Channel: Fox 26 Houston
Aired On: July 28, 2019
Botox used to be for baby boomers… but not anymore! Increasingly younger men and women, our Millennials and Gen Xers, are embracing the injections that promise to smooth out wrinkles and result in a more youthful appearance.
Dr. Mirwat Sami was invited for a live interview on Fox 26 News Houston KRIV with Denise Middleton (Anchor – Fox 26 News Houston) to discuss Botox in Millennials and dangers of getting the treatment at a spa.
Dr. Sami states that while Botox was most commonly associated with middle-aged people looking to turn back the clock, there’s a growing trend among the younger generations who want to stave off the signs of aging before they ever show up. And in today’s digital, social-media obsessed world that is flooded with selfies, it is no surprise that millennials are turning to this option in order to look their best, not to undo the toll years have taken on their skin, but to prevent aging.
Dr. Sami has noted this increasing trend in her practice as our savvy Millennials and Gen Xers have seen the results on social media, with more celebrities touting how these minimally invasive procedures can be used to prevent signs of aging. Another interesting trend she has noted is that a lot of her middle-aged patients are now referring their children, especially daughters, for a customized and safe treatment to Houston Oculofacial Plastic Surgery and the care of Dr. Sami.
Preventative Botox is the concept of treating the facial muscles that you use more frequently in order to avoid wrinkles from forming. Think of Botox as a “selective muscle relaxer” that temporarily paralyzes muscle to reduce dynamic wrinkles of motion. The dosage varies from patient to patient and sometimes even between the two halves of the face, allowing us to customize the treatment to each patient.
Dr. Sami states that although Botox has been around for decades with safe long-term use, there is still a need for caution. “It is a neurotoxin after all!” Especially as the increasing number of injectors in the market can result in issues with quality control. Injected incorrectly, Botox can result in droopy eyelids, “frozen” appearance, and potentially devastating results to vision, says Dr. Sami. She recommends that potential patients should do their research, look for physicians who have intricate knowledge of not only the anatomy but the products themselves and pay close attention to other finesse points such as symmetry and muscle movement. She states that “Less is more especially in the younger patients” as they really don’t need high doses or cookie cutter treatments but something more tailored and customized to their features.
In other words: You get what you pay for! Botox treatments can range from $300- $800 per session, typically repeated 2-3 times a year. Anything less would often be used by Groupon-like providers doing Botox at cost, in an effort to draw patients to their practice…and this is something to be wary of.
Dr. Sami believes that Botox plays a great role in preventative cosmetic medicine and, when injected artfully and safely, can help prevent signs of aging in our younger generations. As for when to start: there is no exact age that is recommended and Dr. Sami states that “I don’t like telling people to treat something that they don’t have, but if you are beginning to see lines and wrinkles, those dynamic ones becoming more set-in, that’s probably a good time to start.”
