My name is Marilyn Baker, and I have horrible allergies. I’m 42 years old and have been suffering from allergies since I was a child. I have seasonal and environmental allergies. Allergies plague me year round. When I was young, my parents even moved to a dryer area in the hope of helping me. Over the past eight years, I have done extensive research both through doctors and online. I have managed to come up with some combinations that have helped me a great deal. My allergies aren’t gone, but they have become manageable. I do have to have allergy shots, but I also use some natural remedies. I am happy to be able to share my findings with you here on my blog. I hope you can find some of this of value.
Botox injections have several uses — they're typically used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but they can also be used to stop excessive sweating, reduce the frequency of migraines, and lessen rosacea symptoms. Regardless of what it's used for, however, Botox will eventually wear off.
Botox is a neurotoxin that works by binding to nerves and preventing acetylcholine from reaching them, and the nerves need acetylcholine in order to cause muscle contractions. Your muscles will eventually grow new nerve endings that aren't blocked by Botox, which enables them to move again. In addition, the Botox that's currently bound to the nerves will begin to deteriorate.
You can't do very much about new nerve growth, but there are a few things that you can do to stop Botox from breaking down. Inflammation hastens the breakdown of Botox in your skin, so reducing inflammation will help it last longer. To learn more about how to reduce inflammation along with other ways to help Botox last longer between injections, read on.
Wear Sunscreen When You're Outdoors
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun has a direct inflammatory effect on the skin, which can lead to Botox breaking down more quickly. UVA and UVB rays cause skin cells to become inflamed, which is what leads to redness after sun exposure. The best way to protect yourself against sunlight is to wear sunscreen whenever you're outdoors, as this provides a barrier against the UVA and UVB rays emitted from the sun. For extra effect, you can also combine sunscreen with a wide-brimmed hat that keeps the sunlight away from your face.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants. Carrots and tomatoes are particularly good sources. When you eat a large number of carotenoids, the excess will be stored in your skin. That's why people who eat a massive amount of carrots sometimes experience their palms turning orange — it's due to carotenoid buildup in the skin.
These carotenoids help protect your skin from inflammation and sunlight damage, so including more fruits and vegetables in your diet can help your Botox injections last longer by reducing inflammation. While sunscreen is still better for protecting your skin from the sun, eating more fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to improve your overall health while also providing additional protection against inflammation caused by sunlight.
Limit Physical Activity and Heat Exposure
When your face flushes when you're in a hot room or when you're exercising, it means that the blood vessels in your skin are dilating. When they dilate and more blood flows through your skin, all biological processes will speed up, and this includes the breakdown of Botox along with the growth of new Botox-free nerve endings in your muscles. If you want to maximize the longevity of your Botox injection, you'll need to limit your physical activity and heat exposure in order to avoid dilating your blood vessels. Physical activity can boost your overall health, but it should be done in moderation if you're trying to extend how long your Botox lasts.
Take Zinc Supplements
Botox requires a zinc ion at the site where it binds to your nerves in order to effectively block nerve transmission. Your body is capable of removing this zinc ion, and this usually happens before the Botox protein itself begins to break down. You can't stop your body from removing the zinc ion that Botox requires, but you can easily add additional zinc ions to your bloodstream by taking zinc supplements every day. Circulating zinc ions in your bloodstream will re-bind to the Botox protein, making them function again. As long as you have a healthy supply of zinc circulating in your body, the ions will be re-added to the Botox proteins as quickly as they are removed.
Overall, avoiding inflammation is the most important component of helping your Botox injections last longer. This prevents the proteins from breaking down as quickly. Unfortunately, you can't do much about your muscles regrowing new nerve sites that aren't blocked by Botox. Once this begins to happen, it's time for another injection. Thankfully, repeated injections boost the longevity of Botox on their own by weakening your facial muscles — they're blocked from contracting, which will cause them to atrophy. By keeping up with your Botox regimen, you'll eventually see longer-lasting results each time you receive injections.
Contact a local medical professional to learn more about Botox injections.
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