Examining the Complex Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Other Infectious Diseases in Children

Botox Complications Are Rare. But What Happens When An Injection Goes Awry?

Your browser is not supportedusatoday.Com

usatoday.Com wants to ensure the best experience for all of our readers, so we built our site to take advantage of the latest technology, making it faster and easier to use.

Unfortunately, your browser is not supported. Please download one of these browsers for the best experience on usatoday.Com

Experts Share Long-term Impacts After One Identical Twin Used Botox And One Didn't In 20 Year Experiment

An expert has explained the effects of botox in the long-term, after results of a study focusing on the effects of the procedure on twins resurfaced.

The study was originally published in 2006 and followed a set of twins, with one of them being administered with injections in the forehead and between the eyebrows two to three times a year, while only having injections in the 'crow's feet' twice in the two years preceding the photos.

Her sister would then only had a couple of injections in her forehead and glabellar region in 1999 and 2003, and cut it out thereafter.

The twin on the right took regular injections of Botox (American Medical Association)

The scientific study concluded: "Long-term treatment with botox can prevent the development of imprinted facial lines that are visible at rest. Botox treatment can also reduce crow's feet.

"Treatment is well tolerated, with no adverse events reported during 13 years of regular treatment in this study."

The twin that didn't go through Botox was also found to have a puffier visage and a wider jaw, though it was unclear if this was due to the prescription drug.

Now, an expert has weighed in with what the long-term effects of botox, short for botulinum toxin, can have on your skin.

What is botox?

Botulinum toxin is a prescription drug that can be used to treat health conditions or to alter appearance for cosmetic reasons.

It is also the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the USA according to a 2014 study, despite the fact that the injections are temporary, as they only last for months at a time.

Cosmetic surgeon James Zins, MD, explained to Cleveland Clinic that you can't 'turn it on and off', as it's a 'gradual' process.

The wrinkle-free look takes work, with appointments needed every few months.

"Botox is temporary, so if there's any adverse effect, that's temporary as well," the doctor said.

So, what are its main long-term causes?

You'll be frowning less if you have botox (Getty Stock Photo) Your muscles can weaken

It's almost like breaking your exercise routine for a few weeks - when you start up again, it can feel like hell.

Well, botox involves muscles too, and they start to weaken if they aren't used often.

Dr. Zins says that it can block neuro-communication between the nerve and muscle, 'causing weakening or paralysis of that muscle'.

So the longer you have botox in, the weaker your muscles could become - but if you were to stop using the injections, they would regain strength.

Less frowning

The medical expert explained: "With chronic use, sometimes, we can modify this behavior.

"We find that with repeated injections, people don't frown as much, like if we inject the elevens - those vertical lines that appear between the eyebrows."

Essentially, your muscles may 'forget' to frown over time, though scientists remain uncertain over the main cause of this.

Longer-lasting injections

Your first injections might only last three to four months on average, says Dr.Zins, as they gradually lose effect, but larger doses tend to last longer.

But the surgeon pointed out: "It seems like they may last longer with chronic use, though there's not strong data to support it."

This means that you could save a trip to the clinic, and spread them further apart.

The twin on the right had regular botox injections (American Medical Association) They could stop future wrinkles from forming

It's a headline, admittedly, and it's why some younger people take mini doses of botox.

Wrinkles are a lot of people's worst nightmares, but Dr. Zins highlighted: "We don't have hard data to support that theory, but it's a reasonable assumption.

"Again, the concept there is that getting botox injections breaks the habit of frowning and either trains the muscles or causes them to weaken so they're not as active."

However, there isn't enough data to form a definitive answer - yet.

Botox loses effect with age

One effect that is a fact though, is that the older you are, and the more your wrinkles settle, the less of an effect botox can have.

It's a given, really, but Dr. Zins added: "When frown lines are present at rest, usually around age 60 or so, then botox is not going to be as effective as it is when you're younger and your frown lines are present only with motion."

Some people may opt to use dermal fillers in this situation, a gel-like substance injected into your skin to help reduce wrinkles and fill out skin more.

Identical Twins Shared Major Difference After One Used Botox For 20 Years And The Other Didn't

A set of twins have compared their appearances after one underwent a series of Botox injections in a study spanning two decades.

Botox, short for botulinum toxin, is a prescription drug that can be used to treat health conditions or to alter appearance for cosmetic reasons.

You may associate the procedure with celebrities who want to maintain their youthful look as they begin to age, but it is becoming increasingly common for ordinary folk to get Botox injections to avoid things like wrinkles.

Keen to get to the bottom of how much difference Botox really makes, a scientific study has been carried out by a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon over how much getting Botox can really affect how you look.

And yielded some very interesting results.

This is what the twins looked like at the start of the study (American Medical Association)

The female twins were followed for nearly two decades, as one received botox injections two to three times a year, while the other stayed completely natural.

Dr William Binder was the surgeon behind it all, as the study revealed that the first resulting photos were taken in 2006 when they were 38.

The Botox twin had undergone injections in the forehead and between the eyebrows two to three times a year since she was 25, while only having injections in the 'crow's feet' twice in the two years preceding the photos.

This was all while her sister only had a couple of injections in her forehead and glabellar region in 1999 and 2003, and cut it out thereafter.

From the photos, you can see that the twin that had regular Botox had smoother skin and less wrinkles, while her sister had forehead lines and more prominent crow's feet when she smiled.

Six years later, they were assessed in a follow-up, where it was noted the twin that didn't undergo Botox had a wider jaw, as well as a puffier visage, though it was unknown if this was related to the prescription drug.

Both twins stated in the 2012 follow-up that they used sunscreen, which eliminates the possibility of wrinkles being caused by exposure to the sun's UV rays over long periods of time.

The twins also didn't use retinol for their wrinkles and had healthy lifestyles.

Images A and B show the results of the non-botox twin, while Images C and D reveal the differences with the Botox twin (American Medical Association)

However, the twins lived in different countries, as the twin that didn't have regular Botox lived in Munich, which has a lower UV index to Los Angeles, where the Botox twin lived.

Dr Binder wrote in the study that long-term Botox treatment can help to prevent the development of wrinkles, 'not only by inhibiting the patient's ability to contract the target muscle but also perhaps through behavioural modification'.

He added: "With long-term treatment, the patient may become used to having little, if any, need or ability to contract the target muscle and may eventually 'learn' to avoid even trying to contract it."

The medical professional noted that 'dermal remodelling may be facilitated' by relieving the pressures caused by 'chronic muscle contraction'.

Wrinkles are known to form when facial muscles contract, and as you age, the production of proteins such as collagen and elastin, which give your skin structure and elasticity, decreases.

---