Clocks ticking, sand flowing, and bells chiming are all indicators of time passing. As the hands of a clock move, the sun repeatedly rises and sets, flowers grow, and seasons change.
And these changes manifest on your face, too, creating smile lines and thinking wrinkles, each a reminder of expressions over time.
Life moves fast, and although you can’t stop the hands of time, you can at least hit pause and slow their impact on your face.
At Regain Functional Medicine + Aesthetics, we offer injectables, like Daxxify, Dysport, and Botox, in Leawood to wind back the clock—at least on wrinkles.
Curious to learn how these treatments work and if they are right for you? Keep reading this blog where we explain the science, process, and options for relaxing those wrinkles.
What Is Botox?
Botox has become synonymous with anti-aging treatments designed to target and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. However, when you’re asking for Botox, you’re actually asking for a class of medications known as “wrinkle relaxers” or neuromodulators.
Neuromodulators use botulinum toxin, a purified protein found in our environment that temporarily stops nerve signals to the muscles, preventing contractions. Facial expressions cause your muscles to contract, repeatedly folding and creasing your skin. Over time, these movements create lasting fine lines and wrinkles.
Our team strategically injects these neuromodulators into targeted muscles, relaxing them and reducing (but not fully restricting) their movement. This causes your skin to settle into a more even position, softening wrinkles and preventing new ones from forming.
What Do Wrinkle Relaxers Treat?
We use neuromodulators, like Botox, in Leawood and Lawrence for dynamic wrinkles, which appear and go away when expressing. You can see them in the following areas:
- Chin
- Eyebrows (11s)
- Eyes (crow’s feet)
- Forehead
- Neck
- Lips (smoker’s lines)
- Down-turned corners of the mouth
→ We can also contour your jawline with masseter Botox. Read more here!
Wrinkle Relaxers Do Not Treat:
Botox and other wrinkle relaxers cannot treat deep-set wrinkles that remain even when your face is at rest. These are known as static wrinkles. They form over time when you continue making facial expressions, making permanent folds and creases in your skin.
For static wrinkles, we can replenish the lost volume with hyaluronic acid-based injectables called dermal fillers. So not all hope is lost!
Options for Wrinkle Relaxers
We offer Botox, Daxxify, and Dysport to relax wrinkles. Each brand uses botulinum toxin to prevent and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. But they all use different formulas with varied longevity and spread.
Botox
Botox has become a household name because it’s been the go-to for wrinkle reduction for over 20 years. In fact, the name Botox is a shortened version of botulinum toxin, so it’s no wonder why people are often unaware that there are other brands of neuromodulators.
Botox is most effective on smaller areas with wrinkles like frown lines and crow’s feet. However, we can use it for any areas of the face. After 3 to 4 months, you’ll regain muscle movement again—a sign that it’s time to schedule a follow-up visit for Botox in Leawood.
Dysport
Dysport tends to spread more easily than Botox, making it ideal for larger areas like your forehead—which is usually where you first notice signs of aging. Dysport lasts for 2 to 3 months before we recommend coming back to Regain for another treatment.
Daxxify
Daxxify is FDA approved to smooth moderate-to-severe lines between the brows. It’s different from Dysport and Botox which use human or animal byproducts because Daxxify uses peptides. Peptides are natural amino acids that act like magnets to attract the toxins to the nerve cell entrance. This formula lasts longer, potentially 6 months or more.
Although rare, some people develop antibodies that fight off the human- and animal-derived proteins in Botox and Dysport, this is known as Botox immunity. If this happens, we usually rely on Daxxify, because the body will respond to the peptides in this neuromodulator.
Erase Wrinkles, Not Expressions
A common concern we hear regarding Botox in Leawood is that wrinkle relaxers—no matter the formula—can make you look frozen. We’ve all seen this depicted in the media and maybe even interacted with someone who couldn’t move their eyebrows or react to what we were saying. While we want to halt time’s mark on your appearance, we don’t want to halt your expressions!
