In 2020 people in the United States spent over $44 million on anti-aging treatments. Many of these treatments are designed to help improve the appearance of wrinkles after they are already present. But what if there was a treatment that could stop wrinkles before they even start?

There is, and it’s called Preventative Botox. While Preventative Botox is administered in the same way as standard Botox, the average preventative Botox patient starts treatments around age 30 versus around 40 for standard Botox patients.

So how does it work? It’s pretty straightforward. First, your clinician will assess your facial lines and determine where you would benefit most from the preventative injections. Popular spots are between the eyebrows, around the eyes, and on the forehead. Once your problem areas are identified, the clinician will inject the Botox toxin into very specific areas to retrain your facial muscles not to pull and crease your facial skin as much. Since facial skin loses elasticity over time, it is less able to bounce back from the constant folding and creasing caused by normal, everyday facial expressions. Preventative Botox stops the folding and creasing from happening and thus stops the wrinkle from forming before it starts.

As nice as killing wrinkles before they start sounds, there are some other things to consider before having Preventative Botox. You should not take Botox injections if you have:

• keloid scarring;
• neuromuscular disorders;
• allergies to any of Botox’s ingredients, or;
• body dysmorphic disorder.

If you do have any of these conditions, do not start Botox injections without discussing it with a physician first. They will likely offer alternatives as Botox is contraindicated for these patients.

You should also consider side effects when starting a Preventative Botox treatment plan. Patients typically have no downtime and can go back to work as soon as their appointment is over; however, they should stay upright for at least four hours to allow the injections to “set in.” Not everyone will feel up to going back to work right after, though, as some people may experience:

• headache
• flu-like symptoms
• dry eyes
• swelling or bruising at the injection site

These side effects are usually minor and go away on their own after a short while. Very rarely, patients may experience more severe side effects such as:

• difficulty breathing
• double vision
• blurred vision
• loss of bladder control
• rash or hives at the injection site

If you experience any of these more severe side effects, or if you have a more common side effect that won’t go away, contact your doctor immediately.

One last, but important, risk to consider with Preventative Botox is facial freezing, or facial muscles locking into place as a result of the Botox injections. For people without hard wrinkles in the first place, the possibility of facial freezing might be too much risk to take.

Just like with any medical procedure, you’ll want to make sure a trained professional is administering these injections. This is theyour face we’re talking about! So skip the day spas and only go to a clinician with verified training. A great place to find a clinician is Allergan’s lookup tool at www.botoxcosmetic.com/find-a-botox-cosmetic-specialist. Since Allergan is the manufacturer of brand name Botox, they’re experts in the Botox training game. If you have any questions about your specific medical situation and how Botox may positively or adversely affect you, consult your primary care doctor, as they will know your medical history best.