Botox and fillers are as almost as common as department store cosmetics for treating facial wrinkles — but that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone. Dr. Jennifer Walden, a board certified plastic surgeon in New York City, explains when it’s best to start these types of cosmetic procedures.
“Some people in their teens and twenties start considering and asking about Botox and fillers, because it’s widely pervasive in the media,” says Dr. Walden. “But, that’s really too early, because they haven’t even shown the signs of early facial aging that we’re talking about.”
For women, the fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth and laxity in the jowl area don’t usually become apparent until they are in their 30s and 40s, Dr. Walden notes. She advises patients to wait until at least this age before considering Botox or a dermal filler, like Juvederm or Restylane.
“Botox can be used to paralyze the muscles around the eyes and the forehead, to give you a more rested look, and fillers can be used to plump out the nasolabial fold,” she explains.
Dr. Walden also notes that it is safe to use cosmeceutical products, like an alpha-hydroxy acids and Retin-A, after receiving Botox or filler injections, because the cleansers are only skin deep.
