Botox is a neurotoxin that comes from clostridium botulinum, an organism found in nature’s soil, forests, bodies of water, and animals. Although a toxin, it’s safe when administered by a licensed professional.
Botox is used to dramatically decrease the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on the face and neck. It works to reduce the appearance and prevent worsening of existing wrinkles, but seeking treatment earlier can help to slow the formation of wrinkles as well.
A treatment lasts for roughly three months.While Botox is used mainly for cosmetic purposes, it is also used medically for the treatment of excessive sweating, muscular disorders, and migraines.
How Does it Work?
Wrinkles form as the muscles beneath the skin move. Over time, the muscles repetitive motion creates permanent creases, or wrinkles, in the overlying skin. When Botox is injected into your muscles, it prevents nerve signals from reaching your muscles. This causes the muscle to soften and relax because it can no longer contract. As muscle action begin to return after a few months, the procedure is once again necessary.
The Botox procedure takes just a few minutes as a small needle injects the neurotoxin into specified muscles. There is little discomfort, so the treatment requires no anesthesia.
How is Botox Different than Fillers or CIT?
Botox, dermal fillers, and CIT all help you to combat the appearance of aging skin. However, each involves a different process and has different effects.
What are Dermal Fillers?
Like Botox, dermal fillers inject a substance under your skin to help you look younger. They are volumizers injected into areas on your skin that have sunken or wrinkled. They can be injected into areas near the lips, nose, cheeks, and other facial areas. When a lack of volume causes sunken cheeks, deep creases, or thin lips, dermal fillers are helpful.
What is CIT?
CIT, or collagen induction therapy, improves wrinkles and skin texture by stimulating collagen growth. As tiny needles make microscopic punctures in your skin, your skin produces more collagen as part of the natural healing process. This results in younger looking skin.
What’s the Difference?
Dermal fillers help fill creases and fine lines that are caused by a loss of volume, while Botox calms the muscles that cause wrinkles, and CIT helps improve your skin’s overall texture.
Many different factors go into choosing an effective method to reduce the appearance of aging. Contact Montrose Dermatology + Cosmetics for a consultation on which method(s) will work best for you. (970) 964-4036
