9/2/10
In the year 1989, Alan B. Scott gifted the world, an elixir of youth, botox. Since its launch, botox has gained tremendous popularity among the pursuers of youth. A person has to take a botox injection every three months to reduce the visibility of wrinkles. Gradually, it was found that some people developed an immunity to botox and others were just fed up of the three month routine. Moreover, botox is used to reduce the visibility of wrinkles only on certain areas of the face. Researchers began to look for new alternatives that could successfully replace botox. A few of the alternatives for botox are:
Serum
Serum is an injection-free topical alternative for botox, made from biological ingredients. Serum works by tightening the skin on sensitive areas of the face, thereby reducing the visibility of wrinkles. The companies that produce serum claim that, it can produce effective results which can last for about six months. Serum is made from a variety of natural ingredients, including emu oil and tea extracts. Although, FDA has approved botox injection for injecting between eyebrows, some surgeons take a high risk by injecting botox around the sensitive skin of the eyes. But serum, on the other hand, can be safely applied all over the face.
Collagen
Collagen is the natural substance present in the skin. It is mainly responsible for keeping the skin naturally tight. When the natural supply of collagen starts running out, wrinkles begin to appear. The collagen present in the anti-aging creams aim to rejuvenate the skin in a natural way. The collagen fillers, however, work in a slightly different manner. They reduce the visibility of wrinkles by inserting collagen in the wrinkle area so as to level it the with rest of the skin. Collagen injections can induce long term results by plumping the skin.
Restylane
Restylane is the latest substitute for botox. It is free from any animal content. Restylane is a hyaluronic acid derivative, used to produce fullness in the skin. It is also used for lip augmentation. Restylane is an entirely natural product, and that sets it apart from botox.
These were the topical alternatives for botox. However, there are also some surgical ways of obtaining similar results as botox.
Snipping the Muscle
For those who relied on botox solely for reducing the visibility of vertical frown lines, this can be an option. In this method, the muscle responsible for twitching the eyebrows and creating frown lines is either removed or snipped. The surgical process is called corrugator myectomy or corrugator excision. The surgery involves some problems like decrease in sensation in the forehead and a depression in the area from where the muscle was removed. Though this depression can be filled with cosmetic fillers, it may not be free from problems as well.
Conventional Surgeries
These cosmetic surgeries include face lift, brow lift, eye lift, along with certain derma-fillers that has to be injected. Though these procedures cannot entirely eliminate the wrinkles, they can significantly reduce their appearance.
REX
This, so far is the newest and the most advanced alternative for botox. The technology is still new, hence it is not used widely. REX is the short form for 'relaxed expressions.' REX makes use of radiofrequency energy, which is targeted at the motor neurons to weaken them so that they are unable to connect to the muscle that causes frowning. The concept of REX is somewhat similar to botox, but the mechanism is different.
These are some of the alternatives that may replace botox in the near future. But at present, none of the above mentioned alternatives has rendered popularity anywhere close to botox. People still trust botox when it comes to defying age.
