If only we could achieve with our faces what San Francisco has with its landmarks. In a forward-looking city full of startups and tech visionaries, cable cars still chug up the slanted streets against a backdrop of quaint Victorian houses. The city’s character draws from its past while its culture is fueled by the future, and if we could be as lucky, our wrinkles would be considered “iconic” and given landmark status. But that’s not the case. Which isn’t to say that we can’t maximize our natural features—that’s where San Francisco Botox comes in.

Unlike plastic surgery, Botox doesn’t permanently or radically alter your appearance. But since history isn’t as endearing on the human face as it is on the landscape of San Francisco, Botox is a viable option for camouflaging lines and creases while preserving our natural character and features. Here’s a little about how it works and what it does.

What Is Botox?

Botox is a drug made from botulinum toxin A, one of several paralytic substances secreted by the bacteria that causes botulism. While the toxin can be fatal in large amounts, Botox is carefully purified and administered in small, controlled doses. In a typical Botox treatment, the amount injected is about 1/175th of what is considered a lethal dose.

How Does Botox Work?

To understand how Botox works, you have to understand how wrinkles work; to understand how wrinkles work, you have to understand how the face—and muscles—work. Let’s make it easy: the muscles in our face contract every time we smile, laugh, or frown. Repetitive muscle contraction causes creases in the skin. Botox doesn’t directly address the lines in the skin. Instead, it relaxes some of these muscles, resting the skin so that the lines have a chance to fade.

How Will Botox Change My Appearance?

Because of its carefully measured dosage, Botox allows medical professionals to target specific wrinkle-causing muscles for injection, without affecting the rest of the face. That means the results are normally confined to the target area, usually around the eyes and forehead. Patients can expect their skin to look smoother and tighter, which overall lends a more youthful appearance. Since botulinum toxin A doesn't cause permanent nerve damage, Botox's effects wear off once nerve endings regrow, usually in three to four months. To sustain the results, repeated treatments are needed.

How Do I Choose a Clinic?

San Francisco boasts an abundance of spas, med spas, and medical clinics that offer Botox, so personal preference and atmosphere factor into a decision. At Aura Skin Spa, physicians and registered nurses offer a wide array of medically based treatments. Cocoon Urban Day Spa, meanwhile, cuts a more pampering vibe. The board-certified doctor uses a holistic framework for his practice, and alongside Botox are massages, mani-pedis, and even a juicery.