Glabellar lines may be treated with injectable fillers effectively, particularly when the wrinkles are deeper set. Injectables add volume and fill in wrinkles, smoothing out the area to achieve a desirable result. On the other hand, Botox paralyzes the muscles that cause the skin to wrinkle, which then relaxes the skin thereby smoothing it out. This is the key difference between injectable fillers and Botox.

1. No surgery involved, which means you don’t need to take time off of work, lock yourself up inside your home, away from the critical public eye after the procedure, or get some nasty incision and the resulting scar.

2. Targets the actual muscle creating the wrinkle, not just the skin over it. This is considered far more effective than more superficial treatments.

3. You may need to reduce the discomfort of the injection with a topical anesthetic (numbing cream), but you definitely won’t need anything stronger, like general anesthetic or sedation (which are related to a host of negative side effects).

4. Gets rid of wrinkles in a number of areas, like the forehead, between the eyebrows, and more. Just ask your physician for more details.

5. If you don’t like how the results look after treatment, no problem. The results are temporary.

6. Got a stubborn migraine? You can get rid of it with Botox!

You may find physicians offering Reloxin at a lower price due to its larger vials (containing 500 units rather than 100 for Botox). Another difference between the two wrinkle fighters is that the key ingredient is suspended in lactose instead of the sodium chloride used for Botox. However, the same level of care should be taken with Reloxin as you would with Botox because a serious concern with the product is that it can spread faster and farther through the muscles. This may make it more difficult to control the results in areas that require more precision.

The study, conducted by Chicago cosmetic physician Anil Shah, treated 100 patients with Botox.

Botox has been recorded as eliminating acne by performing two functions: inhibiting the production of acetylcholine, a chemical that is believed to stimulate sebum production, then targeting the muscles that are responsible for expanding pores by paralyzing them, thereby limiting the size of the pores. This two step process is what effectively reduces and eliminates the amount of acne affecting a patient. While 17 out of 20 test subjects noted a decrease in pore size as well as sebum production, a larger test group will be required to acquire conclusive results.

Excessive sebum and enlarged pores create a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that causes acne.

Along with wrinkles, spasticity and hyperhidrosis, researchers have found that Botox may now be able to treat depression. How you ask? Studies have shown that by assuming a negative expression, such as a frown, can induce negative feelings in the individual with the expression (the theory is known as facial feedback hypothesis.) Botox would be injected in the facial muscles that are responsible for forming the frown, preventing the patient from frowning. By doing this, an improvement in mood may result. Test subjects suffer from depression unrelated to their facial wrinkles.

Psychiatrist Marc Axel Wollmer is leading the trials, currently being performed at Switzerland’s Basle University, Switzerland, and Germany’s Hanover University.

You may have seen it cheaper at some places, but be careful. Discount Botox may not actually be the same Botox produced by Allergan. In fact, it may be a cheap knockoff that has not been approved for human use, like TRItox. Or, if it is actually Botox, it could have been so watered down that you may just end up paying the same price or more.

If you’re unsure whether the Botox you’re getting is the real thing, one way to find out is by just asking to see the vial prior to your treatment. It should have the name and Allergan written on it.

Applied topically, Argireline is part of some wrinkle-fighting creams and serums at a concentration of generally 3-10% and is believed to basically work like Botox. The ingredient (acetyl hexapeptide 3) penetrates the skin and inhibits the production of an enzyme that is required in the contractions of muscles, thereby keeping the overlying skin smooth.

However, according to reports, Argireline achieves effects that last not for months like Botox, but rather for just a few hours.

From Ipsen, a specialty pharmaceutical group based in France, comes Reloxin. Reloxin uses the same neurotoxin as Botox to fight wrinkles, but it’s believed that it works within about 2 days (as opposed to 3-5 for Botox) and lasts longer. Reloxin has already been available in Europe for quite a while now, being sold under the trade name Dysport. However, it’s still being reviewed by the FDA to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

With Botox being most likely the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in North America, it will definitely take a hit when Reloxin becomes widely available.

If you want something that lasts longer, you may want to explore other options, such as facial implants, some injectable dermal fillers, and fat transfer. Just ask a reputable cosmetic surgeon or physician to learn more!

If you’re in your 30’s, chances are you just have minimal wrinkles such as crowsfeet. Fillers or Botox can easily remedy and smooth out those areas and you’ll be happy as a clam.

In your 40’s, the “laugh lines” start to set in. Also your face starts to deflate just a bit. You might use a combination of fillers to combat these problems, or perhaps a “mid-face” or “short-scar” lift. Nothing too serious. A week off work and you’re ready to go.

By the mid-50s, the skin requires more attention around the neck. Also, the skin around the face sort of repositions itself. At this point you might opt for a more extensive combination of procedures: a facelift, fillers or implants to rejuvenate the face. This may take a little more time for recovery, but in the end the results will be worth it.

Once you’re in your 60s and 70s, you’ll start to battle “hollowness” from losing some facial fat or having a bit of sag. A facelift would probably be the option you’d take at this point in order to replace some of the volume and remove some excess skin to present a smoother, fuller face.

So yes, it’s come to that point, but as you see – there are a multitude of options from which to choose. So jump in with your eyes open. And come out looking great.