Some wear it like a badge of honor, yet others want to keep it under wraps. Getting neurotoxin injections, like Botox, Dysport and *Xeomin, is a very individual decision that should be made between a doctor and patient, but it seems like everyone is speculating on who’s had what done. And with that speculation comes some misinformation. That’s why we asked New York plastic surgeon, Elie Levine, MD, to clear up some of the common myths surrounding this increasingly popular treatment.
“Neurotoxins are the gold-standard treatment for dynamic wrinkles on many areas of the face,” Dr. Levine says. “They work remarkably well and quite predictably. They are great for the forehead wrinkles, wrinkles between the eyes and crow’s-feet. They also have great utility for jaw line definition, raising the corners of the mouth, neck bands, bunny lines and so much more!”
Of course, one of the main concerns is that the face will become frozen and unable to create expressions, due to the fact that the neurotoxins actually demobilize the muscles that make the expressions that lead to wrinkle formation.
“If the neurotoxins are administered properly one should be able to maintain outstanding ability to animate and look great at the same time,” Dr. Levine says.
After injections, many patients fear that they will swell up, but Dr. Levine explains that swelling is not typically a side effect of neurotoxins. “Generally within 10 to 15 minutes of administration, the majority of people look like they didn’t do anything,” he says.
Patients will begin to see results in as early as three days, but will have to wait two weeks to see full results. And those results should be undetectable to others. “I have many patients, men and woman, whose spouses and significant others are convinced that their loved one is naturally beautiful and has never had a neurotoxin-and they have,” Dr. Levine says. “And it is our little secret.”
*May have availability issues
Related:
Beyond Wrinkles: 6 Surprising Uses for Botox
What Comes First: Neurotoxins or Fillers?
