Are There Age Limitations For Botox?

Botox is an injectable cosmetic procedure that is used to treat wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing the muscles. When our muscles are numbed, nerve impulses are blocked. In order to wrinkle, our skin needs the underlying muscles to contract. When our muscles can’t contract, we are left with wrinkle-free skin. The effects of Botox can last anywhere from three to six months, making it an ideal procedure to combat the signs of aging. Most cosmetic surgeons will not treat anyone who is younger than 18 but, in terms of age limitations, if you are in good health, you can undergo Botox injections well into your 80s.

Botox for preventative purposes

When Botox first became available for cosmetic purposes, it was generally reserved for older people. Nowadays, many people in their 20s are using Botox as a preventative measure to stop (or at least marginally disrupt) the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Many young people are looking to Botox as a way to combat the signs of aging before they start, such as the Glabellar lines, which are the ones that form between our eyebrows.

Botox in your 20s vs. in your later years

Botox has a more visible effect on people in their 40s and 50s because at that age our neural junctions have not weakened. A neural junction is the chemical synapse that is formed when our muscle fibre comes in contact with a motor neuron and causes a muscle contraction. When our muscles contract, wrinkles are formed; and with weakened neural junctions, fine lines are able to appear more easily. When you’re in your 20s and 30s, Botox is used as a more preventative feature, whereas in your 40s and 50s it is used to actually treat any lines that have formed. When you’re in your 60s and 70s and your neural junctions have depleted you will still see wrinkle correction from Botox but it may not last as long.

Botox to treat a specific medical condition

Many people use Botox to treat certain medical conditions like severe neck, shoulder and eyelid spasms; chronic migraines; excessive sweating; overactive bladder or urinary incontinence; upper limb spasticity caused by stroke; and crossed eyes. If you are undergoing Botox injections to deal with a specific medical condition then there is no age limit.

Botox is completely safe and has no side effects other than slight bruising around the injection site. If you are looking to have this procedure done, please do not hesitate to contact us.