One of the most common uses of Botox is to reduce the appearance of wrinkles of both the face and neck area.
Wrinkles are an inevitable part of getting older but they can also affect people much younger than you might expect. The most common reason for developing wrinkles at a younger age is simply down to our genetics but other factors such as sun damage and poor diet can accelerate the process.
Botox injections work by relaxing certain muscles within the face which when contracted cause wrinkles to appear. Botox however is not actually treating these wrinkles; rather it is temporarily reducing the appearance of them. The effects of Botox typically last for around 4 months after which time the wrinkles will return to exactly as they were previously. If you continue to have the Botox procedure repeated, the effects will sometimes last a little longer as the actual muscles become weaker. The maximum time you can expect the effects of Botox to last for is about 6 months.
To find out more on the factors that affect how long Botox lasts you can read this useful article. As to whether Botox prevents future wrinkles, unfortunately the answer is no! Botox does not prevent the natural ageing process and once you stop your Botox treatment the wrinkles will return to exactly as they were previously.
This is not to say that Botox is not an impressive treatment as most people are extremely happy with the results. Botox can significantly improve the appearance of wrinkles and make you look a lot younger than you did prior to the treatment. Providing you understand that it will not prevent future wrinkles from developing and are happy for a temporary solution, then Botox is a great option. It is safe and relatively cheap (compared with surgery) and there are very few Botox side effects. It is a much cheaper option than surgery but you need to take into account that repeat procedures are necessary to maintain the same results. For this reason the price of Botox cannot be easily calculated.