This all comes down to the injector: experienced vs. inexperienced. An inexperienced injector places Botox in the wrong muscles or uses too many units. An experienced injector uses the right dosage and precisely targets the correct muscles.
Everyone on our team at Regain holds the title of registered nurse, certified injector, or medical aesthetician. This means they have completed the required hours of training to understand how to enhance your natural beauty, not hide it.
We always start conservatively, making sure that you get the most natural results. As you continue treatment, the option is in your hands to either increase the dosage or keep it the same. With our skills and precision, we can reduce muscle movement, but still allow you to express joy when you see the results from your Botox.
How to Pause the Hands of Time: The Process at Regain
We invite all men and women to sit down and talk to our team about how they’ve seen the passage of time revealed on their appearance.
Consultation
To determine which formula is best for you, we first need to get to know you during a free consultation. Discussing neuromodulators, like Botox in Leawood, gives us the opportunity to determine the best treatment plan to help temporarily eliminate your wrinkles.
This is also your opportunity to get to know us. We encourage you to ask questions about our injectors, our practice, and prices. We value transparency and always make sure you understand exactly what to expect for your wrinkle-relaxing treatment.
Next, we assess your areas of concern and decide which neuromodulator works best to smooth away your dynamic wrinkles.
Pre-injection Instructions
Before your injections, we ask that you refrain from drinking alcohol, using tobacco products, or taking blood-thinning medications for at least 48 hours.
Treatment
On the day of your treatment, we review the plan that we discussed during your consultation and give you the opportunity to ask more questions. After our conversation, we can finally get started!
First, we cleanse the treatment area where we plan to place the injections. Next, you sit back in the treatment chair as we precisely administer the neuromodulator of your choice: Dysport, Daxxify, or Botox.
In Leawood, we make sure that your treatment is comfortable and as quick as possible. If you’re worried about pain, please speak with your provider about local anesthetic options for pain reduction. Most people find this well-tolerated and comparable to your standard flu shot.
Post-Care Instructions
For best results, please refrain from touching your face, especially the injection site, for at least 24 hours. You should also stay upright and avoid laying down for at least 4 hours after your appointment. Please continue to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and blood thinners for at least 48 hours to reduce your risk of bruising.
Results
The onset of results varies from person to person depending on the brand, amount of units that we use, and the treatment area. You can expect to see the clock rewind on your appearance and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles in about 1 week.
Preferred Pairings
Botox and other brands of neuromodulator work effectively to prevent and reduce wrinkles, but they aren’t your only options. As time marches on, we may recommend the following treatments to support your results.
These options boost the production of collagen and elastin, two proteins that keep your skin strong, firm, and flexible. As you age, your body’s production of these components declines, which leaves you susceptible to fine lines, wrinkles, and skin sagging, even with Botox in Leawood.
Sculptra
Sculptra is a bio-stimulating injectable that promotes collagen and elastin production over time. While it doesn’t give you instant results, it leads to gradual, natural improvements in your skin’s volume and firmness. These results, though subtle, support your skin’s underlying structures for years.
Vampire Facelift
We don’t vant to suck your blood—we just vant to use it to help you maintain glowing, youthful skin. Vampires are known for eternal youth, they’ve mastered the art of halting the clock on the facial aging process.
A Vampire Facelift uses your own blood to restore lost volume, tighten skin, and fill in wrinkles. This injectable treatment creates a concentrate of your blood, known as platelet-rich plasma, and combines it with dermal fillers. This allows for natural, enhanced results.
RF Microneedling
RF microneedling isn’t an injectable treatment, but it pairs perfectly with just about any wrinkle-reducing treatment. Using a special handheld tool equipped with tiny needles, we create micro-wounds in your skin. This sets off your body’s natural healing abilities, which boosts your collagen production for firmer, smoother skin.
At Regain, we add radiofrequency (RF) energy, which delivers heat deep into your skin’s layers for enhanced results.
Take the Time to Pause Time on Facial Aging at Regain
It doesn’t take long to book a free consultation and learn about your options to relax your wrinkles. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have about Botox in Leawood. You can either try our treatment planning tool, or request a consultation.
