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Is Preventative BOTOX® Worth It?


Is it worth it to get preventative BOTOX®? Our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology provides this injectable treatment to reduce wrinkles that have already formed, but it can also be used for other purposes.

Preventative BOTOX® is a cosmetic strategy that has gained popularity in recent years. Unlike traditional BOTOX®, which is used to reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles, preventative BOTOX® is employed to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the first place. Here’s how it works.

First, it’s important to understand what causes wrinkles. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and collagen, which are essential for maintaining a smooth, youthful appearance. In addition, repetitive facial expressions like frowning, squinting, and raising eyebrows can cause lines and wrinkles to form, especially on the forehead area and around the eyes.

Preventative BOTOX® works by targeting the muscles that cause wrinkles to form. This makes it ideal for patients who want to take a proactive approach to anti-aging treatments instead of correcting wrinkles that have become deeply etched in. When BOTOX® is injected into specific muscles, it relaxes them for months at a time. Using this injectable before wrinkles have a chance to form allows the skin to better maintain its elasticity and collagen, resulting in skin that has an overall smoother and more youthful appearance.

Preventative BOTOX® is typically recommended for individuals in their 20s and 30s, before wrinkles have become deeply ingrained in the skin. However, the treatment can also be effective for older individuals who are only just starting to notice the early signs of aging.

The procedure for preventative BOTOX® is similar to traditional BOTOX®. We will inject small amounts of the neurotoxin into the targeted muscles using a fine needle in the areas where deep creases are likely to develop.

This treatment can potentially slow down the development of wrinkles or prevent them from forming at all. Preventative treatments can be ideal for patients who are likely to get deep wrinkles or a high number of wrinkles. If you have family members with an excessive number of wrinkles or who have a very expressive face or thinner, finer skin, you may be a good candidate for this procedure.

Our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology can explain more about using injectable treatments to soften—or prevent—wrinkles on the upper third of the face. Call us at 520.618.1630 or submit a contact form if you’d like to learn more.

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BOTOX® vs. Dermal Fillers: How Long Do They Last?

There are many factors that set BOTOX® and dermal fillers apart—including how they work and what they treat—but a question patients frequently ask at Ironwood Dermatology is “How long will it last?”

Keeping in mind that BOTOX® Cosmetic is for inhibiting muscle activity and that dermal fillers come in a wide variety of volume-adding formulas, it can be wise to track which effects last the shortest and longest, especially for patients who want to maintain a more youthful-looking face for the long term. Scheduling maintenance visits is easier when you have a good idea of how long your forehead will appear smooth or jawline should have extra definition.

First, BOTOX®. Tucson-area women and men regularly choose this treatment for their forehead and frown lines, as well as their crow’s feet. After a brief session with one of our injectors, you can expect three to four months of smooth skin, worry-free. After that time, the targeted muscles will start moving again, leading to visible furrows and wrinkles whenever you frown or make similar facial expressions.

Dermal fillers, on the other hand, tend to be longer lasting. Juvederm®, for example, has several gel fillers that go the distance, including Volbella (which enhances lips and smooths out vertical lip lines for up to a year), Vollure (which reduces the appearance of nasolabial folds and more for up to 18 months), and Voluma (which adds volume to the midface and lasts up to two years).

With this in mind, you may have several BOTOX® sessions between visits for dermal filler injections.

A member of the Ironwood Dermatology team can work with you to ensure your schedule is as seamless as possible, which means you can enjoy an overall youthful-looking face with no interruption to the smooth look in just one area.

To learn more about dermal fillers, BOTOX®, and more, contact the Tucson-based Ironwood Dermatology online or call 520.618.1630.

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Discover 2017’s Top Five Cosmetic Treatments

When it comes to nonsurgical cosmetic treatments, from microdermabrasion to BOTOX®, Tucson’s Ironwood Dermatology team noted with interest the recently released results of an annual report compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Published at the start of March 2018, the report details statistics from 2017, taken from medical databases and doctor surveys. Among the many items of interest is the overarching fact that nonsurgical cosmetic treatments on the whole are growing in popularity. The entire field grew by 2 percent from 2016 to 2017, with more than 15.7 million treatments performed on men and women across the United States.

That also represents a 186-percent jump from the year 2000.

Topping the list is—as usual—BOTOX® and its fellow injectables based on botulinum toxin type A, which collectively made up almost half of the total treatments performed. With 7.2 million treatments reported, this option is unquestionably the most frequently chosen cosmetic option in the country—surgeries included.

Next on the list, with more than 2.6 million applications, is soft tissue fillers, which includes the entire Juvederm® line. There are formulas for reducing the appearance of nasolabial folds, for adding youthful roundness to the apple of the cheeks, and for subtly boosting lip contours.

Chemical peels came in third with 1.3 million applied. Though they all accomplish the same thing—removing the outermost layers of dead skin for a brighter, fresher look—they come in a variety of compounds with different strengths. This treatment also makes the skin more receptive to revitalizing serums.

Fourth is laser hair removal, a versatile treatment that can be applied virtually head to toe. Statistics show that just more than a million laser hair removals were performed in 2017, proving that bare skin made smooth without the hassle of razors or waxing remains a popular choice.

Rounding out the top five is microdermabrasion, which essentially buffs or polishes away dead skin cells in the outermost layer. Though the mechanics are different, the results are similar to a chemical peel.

Learn more about any of these treatments by reading about them on the main Ironwood Dermatology website, contacting the practice online, or calling 520.618.1630 to arrange a consultation.

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Not Just for Women: Men in Tucson Are Increasingly De-Wrinkling with BOTOX®

Gone is the age-old belief that men don’t care about their looks, as more and more of them smooth their scowls away and refresh their appearance. Data for the past few years have shown a significant increase in men opting to receive cosmetic procedures—and none more so than BOTOX®. The Tucson, AZ, dermatologists at Ironwood have noted this uptick in “brotox” and strive to educate men about how the injectable treatment works and what to expect from a session.

Aside from an overall confidence boost and a more youthful appearance, a fresh face from BOTOX® Cosmetic could help men bolster their chances professionally in a competitive job market, as well as romantically in the dating world.

BOTOX® Cosmetic works by treating what are known as “dynamic wrinkles” on the face—lines that are caused by the repeated contractions of facial muscles over time. If it is injected precisely and in controlled amounts to the muscles causing those contractions, the muscles weaken to soften the lines they would otherwise etch on the face.

While BOTOX® is FDA-approved to treat glabellar lines (also known as frown lines or 11s) between the eyebrows, horizontal lines across the forehead,  and crow’s feet at the outer corners of the eyes, the injectable can also be used to correct a wide variety of facial concerns, such as:

  • Vertical lip lines
  • Marionette lines
  • Drooping nasal tip during smiling

Note that if the wrinkles are “static” (meaning they are present even with the face resting), dermal fillers may be a more appropriate treatment option.

There is a myth that BOTOX® will make patients look unnatural or unexpressive. When administered by a licensed, skilled, and experienced injector, it can soften only the lines you don’t want, but leave the overall face entirely capable of a full range of expression.

Men in particular tend to prefer to leave small areas, such as crow’s feet, relatively unchanged, to preserve a look of experience and distinction. Since injecting BOTOX® is so precise—with the effects limited only to a small area—our dermatologists are able tailor treatment protocol to meet the unique concerns and goals of any patient.

To learn more about BOTOX® Cosmetic and determine if it’s right for you, contact Ironwood Dermatology online or call 520.618.1630.