There’s a good reason that Botox is the number one minimally invasive cosmetic treatment in the world. Not only does it soften the look of lines and wrinkles, but it’s also affordable and has no downtime. It’s also long-lasting. How does a person make their Botox treatment last even longer?

Some Tips

Making Botox and versions such as Dysport and Xeomin last longer begins even before the person has their treatment. First, they need to choose the right skin care specialist. The face has dozens of muscles that allow human beings to have an amazing range of expressions. Because of this, the professional who administers Botox must know the location of the muscles and how they work.

They also need to know how much Botox to inject. For example, men tend to need more Botox because they have thicker skin and stronger muscles than women. A badly-trained and unknowledgeable skin care specialist can reduce the time that the benefits of the Botox injections last from months to weeks. Given that Botox is a toxin, a bad skin care specialist can also do serious damage.

Other tips can be tried right after a client leaves the office of their skin care specialist or dermatologist. They are given instructions to:

• Not massage or rub the area where the Botox was injected
• Stay out of the sun unless they’re wearing a sunblock
• Stay out of areas of high heat and humidity
• Don’t lie down for at least four hours and sleep with their head elevated

Why Should a Person Do These Things?

Botox is an extremely diluted and purified type of the same toxin that leads to botulism. The toxin works by stopping the action of acetylcholine, which is a chemical that helps muscles contract. When Botox is injected into a muscle, it goes slack and the wrinkle smooths out. Botox and Dysport in NYC are especially good on dynamic wrinkles. These are wrinkles that show up when a person moves their face to smile, frown or raise their eyebrows.

If a person rubs the area shortly after their Botox session, they can cause the Botox to spread to places where it’s not wanted and could be hazardous, such as the muscles that help them swallow. This is also why the specialist warns the person against lying down too soon after their session and why they should sleep propped up against pillows for a few days.

The client needs to stay out of the sun and hot places right after treatment because heat causes blood vessels to open up. This causes Botox, especially Dysport, to spread faster than usual. The sun’s ultraviolet rays also etch wrinkles into the skin.

Other Things to Do

Other things that help the benefits of Botox last longer are getting Botox fairly regularly but not too regularly. Botox trains the muscles to remain a bit weak, so the wrinkle is never as deep as it was originally. However, a person shouldn’t have Botox injections less than three months apart because the body can build up a resistance to the toxin.

The person should also not put any cosmetic treatments on their face for at least seven days after their Botox session. Serums, toners, masks and other aggressive treatments can interfere with the action of the toxin.

A person who wants Botox should also start having the injections before their wrinkles become very deep.

Scrunching up the muscles in the face also tends to lengthen the effects of Botox injections. Most specialists ask their patients to make a face while they are injecting the Botox because the movement of the facial muscles makes the injections more accurate.

Interestingly, doctors have found that taking zinc supplements can make the effects of Botox last as much as 30 percent longer than usual. The zinc in these supplements is coupled with an enzyme. Doctors believe that the toxin needs zinc to work, and the enzyme supports the absorption of zinc. These supplements can be taken a few days before the patient has their Botox injections.

A person who wants their Botox injections to last should also drink plenty of clean, fresh water, enjoy a healthy, balanced diet and avoid too much caffeine and alcohol. They must not smoke and need to learn to control their stress.