Timeless Beauty

image from newfashsite.com

There is so much pressure these days to look youthful. 50 year olds can look 40, 40 year olds can look 30, and celebrities just don’t seem to age at all! In a culture where youth and beauty are valued so highly, the rules of the game are changing: we’re getting wise to father time. We’re choosing to stop the clock in its tracks rather than wait to turn back the years. I sat down with Dr Theron from Clinic 42 to talk about Botox: what is it, is it safe and what’s the most effective way to use it?

What is Botox?

• It’s a simple non-surgical procedure that can dramatically reduce your wrinkles within days.
• It’s is a natural, highly purified protein that is extracted from the bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum (similar to how we get penicillin from mould)
• It’s appropriate for all ages for the long term treatment and prevention of facial wrinkles.
• It is the number one cosmetic procedure in the world today

How does it work?

• Wrinkles occur over time from over used or repeated facial expressions (e.g. frowning)
• Botox relaxes specific muscles so that you can’t make that expression so deeply (or at all depending on your preference)
• Lines are smoothed out and new lines are stopped in their tracks
• Particularly effective when used as a preventative, as the lines will never form in the first place

image from hudabeauty.com

Have you seen an increase in younger generations using Botox?

Younger people are definitely getting wise to the benefit of preventing the signs of aging vs reversing them. It’s simply becoming a part of our zeitgeist, like smart phones or getting your hair coloured. More and more people are jumping on the bandwagon and very soon the ones who have neglected their skin will be the ones who stand out. When you prevent lines from forming early on, you need less product less often and the results are more effective. However, in saying that, Botox is a very effective treatment for people of all ages.

How long does it last?

After the treatment it takes a few days to start observing the results, after which the effects will last between four and six months. Treatment takes about 10-20 minutes and there is no down time after the treatment, you just need to be careful not to massage the skin for a few days after. To maintain results, about 2-3 visits per year is recommended.

Is it safe?

There have been no permanent side effects reported – any undesirable results are temporary and can usually be reversed. To be safe you want to make sure you visit a qualified practioner. At Clinic 42 we are all registered doctors who are fully trained in Botox and other appearance medicines, so we can suggest the best method of treatment for you, which may or may not include Botox.

For more information visit www.clinic42.co.nz