Botox And Stepford Wives: What Does One Have To Do With The Other?

There was a time in the not too distant past when celebrities flocked to their plastic surgeons for Botox treatments. These injections were touted as miraculous for dealing with age lines, frown lines or any other indication of human emotion and/or experience.

Why was this bizarre treatment so popular with celebrities? Being a celebrity is an occupation that relies a great deal on keeping up appearances. The last thing they want is to look old, tired and saggy. At first, it was mostly women who went in for Botox treatments, but as time passed many men became intrigued by the promise of youthful good looks. In today's superficial world, it's a sad truth that people of both sexes must often keep  up appearances in order to stay employed.

Although many people believe that Botox is a miracle worker when it comes to smoothing out age lines and wrinkles, there are quite a few reasons to be concerned about this trend. The Independent is a popular newspaper in London. A recent article highlights some of the concerns of people who have had Botox treatments or are considering it. Among these are the odd side effects such as developing a new set of wrinkles surrounding the paralyzed areas of the face.

The idea of developing fresh wrinkles may seem quite strange, but according to Dr. David Becker, who is a professor of dermatology at Cornell Medical College, this is entirely possible. In fact, he has issued a caution that links the injection of Botox to the development of a new set of wrinkles as facial expressions are recreated. Because the muscles usually used can no longer respond due to paralysis, different muscles respond. This results in new and different wrinkles.

Botox does have a rather lengthy history. In fact, it has been in use since early in the 1990s for the treatment of wrinkles and lines that form when facial muscles are used to create expression. When we raise our eyebrows, squint our eyes and so on wrinkles, crow's feet and other sags, creases and signs of age result.

Dr. Michelle Copeland, who is a plastic surgeon in New York, says that Botox will not put a halt to this process. In fact, she says that as the Botox wears off, injections will be needed with increasing frequency to counter the growing wrinkles.

Botox treatments can leave you with rather a flat affect. This can be especially true if you tended to exhibit dramatic expressions before treatment. Some patients say that this is a good thing in that it gives them a "poker face" that makes it difficult to read their emotions. This can be a plus for people engaged in competitive bargaining and negotiation; however, it can have the downside of making the Botox recipient look like a Stepford wife.

Keep These Things In Mind

I: Use of Botox can cause different wrinkles to develop in a different area of your face.

II: Botox treatment is not a one-off. It takes repeated injections to maintain the results, and these injections hurt.

III: Botox treatments cost a pretty penny (between $200 and $600 each).

IV: There are a number of negative side effects associated with Botox treatment. Among them are:

* Allergic reactions

* Breathing difficulties

* Muscle weakness

* Chest pain

* Headaches

* Dizziness

Wouldn't it be better to look younger without invasive treatments such as Botox? Wouldn't it be wiser to take control of your aging process and cultivate an overall healthier appearance? Did you know that it's possible to retrain, exercise and manipulate your facial muscles so that they will respond and look younger? It's true! You don't have to submit to dangerous, risky cosmetic surgery and other procedures to look and feel your very best.

You can retrain the muscles in your face with exercise. You can tighten the muscles in your forehead and smooth your crow's feet. You can have a younger, healthier looking face without expensive fillers and/or injections. If you consider it properly, you are sure to see that the concept of facial exercise is medically sound. Exercising your face is no different than exercising your body and when you exercise, you firm up! There is no reason why this principle cannot apply to your facial muscles. When you learn effective facial exercises and practice them regularly, you can maintain your healthy good looks for as long as you like.