When patients come to DermEffects for BOTOX in London, Ontario, they often ask about “alternatives.” Many products on the market today claim to provide the same results as BOTOX COSMETIC for half the cost. Alternatives like acupuncture, chemical peels, facial creams, and other injectables promise to work just as well in bringing back your skin’s youthful appearance—but that’s not always the case. They may treat some wrinkles and other signs of aging, but none of them offer the kinds of results that BOTOX delivers for softening dynamic wrinkles like frown lines and crow’s feet. Here’s why these other products aren’t considered viable alternatives to BOTOX.
How BOTOX Works
Botulinum toxin type A (BOTOX) is a prescription medication that is injected into tiny muscles of the face, temporarily relaxing them. Once the muscle tension releases, the skin appears smoother and fine lines and wrinkles disappear. New wrinkles are also prevented from forming as the wrinkle-causing muscles stay relaxed. The most common wrinkles treated with BOTOX include crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead furrows. Because these wrinkles are caused by repeated facial expressions, they are called dynamic wrinkles.
Why Other Options Can’t Compete
When you’re looking to reverse signs of aging in the upper face, very few nonsurgical options can compete with BOTOX. These alternatives will likely give you some results, but they certainly won’t eliminate dynamic wrinkles as quickly or as successfully.
Creams and Serums
Many over-the-counter creams and serums advertise themselves as “BOTOX in a bottle.” Unfortunately, there are so many of these products are on the market, it’s difficult to know which—if any—are effective. A big downside of these creams and serums: The effects are very superficial and temporary. They work to add moisture to the outermost layers of your skin, which does impart a slightly more youthful look. They do not, however, penetrate deeply or affect the underlying cause of wrinkles like BOTOX does.
Fillers
Fillers are also injected, but they eliminate the appearance of lines and folds by plumping up the skin. They work very well on creases such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines on the lower face. They are also excellent for restoring youthful contours to the cheeks, lips, and under-eye areas. While fillers are great for these concerns, they can’t compare to BOTOX for treating dynamic wrinkles—those caused by repeated muscle movements.
Acupuncture
Since acupuncture is not typically used to eliminate signs of aging, it’s difficult to find a trained professional who can perform acupuncture facial treatments. And while it might seem like the perfect natural alternative to BOTOX, there’s no evidence that the wrinkle-smoothing results can be replicated.
Chemical Peels
As the name implies, chemical peels remove the outer layers of the skin in order to eliminate wrinkles, discoloration, acne scars, and other signs of aging. Recovery can take days or weeks, depending on the strength and depth of the peel. While peels are an excellent option for improving your overall skin texture and appearance, they do little to soften the frown lines and crow’s feet that BOTOX targets.
The bottom line: Only BOTOX softens dynamic wrinkles such as crow’s feet, forehead furrows, and the vertical glabellar lines between the brows. The injections not only improve your appearance for 3 months or more, but they can also help prevent new lines from becoming etched in your skin. To learn more about BOTOX, contact us at our London, Ontario, clinic using the online form or call us at (519) 472-8686 to schedule an appointment.
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