Is Botox® Cosmetic Right for me? Here Are 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

If you’ve been hearing about the wonders Botox® Cosmetic (OnabotulinumtoxinA) can do for anti-aging wrinkle treatments, then you may be considering whether or not you should get it.

Is it worth it? Will it work? Are there any downsides to it? In this article, we’ll attempt to answer the questions you should ask before deciding if Botox® is right for you.

Do you have dynamic wrinkles or static wrinkles?

Botox® Cosmetic works by relaxing the muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles. These are the wrinkles that appear on your face when you make facial expressions.

For example, when you squint your eyes or smile, you may get crow’s feet appearing on the sides of your eyes. When you frown or make an angry face, you will see vertical lines in between your eyebrows. And when you raise your eyebrows (such as if you’re shocked), then you will see forehead lines.

The idea applies to any area of your face. Botox® can even affect chin dimples. 

When your face is at rest, you may not see these dynamic wrinkles. If you do, you have static wrinkles.

Static wrinkles appear as a result of years of repetitive facial expressions. Eventually, the skin loses its elasticity, water, collagen and volume and can no longer ‘bounce back’ to a smooth surface.

Botox® Cosmetic is helpful in that some believe it is a way to prevent static wrinkles. After all, the theory is that if your dynamic wrinkles are causing static wrinkles, then by stopping dynamic wrinkles, you can also stop static wrinkles.
If you have static wrinkles, you may want to seek other services and products, such as dermal fillers or skin tightening. Botox® will work in conjunction with these other anti-aging treatments.

Are you ready to commit to the repeat treatments necessary to make Botox® Cosmetic work continually?

Botox® Cosmetic is a temporary solution to dynamic wrinkles, or whatever it is treating, even if it is a medical issue (like migraine headaches, for example).

The solution OnabotulinumtoxinA loses its effectiveness gradually over a three to four-month period after being injected into the areas it is treating.

This means you’ll need to return for treatments at least every three months to continue to see the cosmetic effects of Botox®.

As you repeat treatments, you may notice better results since the solution begins to work more effectively if its treatments are continual and on time.

Depending on the size of the area you want to treat, and the severity of your wrinkles, you may be spending between $250 to $500 or more every three months on this treatment. Of course, this rate varies from city to city and practitioner to practitioner. This is only meant to be a guideline for what you can expect out there.

Shopping for Botox® based on price is a bad idea. Botox® injectors who charge more may have more experience and qualifications than those who charge less. This is for your safety. Not only that, but low prices on Botox® could mean that the product is diluted too much. This will mean you won’t get the effects you’re after.

The appointments themselves are quick. You’ll be in and out within 15 – 30 minutes.

If you’re wondering if Botox® is right for you, you’ll need to determine if you can keep up with the regular maintenance needed to keep up its effects. Of course, you can always decide to quit later.

Can you handle potential side effects?

Botox® is a prescription drug that can only be administered by trained doctors and nurses. Never seek Botox® treatments from unlicensed practitioners.

Being that Botox® is a prescription, it has the potential for side effects.

Most of the time, side effects of Botox® include temporary bruising, redness or swelling at the injection sites. These usually resolve within a few days or a week.

However, it’s possible that Botox® can create a droopy eye or a cocked eye effect. This can be from too much Botox® or accidentally hitting the wrong area while injecting. It can happen with the best injectors, but the more experienced injectors can avoid this issue.

More severe, but very rare, side effects of Botox® are possible. The laundry list of side effects should be explained to you before you get your treatment.

Anyone with allergies or nerve conditions should not get Botox®. However, a medical practitioner can advise on your case in more detail.

Whether or not Botox® is right for you depends on your individual needs, desires and medical history.

As we’ve seen above, determining if Botox® is right for you will depend a lot on you. That means you will have to evaluate what you need and if you want Botox® to be a regular part of your beauty regimen going forward. You’ll also need to determine if Botox® alone is worth it for you or if you may as well go ‘all in’ by getting more anti-aging treatments to treat static wrinkles.

The other thing to consider is whether or not you can receive this prescription medication. If you have allergies or nerve conditions, it may not be for you. That said, it may also help nerve conditions. Side effects are always possible. The best way to get a better idea of the safety of Botox® for your case is to have a transparent discussion with a medical practitioner about it. Reveal your entire health history, and review all the safety information given to you before treatment.