Lucy Devine
If you've ever wondered how different you'd look with Botox, but never fancied trying it yourself, take note.
The long-term effects of using Botox have been revealed, after a study compared two identical twins. One had used the injectables regularly for nearly two decades, while the other twin had not.
Botox - also known as Botulinum toxin injections - relax the muscles in your face and smooth wrinkles and lines. The procedure is not permanent, and usually lasts for up to four months.
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Botox is becoming more popular than ever before. In fact, in the US alone, over 8.7 million cosmetic procedures were carried out using Botox in 2022.
But despite it being a non-permanent cosmetic procedure, many often wonder whether there are any long-term effects.
Back in 2006, two identical twin sisters, aged 38, took part in a study which looked at the presence of facial lines.
One twin had been receiving Botox injections two to three times a year in both their forehead and between their eyebrows, for the past 13 years.
Meanwhile, she had also received Botox twice in the two years prior, in the crow's feet region of the eyes.
The other twin had received Botox much less. She had used the injectables on two occasions, three and seven years prior to the study.
During the research, photos were taken of both women at different angles, and with different expressions such as smiling, and while their faces were resting.
Photos revealed that in the twin who had regularly used Botox, lines and wrinkles were considerably less noticeable.
Author Dr William J Binder concluded: “Long-term treatment with Botox can prevent the development of imprinted facial lines that are visible at rest.
"Botox treatment can also reduce crow's feet.”
Of course, there are many other environmental factors which could have influenced this.
For example, use of SPF and other lifestyle factors such as sun exposure or even stress.
However, a follow-up study in 2015 found that the twins led very similar, healthy lives.
Both used SPF 45-50 and neither used retinol, which is a form of vitamin A used to improve skin tone and texture.
Meanwhile, the twins lived on different sides of the planet. The twin who had used Botox only twice lived in Munich, Germany, meanwhile the twin who regularly dabbled in Botox lived in Los Angeles.
Researchers said this was significant because the UV index is much lower in Munich.
“The treated twin exhibits virtually no forehead rhytides [fine lines] at rest, whereas static forehead rhytides are visible in the sporadically treated twin," the authors explained.
"Similarly, the crow’s feet are mild in the treated twin [and] deeper in the sporadically treated twin."