BOTOX BLOG: PART 1 OF 3 (“The Botox Scale”)

July 30, 2008 by dr. lam

I would like to take a step back and go back to basics. Â I think that Botox is one of the most fundamentally important treatments to limit aging especially in the fairer skinned individual. Â However, it is also one of the most misunderstood treatments. Every day, I spend countless time explaining to each patient why to do Botox. Â I use 3 analogies to explain how the LONG-TERM effects of Botox are nothing short of miraculous. Â These analogies are “The Botox Scale”, “Botox Like a Shirt”, and “Botox Like Exercise”. Â We will take 3 separate days to explain my philosophy to you so that there is no question you understand why Botox is so very important for you over the coming years of your life.Although most individuals focus on the “quick fix” mentality that you look better with Botox immediately, they oftentimes do not focus on what benefits they are actually accruing over the coming years. Â My goal in this blog is to explain the long-term effects of Botox.

First off, Botox is not a filler. It does not fill in lines or plump up lips. It blocks a muscle from moving for 3 to 4 months. This allows the wrinkles not to form and the treated area to look more relaxed and refreshed. I think most of you know that but I should at least state that again from the outset.

Okay, let’s begin today with what I like to call “The Botox Scale”. Â Let’s first discuss where your wrinkles are today. Â Perhaps, they don’t exist. Â Perhaps, they are just starting. Â Perhaps, they are already advanced. Â Whatever the situation, every day, every month, and every year that you do NOT do Botox, they will inevitably get worse. Â There is no doubt that over time they will get worse without Botox. Â Besides the short-term gains with Botox, consistent long-term usage of Botox will gradually let the skin heal, the collagen grow, and the wrinkles to fade even with the Botox completely faded, i.e., even when the Botox has completely gone after a few sessions you will eventually see the wrinkles STAY gone. (See my Botox gallery to see both the short-term and long-term effects of Botox. The short-term photos were taken when the Botox was in full effect (2 weeks after treatment). Believe it or not, the long-term after photos were taken when the Botox had completely faded and the patient returned for additional services.) Â

So in summary, every year you do Botox your wrinkles continue to fade. Â Every year you do NOT do Botox, your wrinkles will get worse. Â In 5 years without Botox, you will be worse off. Â You will never be at time point A, i.e., today, even if you don’t mind your wrinkles today, they will get worse over time without Botox (Just look at an old photograph of yourself). Â I always like to say that if I can reverse your wrinkles in 2 to 3 years with consistent Botox usage and you move to a remote Eskimo village and can’t get Botox, you will have to fight to get back to time point A, i.e., today’s wrinkles, and regain all those bad wrinkles that you accumulated over the years. Â So always remember the Botox scale. Â You are either getting worse without Botox over time or better with Botox over time. There are no other options.

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