What Is the Right Age to Start Botox®?

Botox® and other cosmetic injectables used to be primarily applied for older adults as a way to address deeper wrinkles. Now, things have changed. Some people choose this treatment well before a wrinkle ever starts to form, calling it preventive Botox. It’s not uncommon for people in their 20s to be pursuing this kind of age-defying care. 

That doesn’t mean, however, that you need to follow suit. There’s no set age at which experts recommend people start Botox injections for optimal results. 

Here at our offices on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York City and in Madison, Connecticut, Norman J. Pastorek, MD, PC, FACS, and our team can help you pinpoint the right timing for your specific skin and your personal cosmetic goals. Because Dr. Norman J. Pastorek and Janice Pastorek, BSN, RN, have extensive experience helping people defy aging, we can offer guidance tailored to you.

When to start Botox

Botox is certainly one of those categories in which you can have too much of a good thing. Starting too young can have unintended consequences on your face. Botox works by temporarily freezing the injected muscle, allowing the skin above it to relax. 

If you keep getting injections in the same muscle through the decades, though, it weakens that muscle and can put added strain on other facial muscles. That can cause wrinkles to form in other places.

In short, you want to be strategic about when you start getting Botox and how much you apply. Dr. Pastorek and our team can help you make informed decisions here.

We don’t recommend starting Botox until you have visible wrinkles. If you’re bothered by noticeable creases on your forehead, between your eyebrows, or at the corners of your eyes, it might be time to get started.

What to expect when you do start Botox

Once you decide you’re ready to start getting Botox, we personalize treatment to you and your cosmetic goals. In fact, we might not recommend Botox at all. We offer other options that use the same active ingredient. A neuromodulator like Dysport® or Xeomin® might be better suited to your skin and your desired outcome.

With your treatment plan in place, we apply the injections. This process takes no more than a few minutes and you shouldn't feel anything more than a quick pinch. 

The results from neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin usually last a few months. As the injectable fades, you’ll notice your wrinkle start to reappear. You can visit our team for a quick touch-up treatment whenever you’re ready.

That means that once you get started with a treatment like Botox, you’ll probably want to keep getting it to maintain your results. That makes it even more important to wait to start until you’re truly ready.

For help deciding when’s right for you, schedule some time with our team. Call either of our offices or book your appointment online today.