Time is a fickle force that is always present in life. In one moment, it is your best friend, giving you all of the space you could ever need. In the next, it is bearing down on you, lending a real sense of urgency to your entire world.

Time cannot be stopped, nor reversed. You can, however, alleviate some of the symptoms that everybody must deal with at some point.

Botox can easily erase the wear of time, but what should you know before pursuing that option? This guide will give you five facts about Botox that could sure come in handy for those considering the procedure.

1. What is Botox?

You may have heard about Botox on television, the radio, or in public. You may have also asked yourself, “Okay, what exactly are they talking about?” The answer is simple, really. Botox is a purified protein derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is produced in a very strict and controlled environment that makes it as safe as possible to use.

2. What does Botox do exactly?

Our faces are a very active place. In order to show proper emotion for any little thing that affects us, our facial muscles twitch and contort. As you can imagine, our faces become worn and tired over time as we are capable of making twenty-one different facial expressions, hundreds of times per day. This forms wrinkles and expression lines upon our faces, which some people do not favour to possess.

Botox relaxes the facial muscles that create troublesome lines over time. The relaxed muscles calm the level of activity on your face in the spots administered. This leaves you with a smooth, youthful appearance that you may have not seen in years.

3. How long can Botox last?

Each face is different, as are the results of each patient. A fifteen to twenty minute session may potentially last for three to four months. Since a Botox procedure is not a surgical procedure, there is usually no downtime needed for treatment. However, the results may not truly show up for anywhere from three days to two whole weeks, as that is how long it can take for the Botox to fully penetrate the facial muscles. A bit of a wait could be well worth the appearance of youth, right?

4. What is a Botox session like?

Since it is a very quick process, Botox treatment is typically as relaxed as your facial muscles are post-treatment. A quick and discrete appointment with the plastic surgeon is very common, although that is never a given, especially with a busy and popular office. As the procedure is non-surgical, there is no anesthesia required beforehand.

However, a topical anesthetic cream may be applied to numb the application area. It is a relatively pain free experience, with most clients experiencing only minor discomfort. There may be some mild bruising for some people, however. Before the treatment, your doctor will walk you through the entire process so you know exactly what will be going down.

5. When should you get Botox?

Since every person and their needs are different, there is no definitively ideal age to begin Botox treatments. While some clients in their late twenties begin treatment to prevent future aging, a fair majority of clients are aged thirty years and older. This is because at that age collagen in our skin begins to break down, allowing wrinkles to form much more easily.

Anyone looking to reduce or prevent the long-term effects of aging such as expression lines or wrinkles should consider Botox treatment.