Fighting Wrinkles with Botox and Other Muscle Relaxants

In the quest for the elusive “Fountain of Youth,” many people are willing to spend just about anything they can afford to fight signs of aging, such as wrinkles. Manufacturers have not missed on this reality as they continually roll out diverse products which are supposedly expected to help in one way or the other. Botox is one of such products that have become so popular among those looking to fight wrinkles. But how effective is this neuromodulator and similar ones, such as Dysport? And how reliable and safe are these remedies?

Neuromodulators for Wrinkles

Botox is a purified form of Botulinum toxin A. This toxin is produced from the same bacteria responsible for botulism. Although it is a toxin, it has been made to be very safe to use and free of side effects so long it is used according to the instructions of an expert. It is described as a neuromodulator due to the effect it produces on the nerve impulses of the muscles that cause wrinkles to form. Botox relaxes muscles and inhibits potentially wrinkle-forming muscle movements. This way it helps to deal with crow’s feet, furrows on the forehead, frown lines, eyebrow lifting, and nasal squint lines. Botox is considered most efficacious in getting rid of wrinkles that have yet to set completely.

The use of a purified toxin for neuromodulators distinguishes them from derma fillers, which are made of substances injected to fill or restore the plumpness of the skin. Among neuromodulators Botox is the most popular. Its popularity is such that it has become a very popular word among those who place high importance on their looks. Millions of procedures involving the use of this toxin are performed in the United States every year. However, the popularity of alternatives such as Dysport and Xeomin is also on the rise.

Botox, Dysport and Xeomin are practically the same in terms of how they work. They only have slightly different formulation of Botulinum toxin A or Clostridium botulinum. Each is unique in one way or the other. For example, Dysport has lower protein load, compared to Botox, and this is believed to cause formation of lesser antibodies. It offers slightly better distribution reducing the number of injections required to deal with certain types of wrinkles.

Treatment and Results

The process of receiving neuromodulator treatment for wrinkles is quite simple. The toxins are injected into specific muscles using a fine needle. This is appropriately handled by a doctor, a nurse, or other healthcare professionals. It only takes few minutes for the process to be completed. There is no significant discomfort from the injection, but ice or a topical aesthetic cream may be used for those who are very sensitive to pain. You can go about your regular schedule immediately after the treatment, although swelling, slight redness and/or bruising may be observed at the site of injection.

It is estimated that you should start seeing resulting within two or three days of being treated with Botox or the other neuromodulators. However, significant effect may not be seen until two weeks to a month after treatment. It should be noted that results are temporary, though. Results may hold for four to six months after which wrinkles start to reappear as muscle movement resumes. It is thought that Dysport produces longer-lasting results than Botox, although it is less expensive. However, it has been observed in some clinical studies that longer-lasting results are provided by Botox. Neuromodulators are considered safe for people of all skin types and colors.

Botox Side Effects

Although considered mostly safe, treatment with Botox, Dysport and Xeomin may come with several side effects. Among these is brow or eyelid ptosis. This is a phenomenon whereby a high amount of the product flows up or down the eye area. This causes your eyelid or brow to droop. The occurrence of this depends greatly on the level of expertise of the medical professional in charge of the treatment.

The ability of Dysport to spread to wider areas – while it reduces the number of injections required – raises the risk of side effects. It could spread into unwanted areas, such as the eyes. This can give rise to blurry vision. Dysport has the potential to cause serious life-threatening adverse reactions. These include breathing difficulty, loss of bladder control, and severe muscle weakness. You may also feel like you are about to pass out.

Some of the other side effects you may experience from treatment with neuromodulators include:

Headache
Speech difficult
Swallowing difficulty
Itching or skin rash
Chest pain
Irregular heartbeats
Muscle pain
Fatigue

You should note that the list of side effects provided here is not exhaustive. These injections are not considered safe for pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding. It is advised you first discuss benefits and risks of neuromodulators with your doctor before proceeding with treatment.

More Effective Ways of Fighting Wrinkles

As helpful as Botox and creams might be, they do not offer comprehensive and long-lasting remedies to wrinkles. These treatments are not thorough enough because they are just like fighting a problem on the surface while the problematic roots are still in place. This explains why benefits derived from them are temporary. For you to achieve more convincing and longer-lasting results, the following are very worthy of consideration.

