A set of identical twins shared the huge impact after just one of them used Botox for 20 years.
The pair of sisters were part of a scientific study that saw one of them undergoing a series of injections across the two decades. Known medically as botulinum toxin, Botox is a prescription drug that can also be used for cosmetic procedures.
It might get a bit of bad rep from those who don’t quite understand what it is (or aren’t sure of the differences between plastic surgery, Botox and filler) but it can make a big difference to people’s lives.
As well as reducing wrinkles and fine lines, the injections can be used to treat thing like muscle stiffness and spasms, migraines and excessive sweating. And those physical differences can be very distinct - as a doctor found when she injected only one half of her face.
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The set of twins were followed for nearly two decades, with the ‘Botox twin’ undergoing injections in her forehead and between her eyebrows two to three times a year since the age of 25.
She also had some injections in her crow’s feet (those little lines that form on the outer corners of the eyes).
With Dr William Binder being behind the injections, the first resulting photos were taken in 2006, when the women were 38. And they showed that the Botox twin had more smoothness on her skin with less wrinkles compared to her sister’s more prominent crow’s feet when she smiled as well as lines on her forehead.
But a much bigger visible difference came six years later in a follow-up.
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The non-Botox twin had a noticeably wider jaw, as well as a puffier visage, though it was unknown if this was related to the prescription drug.
Both women stated during that that they used sunscreen which helps to eliminate the possibility of wrinkles being caused by exposure to the sun's UV rays over long periods of time.
It’s also noted that they both had healthy lifestyles and hadn’t been using retinols for their wrinkles but they did live in different countries.
The non-Botox woman lived in Munich while her twin lived in Los Angeles with a higher UV index.
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Dr Binder wrote in the study that long-term Botox treatment can help to prevent the development of wrinkles, 'not only by inhibiting the patient's ability to contract the target muscle but also perhaps through behavioural modification'.
The study 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.
"Treatment is well tolerated, with no adverse events reported during 13 years of regular treatment in this study."
The Dr who injected one half of her face
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Dr Bita Farrell decided to be a bit of a 'lab rat' to show just how much difference Botox can make.
With over 20 years of injecting experience, the board-certified physician injected the lower muscles on the right side of her face.
Dr Farrell explained she had targeted the DAO muscle, which pulls down the corners of the mouth, and the platysma muscle, which contributes to facial expressions and mouth movements.
"Now for you, two weeks later, I present my results as I try and contract my lower face muscles," the California-based content creator told social media users.
She could clearly be seen struggling to get any movement out of the right side of her face, while the left side was far more expressive.
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"You can see that the platysma muscle on this [left] side is really contracting and pulling my jawline down, and so is my DAO, pulling the corner of my mouth down," Dr Farrell said.
Referring to her right side, which she injected with Botox a fortnight earlier, she added: "I'm really trying to pull this side!"
Speaking of the difference between each side, she said of the injected area: "See that this cheek rides a bit higher, this nasal labial fold seems softer and so does my shadow at the marionette on this side."
She explained just how this has an impact: "Muscles of the face either pull up or pull down. When the muscles that pull the lower face down (platysma and DAO) are injected and relaxed with a Neuromodulator such as Botox, the muscle that pulls the mid face up (zygomaticus or cheek muscle) dominates and pulls the face up!
"This can help reduce the appearance of marionette lines, jowls, frown (rbf, or sad face), and the nasolabial folds. It also lifts the neck and can sharpen the jawline and make the cheeks appear a bit fuller and more lifted."
Topics: Health
Jess Battison