All these factors are beyond our direct control, but there are certainly ways to assist the rejuvenating effects of botox and fillers to continue to look more youthful.
To prolong the effects of botox and fillers, one would essentially need to improve the condition of our skin. It is all about prevention and rejuvenation. The following tips do not directly prolong results of injectables, but it extends the time in between each procedure.
UVA and UVB exposure accelerates aging, as it destroys cells and hinders their ability of regrowth. The usage of sunscreen prevents photo-aging and preserves skin elasticity as it shields you against damaging rays.
We recommend the use of sunscreen even when staying home, as UVA/B rays still penetrate through windows and reflect. Blue light emitted from digital devices can also cause photoaging. While at home though, just applying once a day is enough. For further protection, one can consider taking Heliocare oral pills to reduce overall inflammation and pigmentation production.
Regular and ample hydration keeps your skin supple, moisturized and plumps up the skin. Products containing moisturizing ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid would help reduce fine lines due to dry skin by keeping your skin supple and plump! Again, regular moisturising would not directly prolong botox or filler results, but it can reduce the frequency of such injectables.
SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier, which amplifies the skin’s own hyaluronic acid is a popular product of choice. The SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid is a great humectant and occlusive, which locks in hydrating skincare, maintains your skin barrier and prevents your skin from losing moisture.
Including acids and peels such as retinol peels into your skincare routine can help renew skin by peel off the old outer layer. The key to great skin is a good skin cell turnover rate and ample hydration.
The faster your skin cells reproduce healthy, newer skin cells, the more collagen it will produce. A retinol peel stimulates the removal of older superficial skin cells and promotes a new layer of skin to the surface. It also increases collagen production, extends the time between botox or filler injections. SkinBetter Science’s Alpharet Overnight Cream is a good addition to start with, especially for those with sensitive skin.
Skinboosters or Profhilo, when planned properly with a doctor can boost the moisture retaining effects of a filler or hydrating skincare routine. Hyaluronic acid attracts moisture, and this can plump up your skin significantly, which means one might need lesser fillers and can extend the waiting period in-between injectable treatments!
Heat-based treatments like BTL Exilis, when done regularly, helps stimulate collagen growth and tightens the skin. This slows down aging and keeps you looking perky!
There are no topical products available that can 100% replace botox or fillers. You may have seen videos online on products that claim to give you the botox or filler effects within an hour. These are however temporary, and often at a higher cost. They contain high amounts of peptides, which temporarily smoothes out the skin and wrinkles, but does not work like botox does, which is directly at the muscle area. Once the peptides are absorbed, the results go away as well.
Certain ingredients such as peptides, specifically hexapeptides, may help reduce the appearance of light wrinkles – however, don’t count on it to replace botox, as it does not hinder muscle movement. To quote Paula’s Choice: ‘Other studies on topical use of a moisturizer containing a 10% concentration of acetyl hexapeptide-8 have shown it does not penetrate beyond the uppermost layers of skin, even after several hours. That means it cannot affect factors in the underlying layers that lead to the formation of expression lines. Still, like all peptides, acetyl hexapeptide-8 has water-binding properties and skin-restoring ability. It’s not a throwaway ingredient, but neither is it as miraculous as the manufacturer would lead you to believe.‘
In conclusion, “Botox lasts forever” is… a lie. However, a great skincare routine can help to delay the aging process and reduce the need and frequency of such procedures.
Want to speak to a doctor about how botox or fillers can help you?
A tele-consultation can be arranged for you. Contact us at 9384 8915 for more information!