Diet And Wrinkles

Just as a good diet can help to promote overall health and wellbeing, it can also be useful in dealing with wrinkles. The idea here is that what you see on the outside is a reflection of what is going on on the inside. A good number of the foods that many have come to accept as their favorites are unhealthy. These contain unhealthy fats and processed sugars that could complicate the problem of free radicals that could cause aging signs such as wrinkles to appear.

Foods rich in antioxidants play very important role in arresting the effect of free radicals on the skin. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are capable of causing damage to the skin. Vitamins A and C are good antioxidants for combating these problematic molecules. You can build up the level of antioxidants in your body by eating more green vegetables and colorful fruits. Rich sources of antioxidants include spinach, blueberries, cranberries and kale. Antioxidants make you look younger and get your skin glowing.

You should make effort to get more healthy fats in your diet. Fat is a very vital component of the skin. Essential omega-3 fatty acids are quite good for dealing with wrinkles. Fish, especially salmon, are great sources of this type of fat which helps to keep your skin plump eliminating or reducing appearance of wrinkles.

Exercise To Remove Wrinkles

Another remedy for wrinkles is exercise. It typically goes hand-in-hand with diet whenever there is a discussion on ways to improve health and overall wellbeing. Aerobic exercise can help fight signs of aging on the skin by enhancing blood flow. This is believed to increase the rate at which new cells grow while also helping to boost the production of natural oils in the skin. Exercise makes the skin look supple and elastic.

Certain special exercises are targeted at dealing with facial wrinkles. However, some experts say that repetitive facial exercises may worsen the problem. They could in fact cause fine lines and wrinkles to develop on the skin.

Sleep And Wrinkles

Many people these days live a very active life which may cause them to skimp on a good nightly sleep. A lot of wonderful things happen while sleep and not everybody pays close attention to this. Our body, with all its cells, organs and systems, is refreshed when we sleep to enable them function better. Problems arise when we starve ourselves of sleep. The body produces high amount of cortisol when we do not get enough rest. This steroid hormone breaks down cells in the skin. Based on this, it is very obvious why you need to get plenty of sleep every night.

Lifestyle changes

Few changes here and there in how you do things can also go a long way in helping you control wrinkles. You should endeavor to reduce your exposure to the sun, pollutants, and smoke. These have been known to bring about the loss of collagen and elastin which help to keep your skin smooth and elastic. If you smoke, you should work to put a stop to the habit as the creases formed in the mouth area could become permanent wrinkles. You can protect yourself against damage by the sun by using sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) for Wrinkles

A major reason why we develop wrinkles as we get older has to do with human growth hormone production. This substance, which is very vital for growth and development in humans, is usually at its highest during childhood and adolescence. The amount in the body drops as we grow older and this results in our skin becoming thinner, creating room for appearance of wrinkles. It is therefore believed that finding a way to boost growth hormone production can help to arrest wrinkles and promote younger-looking, more radiant skin. This benefit has been observed in a number of studies on HGH therapy, including that by Dr. Daniel Rudman which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1990.

However, boosting levels with synthetic HGH (somatropin) injections is not cheap. This will set you back by several hundreds or thousands of dollars. Besides, these injections are not meant for everybody; they specially intended for those suffering from serious growth hormone deficiency issues. In the United States, somatropin has to be prescribed by a doctor for specific purposes approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), of which wrinkle treatment is not one.

HGH supplements are the best, cheapest and easiest way by which you can raise the level of growth hormone in your body. These are not real hormone like somatropin. They only stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone and, as such, are safer than HGH injections. Some of these products, particularly GenF20 Plus, are made with ingredients that have been scientifically shown to boost HGH production and reduce wrinkles. If you are working on a budget and interested in fighting wrinkles with growth hormone, GenF20 Plus or some other potent HGH supplement is arguably the best option available to you.

There is really nothing unusual about wrinkles; it’s all part of the natural aging process. But certain factors could cause them to appear faster in some people than others. Botox and Dysport are just two of the many means that have been devised for fighting this aesthetic problem. But these only offer temporary solutions as they target just the surface.

Healthy diet, regular exercise, and restful sleep are some of the ways by which you can achieve longer-lasting results. You will also benefit from boosting your HGH levels using secretagogues, such as GenF20 Plus. Quality sleep offers another potent way by which growth hormone amount in the body can be increased. You should strive to increase your liquid intake as well as this helps to moisturize the skin and flush out toxins. Water is good, but it gets even better when you make the liquid green tea or coconut water.