Botox, Jeuveau, Dysport and Xeomin make up the quartet of neuromodulators. All are used to smooth wrinkles and etched lines caused by repeated muscle movement.
Neuromodulators block nerve impulses to injected muscle groups, preventing them from repeatedly creasing skin in the same place. When frequency or intensity of these targeted muscles are reduced, the etched lines and wrinkles in these areas soften and smooth.
To illustrate, picture yourself folding a smooth sheet of paper in half. Opening the folded paper, you can see a crease is formed. Repeat folding this paper along the same line. Notice how the crease becomes deeper and more pronounced each time the sheet of paper is folded. Repeated muscle contractions in an area basically do the same to skin.
Further, facial expressions and muscle movements are not only unique to each of us, but they also are mostly unconsciously made. Only Botox and other neuromodulators can prevent muscle contractions from creasing skin. Regular use of Botox before lines become visibly etched into skin is considered preventative, as it potentially decreases the depth of future wrinkles.
Facial areas most visibly affected by repeated muscle movement include forehead lines, lines between the brows (glabella), crow’s feet, “bunny” lines on the upper nose bridge, and lip lines (aka. smoker’s lines).
There also are many other uses for Botox. It can be used to lift brows and the nose tip, erase necklines and flatten platysmal bands, smoothing the neck and restoring its youthful appearance. Botox can be used in the masseter muscles to narrow the jawline, in the chin to eliminate chin dimples, and in the Depressor Anguli Oris (DAO) muscles to turn up frowning mouth corners. When injected in the proper amounts and areas, Botox can reduce excessive sweating from underarms and on palms.
The main differences between Botox, Jeuveau, Dysport, Xeomin, are dilution, diffusion and the slight variations in duration. Factors affecting the duration of the different neuromodulators are metabolism, some vitamin deficiencies, and decline of skin elasticity from bad habits and sun exposure. Perhaps most important to its duration, however, is adequate dosages in the correct areas.
Similarities between the fab four include all are quickly administered with no downtime, all are FDA-approved, and all have results that are dependent upon the skill of the injector.
