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When someone says they “get Botox,” it may not exactly mean what you think. Indeed, there are four such injectables on the market: Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and now Jeuveau, and all of these use botulinum toxin to smooth out wrinkles and lessen the signs of aging in the same way, though there are many misnomers about how that happens.
“Many people think that they’re fillers, but they’re paralyzing agents. These injectables stop the transmission of the electrical impulses from the nerve endings to the muscles, meaning the muscles cannot contract normally,” says Phillip R. Langsdon, MD, facial plastic surgeon in Germantown, Tennessee, and president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). When you can’t move the muscle, the expressions you make with your face can’t create the fine lines and wrinkles that etch in over time to take up permanent residence on your face. (Though when done right by a trained professional, you won’t look “frozen” or expressionless.)
Within the “Botox” umbrella, there’s been a growing interest in specific types of treatments using these injectables, including “Baby Botox,” “BlowTox,” “BroTox,” “NewTox,” and “Budget Botox.”
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Here’s what they all mean, how to choose the right treatment for you, and must-know warnings before you go:
Baby Botox: Best for People Looking to Prevent Signs of Aging
Depending on who you ask, you’ll get differing opinions on exactly when someone would benefit from starting Botox.
“For younger patients, Botox my help prevent or slow down the progression of lines, particularly around the eyes, eyebrows, and forehead,” says Patrick J. Byrne, MD, professor and director in the division of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Lutherville, Maryland. (“Younger” is subjective, but Dr. Byrne says that they see some patients in their late twenties.)
“’Baby Botox,’ is a term that often refers to the desire for subtle, rather than more dramatic changes,” says Byrne. In this event, the doctor would inject smaller amounts of Botox. “Baby Botox is really a reflection of an ongoing trend towards broadening the market to offer smaller, more subtle changes to a larger pool of interested patients,” he says. One place this can be done well is when used to lift the brows. “In younger patients, Botox can be utilized to affect the balance of muscles. We can lift the brows, shape, and give them contour,” says Byrne.
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BlowTox: Best for People Looking to Stop Scalp Sweating
Dealing with an overly sweaty scalp? Botox may be able to help. Dubbed “BlowTox,” this is the nickname for Botox injected into the scalp to prevent perspiration.
For some people, this excessive sweating is a medical condition, called hyperhidrosis, points out the International Hyperhidrosis Society. For others, it’s a matter of keeping a sweaty scalp at bay to preserve a hairstyle.
When your scalp sweats — such as in the summer heat or after a hard workout — hair can fall limp and lifeless. For women who get routine blowouts (a salon treatment where the hair is professionally blow-dried), “BloxTox” is attractive. “There’s been a growing trend to superficially inject Botox into the scalp to help your blowout last longer,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
It makes some sense: “Botox has been reported to reduce both sweating and oil production. In fact, it’s FDA-approved for the treatment of excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis),” says Dr. Zeichner. Injections block the chemical messenger that triggers sweat glands, the International Hyperhidrosis Society explains. When you reduce oil and sweat in the scalp, your hair won’t be bogged down with grease and wetness, he says.
The downside? Treatments are expensive — upwards of $1,000, says Zeichner — because a lot of Botox is needed to cover such a large area. Results last three to five months, so you’ll need two to four treatments per year.
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BroTox: Best for Guys Who Want to Get in on the Anti-Wrinkle Treatment
Don’t think that botulinum toxin therapy is just for women. In fact, the most common nonsurgical procedure for men is Botox and fillers, according to a 2018 AAFPRS report. Of the plastic surgeons surveyed, they said that their male patients used rejuvenating treatments with the goal of staying “relevant and competitive at work.”
One of the most popular areas to target? The “11s.” “Many men have deep frown lines between the brows. When those lines are deep, it makes a person look older or even angry,” says Dr. Langsdon. He also says that many men may also get Botox in both the crow’s feet and frown line areas, which may have the result of lifting droopy brows — and making someone appear more awake or less serious.
NewTox (Jeuveau): Best for Ex-Botox Users
The latest buzzword refers to the newest neurotoxin injectable on the market: Jeuveau. A press release from February 1, 2019, announced that maker Evolus secured approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe glabellar lines, which are the lines between the brows.
Jeuveau is still new, but experts are cautiously optimistic. “Although Jeuveau is almost identical to Botox, it seems to work better for most people,” says Ben Talei, MD, owner of the Beverly Hills Center for Plastic and Laser Surgery in California. One reason: Long-time users of Botox may find that they become resistant to it over time. “We hear patients tell us all the time that Botox used to work better for them years ago, despite the fact that we’ve been weakening the muscles over time with the injections,” he says. In this case, you may want to ask your doctor if making the switch is right for you.
Another potential perk: Jeuveau is thought to work quickly, says Dr. Talei. In one study published in March 2019 in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, the researchers reported that people using Jeuveau saw a “marked difference” in aesthetic improvements during the first post-treatment visit on day two, compared with the placebo group.
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Budget Botox: A Dangerous Cosmetic Trend to Avoid
In a disturbing trend, people may turn to DIY Botox, learning how to inject the toxin into their face via online videos. A study published in August 2018 in the journal Plastic Surgery outlined the problem. Researchers looked at four online discussion forums on the topic and noted that prospective patients were buying unregulated Botox kits online, watching YouTube tutorials, and downloading “Botox injection maps” from the internet. More worrisome, the authors pointed out that people knew that doing so wasn’t safe, but justified that risk with an explanation that they have agency over their own bodies and decisions.
It goes without saying that this isn’t safe; Botox requires a properly trained doctor. There’s also the concern that formulations purchased online are counterfeit. “Injecting may look easy, but to inject it safely requires in-depth medical knowledge of how the body works,” notes the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). For your health and safety — and best outcome — seek out an appropriately trained and licensed physician, says Byrne. To find out if the healthcare professional administering your Botox is legit, take advantage of the free “Is My Doctor Board Certified?” search tool offered on CertificationMatters.org.
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