Weaning Off Botox and Onto Non-Invasive Alternatives
If you've decided to transition from getting botox and fillers to using microcurrent or are considering this change to your anti aging skin care regimen you’ve come to the right place. We are fortunate this day in age to have so many options available for aging gracefully and nearly defying aging all together (one day, perhaps!). With so many options, we need not ask “which anti aging treatment works best”, but instead ask “which anti aging treatment works best for me”. Anti aging treatment options on the market are comparable in results, so what it really comes down to is what you are most interested in and willing to invest in.
About Microcurrent for Aging Gracefully
Microcurrent is becoming increasingly desirable in the preventative, anti aging and aging gracefully arena because it is a non-surgical and non-invasive treatment regimen that produces comparable results to Botox. In addition to being non-invasive, this treatment can be done at home, it is affordable and microcurrent is cumulative only increasing results over time. Rather than injecting or surgically lifting or smoothing the face like traditional methods, microcurrent works by delivering a small electrical current directly to the muscles of the face, lengthening or shortening facial muscles back to their youthful prime. The current in question (microcurrent!) is so small that it stimulates the muscles with little-to-no physical sensation. This sub-sensory delivery of current means no uncomfortable contracting, twitching or stinging feelings. It’s just enough to give your facial muscles a “workout”, bringing back natural tone and lift to facial muscles that have laxed or overworked over time. We dive deeper into this process and how it stimulates production of key structural proteins in other blog articles, like this one on Microcurrent and Collagen Production.
About Botox for Aging Gracefully
Botox injections are one of the most well-known approaches to aging gracefully. The injections work by freezing the muscles in common trouble areas to smooth out lines. The most common places people typically receive Botox injections are the forehead, crows feet and frown lines (Lewis, 2019). Initially, Botox results can last for 3-4 months. After this time the effect of the injection begins to wear off and wrinkles begin to reappear.
Is it better to use one over the other?
While both Botox injections and Microcurrent facial treatments require maintenance for upkeep of results, there is an important point to be made here: Botox may atrophy and weaken facial muscles over time, making it harder to achieve desired results, whereas Microcurrent lengthens the muscles that are tight and helps to relax them without causing the muscle to atrophy. Botox may also create an unnatural appearance and change the look of your skin texture and color. Because Microcurrent technology works with your body to strengthen and enhance natural processes there is no concern of an “unnatural” look and, in fact, your skin’s radiance, skin tone and texture improve with organic stimulation of Collagen and Elastin production.
Why not use both?
This is a great question! Why not use both? We are in full support of an anti aging skincare regimen that utilizes both Botox and Microcurrent if it fits your goals. Whether you decide to use both or only one of these anti aging options is entirely up to your preference, lifestyle and comfort level.
You might not want to use both Microcurrent and Botox if you are moving away from invasive techniques in your skin health journey. Microcurrent is an excellent alternative that achieves nearly identical (if not better!) results to Botox with zero downtime, zero injury to the skin and can be done safely from the comfort of your home. You might also not want to use both Microcurrent and Botox if you are eager to get anti aging results fast and you don’t mind invasive methods. Botox may be a better option for you in this case as freezing results with an injection to the muscle are more immediate. While Microcurrent results can be immediate, this varies from one case to the next depending on age, current skin condition, the severity of aging that has already occurred, consistency of use and more.
If you are flexible and comfortable exploring both of these anti aging skincare options it’s important to do so safely. You can safely use Botox and Microcurrent using the tips and guidelines from the 7E team offered below.
How to safely use Botox and Microcurrent
Our 7E Educators recommend the following guidelines to ensure a smooth weaning off of Botox and safe microcurrent use:
- You need to wait two weeks after your last botox injections to use your microcurrent device in the area where you've had botox. You can wait 48 hours after fillers to get a microcurrent treatment.
- You will begin by doing a microcurrent series which will help reactivate those (paralysed, frozen, dromant) muscles.
- Once your botox and fillers have worn off you may notice more fine lines and wrinkles but if you give your face and skin some time to adjust and start focusing on your microcurrent treatments you will help to boost your ATP, reduce the fines lines and wrinkles, will you start to notice a beautiful tone and texture, lifted muscles, an increase in collagen and elastin and it will all occur naturally through the use of microcurrent.
- Microcurrent maintenance can vary person to person but it will require some maintenance to maintain your results (4-12 weeks once or twice a week, depending on the person's skin condition)
Our 7E Educators recommend the following guidelines to ensure complimentary use of Botox and safe microcurrent use. Follow these tips if you want to keep getting botox but maybe you don't want to get as many injections.
- Microcurrent can be used during the months you decide you don't want to go in for injections.
- For the days you are going to get a botox injection you can give yourself a microcurrent treatment prior to getting your injections which will help.
- Wait two weeks after your injection to start your microcurrent treatments up again.
Along with microcurrent treatments and other efforts for a graceful aging process, caring for our skin and wellbeing is also achieved through exercise, nutrition, protecting our skin from the sun, getting into a regular skin care routine, getting adequate sleep, and drinking water all play a role in our overall health and happiness. We may not be able to stop the clock on aging (yet!) but we can work with our body to age gracefully and naturally. Be sure to let us know in the comments which of these anti aging methods you opt for or if you are someone who enjoys integrating both into your skin care routine.