Botox gets a bad rap. The reason? The injectable toxin that freezes expression lines has long been blamed for the overzealous filler culture perpetuated by some social media influencers who have altered their features beyond recognition.
But if you were to ask any well-regarded cosmetic doctor, they’d say Botox is top notch at preventing lines from forming and keeping them at bay. The toxin that relaxes the muscle beneath the skin was first used to treat double vision and eye squints when it was found by coincidence to have an effect on minimising crow’s feet. Since then it’s been the go-to injectable for softening frown lines, in particular, and can even help to reduce a gummy smile and help with migraines.
Granted, it’s as much about the person wielding the syringe as it is about the solution itself. A skilled injector knows how the mimetic muscles work in synergy with one another – freeze one muscle here and the corresponding muscle over there may over-express to compensate. It’s a tricky art that takes experience to deliver the most natural-looking results. The theory is, find a good skin doctor and wrinkles won’t stand a chance of overdeveloping.
