Introducing Xeomin, an Alternative to BOTOX
Nobody wants to see lines and wrinkles appearing on their once-smooth and youthful face. But those folds and creases tend to become a lot more common as we get older, especially the lines around the eyes, brows, and forehead — areas prone to scrunching-up when we smile, frown, or make other facial expressions. These lines and creases are called dynamic wrinkles because they form as a result of movement — especially movements that occur again and again over time.
While some types of wrinkles, like the lines from your nose to your mouth or your mouth to your chin, can be treated with fillers, dynamic wrinkles cannot. They need a different approach.
How does Xeomin work?
Xeomin is a neuromuscular agent, just like BOTOX. And, like BOTOX, it’s derived from botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin that acts on the nerves. Facial movements occur when your facial muscles contract, tugging on the overlying skin and forming wrinkles and lines. Those muscles contract in response to messages from your brain.
When Xeomin is injected in an area where dynamic wrinkling is occurring, it prevents the nerves in your facial muscles from receiving messages from your brain. As a result, your muscles don’t contract, and lines don’t form in your skin. Your skin looks smoother and more youthful, all without surgery.
Introduced in the U.S. almost a decade ago, Xeomin has been in use in Europe since 2005. Like BOTOX, Xeomin can treat crow’s feet (tiny wrinkles that form near the outer corners of your eyes), brow lines that form between your eyebrows, and forehead wrinkles. Xeomin is injected using a very fine needle so your injections are very precise, plus, very thin needles help minimize discomfort you might feel during the injections. The entire treatment takes just a few minutes, and there’s no downtime afterward — you can go right on with your normal daily activities. You might have a little redness, tenderness, or some very mild swelling, just like you get with any injections. All those effects will subside soon after your treatment.
Xeomin vs. BOTOX: What’s the difference?
Up to now, you’ve heard how Xeomin and BOTOX are similar: Both treat dynamic wrinkles, both use botulinum toxin in their solutions, both have no downtime, and treatments with either solution take just a few minutes to perform. Plus, the effects of both products tend to last about the same amount of time (typically from three to six months). Now let’s look at how these two neuromuscular agents differ.
The primary difference between BOTOX and Xeomin is in their formulations. While both contain dilute forms of botulinum toxin as their active ingredient, BOTOX also includes a second “inactive” protein while Xeomin does not. (In fact, Xeomin is so pure, it’s sometimes referred to as “naked BOTOX.”) Xeomin is unadulterated botulinum toxin, and that’s important for a couple of reasons. First, some people develop allergic reactions to BOTOX’s inactive protein, which means they can’t have BOTOX injections.
And second, those inactive proteins can make BOTOX less effective for some patients, or even completely ineffective in achieving results. Again, since Xeomin doesn’t have those inactive proteins, patients who haven’t responded well to BOTOX injections in the past may find they get great results with Xeomin. Many patients simply prefer Xeomin because they don’t want to introduce elements like inactive proteins that simply aren’t needed for the product to work. One more difference: Xeomin’s formulation means it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, which means it may be more readily available than BOTOX.
Is Xeomin a good choice for you?
Xeomin can be a really good option for women and men who want to reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles around the eyes and forehead. At Purple Lotus Aesthetics, we offer both Xeomin and BOTOX to help our patients get the best treatment for their needs. To learn more about Xeomin treatments and to determine if they’re the best option to help you achieve your goals, book an appointment online today.
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