This is from cases of them sporting a perpetual dear-in-the-headlights look. With their faces frozen in a perpetual surprise, it seems like they themselves can’t believe how far they went with their Botox use and abuse.
The truth is that – when properly done – Botox will preserve your normal facial expressions. It will in turn only smooth out the frown lines and wrinkles.
In detail
Botox was approved by the FDA specifically for treating moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows. These are called glabellar lines or “the 11” because they resemble that number. But is often used “off label” for other wrinkles. Botox is therefore used for smoothing out crow’s feet (lines around the eye). Also forehead lines, skin bands on the neck, lines around the mouth (“smoker’s lines”), for turning up “mouth frowns”, for arching the flattened eyebrows – and the list goes on and on.
Those starlets with their strangely arched eyebrows may simply be the victims of using Botox injections in a way they were never intended to be used. Properly administered Botox injections will smooth out the forehead while preserving the natural arch of your eyebrows.
Overall
Using Botox is not supposed to make you look “fake” or “plastic”. Of course, one should know when enough is enough: that’s a lesson that obviously eluded all those expressionless starlets.
Many are afraid of using Botox because “it’s a toxin”. While Botox as a treatment is indeed produced from the lethal botulinum bacteria, the concentration of the toxin in Botox is so low, that – when properly done by a certified professional – there’s no way for a toxin to somehow spread outside of the tiny area where it is injected.
