I receive this question very often during consultations.
Director, what should I get first?
I almost always BotoxI recommend starting from here.
This is because it is the cheapest, most effective, and oldest procedure.
Today, I will explain why that is the case, as well as how Botox works and breaks down inside the body.
The official name is botulinum toxin, and 'Botox' is originally a product name of a specific company; however, since 'Botox' is a commonly used generic term, I will refer to it as such in this text for the sake of readability.
Allergan's original product, Botox
1. How did Botox start?
Botox is originally causative agent of food poisoningIt was.
In the 1820s, a German doctor recorded patients whose muscles became paralyzed after eating spoiled sausages and predicted that this 'sausage poison' could one day be used for treatment.
And about 150 years later, an American ophthalmologist cross-eye It was first used for treatment. It was intended to weaken the muscles that pull the eye in the wrong direction.
The beauty effect by chance It was discovered.
patients being treated for eyelid spasms Smoothing out wrinkles between the eyebrowsAn ophthalmologist noticed this and, together with her husband, a Dermatology , published it in 1992.
After that, it became the Botox we know today after receiving official approval for frown lines in 2002.
In other words, Botox is A procedure proven worldwide for over 30 yearsno see.
2. Why would I recommend it first?
The reason is 4 typesI can explain it briefly and strongly.
Even if newly released equipment or injections look good at the time, they sometimes go out of fashion a few years later.
Botox is a procedure that has already been used for decades and has been fully evaluated.
It is affordable, the results are predictable, and the procedure takes only 10 minutes.
That is why I always start by explaining Botox to those who are new to cosmetic procedures.
3. How does Botox work?
For a muscle to move, nerves must transmit a signal to the muscle to 'move'.
This signal comes from the nerve ending AcetylcholineA substance called [name] delivers.
Acetylcholine is stored in a small sac inside the nerve ending, and is released when the sac attaches to the membrane of the nerve ending.
At this time, there is a protein that attaches the sac to the membrane, and one of them is SNAP-25no see.
Botox enters the nerve endings and this Cut the SNAP-25.
Since the sac cannot adhere to the membrane, acetylcholine cannot be released, and the muscle does not receive the signal, so contraction is inhibited.
Botox cleaves SNAP-25 (a protein that attaches acetylcholine sacs to the membrane) inside the nerve ending.
Nerves and muscles are not damaged, and only signal transmission between them is temporarily blocked.
In this process, nerves and muscles It will not be damaged.
Because it only temporarily blocks signal transmission between the two, the muscle moves normally once transmission is restored.
4. A duration of 3 to 6 months is actually better.
The duration of Botox is usually 3~6 monthsno see.
Many people ask, "Then don't you have to keep getting it?" with disappointment, but I actually think this is Botox's meritI think so.
The muscles in our body It continues to change as you age.
The Botox design needed in your 20s cannot be the same in your 40s. If the effect were permanent, your face would change, but the drug's effects would remain, making it look unnatural.
And Botox is an injection administered by a person.
In very rare cases, it can be injected into unwanted muscles, and if it is a permanent procedure, it will be irreversible.
However, over time, Botox It will definitely return to its original state. This is the biggest reason why it has been used safely for decades.
5. Why does the effect return?
The process of the effect returning is as follows.
The effects of Botox begin to appear 2 to 3 days after injection and reach their peak around 2 weeks.
About a month later, at the end of the nerve New branchIt sprouts and forms a temporary connection (synapse) with the muscle. From this point, the muscle begins to move little by little.
And after 2 to 3 months, the original nerve ends Create a new SNAP-25 Restores the original passage.
When the original passageway opens, the temporarily sprouted branches disappear, and it returns completely to its original state.
The receptors in the muscles remain intact, and the effects return as the nerve endings recover.
Therefore, Botox is a procedure where the results definitely return to normal over time.
For reference, muscle receptors are not affected by Botox.
The effect returns nerve endingsThis is because it is recovering!!
6. How is Botox broken down?
One of the frequently asked questions is, "Doesn't Botox remain in the body?"
Botox is proteinno see.
The injected Botox enters the nerve endings near the injection site. It does not travel throughout the body via the bloodstream.
Inside the nerve ending, the cell originally possesses Protein degradation processIt is gradually broken down through the process and eventually becomes amino acids, which are recycled within the body.
The severable SNAP-25 is also replaced with a new protein.
When Botox is broken down and SNAP-25 is refilled, the signaling pathway opens, and the effect of Botox ends.
The breakdown rate varies slightly depending on the type of Botox (Type A), so the duration of effect also differs.
And since it is protein It is sensitive to heat. This is why we advise you to avoid saunas or hot compresses immediately after the procedure.
7. In conclusion..
To summarize, it is as follows.
Botox is a cosmetic procedure The most basicno see.
It is cheap, effective, long-lasting, and above all, it will definitely return.
If you are considering a procedure for the first time, I recommend starting with Botox.
However, even with the same Botox For each product The ingredients, duration, and price differ.
In the next post, we will write By productI will guide you through them one by one.
This has been Seo Min-ho. Thank you for reading.