Botox Can Do This, Too!

Botox has been so widely used and talked about for the past decade that it’s hard to imagine anyone not knowing what this drug is and what it can do. Even if you haven’t tried it yet, chances are that you know Botox as an injectable wrinkle-reducer. You may even know how it works (by temporarily inhibiting muscle movement, just in case you didn’t know). Botox is revered for its convenience, safety, and customizability. Results from treatment typically last 3 to 6 months and, with repetition, can last even longer. This may be all we really need to know about Botox, but a recent study tells us there’s even more to this wonder-drug than we may have thought.

The Little Extra Magic in Botox

Canadian doctors James Bonaparte and David Ellis recently conducted a small-scale study to observe the effects that Botox may have on the elasticity of the skin. Elasticity is the characteristic of the skin’s stretchiness; how well it can bounce back after stretching. Elasticity is a vital aspect of youthful tissue and, with age, we lose it.

In the study, doctors used a tool called a Cutometer to measure the rate of skin retraction after slight stretching. Measurements were taken on 43 women who had never had Botox treatment before the study. Once initial measurements were obtained, all women received injections of the drug in the area where elasticity was observed. At the final measurement, the researchers found that participants’ elasticity had improved up to 30 percent. Also, this increase lasted up to 4 months.

The full report of the study was published in the JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery. In the report, the investigating physicians suggested that Botox doesn’t just smooth wrinkles by affecting the muscles but that the drug may also work on the cellular level to enhance elasticity.

Why This Matters

As consumers have learned more about Botox, we have seen more people seek treatment in a preventative manner. The research that suggests Botox can boost elasticity is interesting and could be a game-changer because elasticity is a characteristic that we’ve long been told we cannot get back once it has degraded.

Are you ready to see what’s to love about Botox? Schedule a consultation at a Skin Center near you.