Identical twins have shared the astounding results of a study after one twin used Botox for 20 years while the other didn’t.
One twin had undergone over 26 Botox injections when the results were first published back in 2006.
The progress of the twins was followed for 13 years by the author of the study, William J. Binder.
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The twin who used Botox had the injections in her forehead and the glabellar region, which is the space in between the eyebrows.
The twin who had Botox did so around two to three times a year.
This differed significantly from the other twin who only ever had Botox done twice in her life.
These procedures took place in 1999 and 2003.
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In 2012, Binder once again followed up with the twins to find out what the impact of the Botox had by the time they were both 44 years old and it turned out that the differences were noticeable.
After 19 years, the twin who used Botox had developed wrinkles around her eyes and mouth but they were still noticeably less pronounced than her sister's.
The second twin appeared to have a fuller jaw, though it's unclear whether Botox was a factor in this outcome.
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Of course, other factors can also play a role in aging and in terms of lifestyle differences - one twin lived in Munich, Germany, while the other (who had Botox) lived in Los Angeles.
However, in the follow-up study, the twins confirmed they both worked indoors, led active outdoor lifestyles and used sunblock on a daily basis to protect their skin.
Neither twin smoked or had any laser, light, or skin-tightening procedures, with the study adding: “Regarding the aesthetic quality of their skin, consistent long-term treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA [Botox] seems to be the only major difference in the lives of these twins.”
What did the results show?
After assessing the findings, Binder suggested that long-term treatment with Botox may help to prevent the development of imprinted lines both through targeting the muscle, but also by modifying behavior.
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He wrote: “With long-term treatment, the patient may become used to having little, if any, need or ability to contract the target muscle and may eventually “learn” to avoid even trying to contract it.
“It is also thought that, by relieving the mechanical pressure of chronic muscle contraction in this way, dermal remodeling may be facilitated.”
How does Botox work?
Botulinum toxin, or Botox, is delivered in injections which are intended to block certain chemical signals from nerves that cause muscles to contract.
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The toxin prevents the muscle from moving for a limited time, so they're most commonly used to relax the facial muscles that cause frown lines on the forehead, ‘crows feet’ around the eyes, and other wrinkles.
Botox can also be used to treat issues like neck spasms and sweating, as well as preventing migraines.