16 Natural Alternatives to Botox

As we get older many people want to reduce the signs of aging in their skin, and botox is a common treatment that is used as a way to prevent the development of wrinkles, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

But like any type of procedure there are pros and cons to botox. Botox is expensive, invasive, and can have health risks, and unwanted side effects. Botox can also be painful and make people look unnatural by restricting certain facial expressions and interestingly, one study found that people who used Botox reported a decrease in their range of emotions, because emotions are tied to the brain through facial expressions.

As well, some people need to avoid getting Botox if they have certain underlying health conditions.

So, if you are looking for alternatives to Botox, this post shares a number of natural alternatives to Botox that are generally less expensive, less invasive, and safe for everyone to use.

1. Cosmetic Acupuncture

Cosmetic acupuncture, or facial acupuncture is a type of acupuncture that is performed on the face. It is an anti-aging treatment that can help improve facial elasticity and skin hydration, both of which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

To see the full effects of facial acupuncture you will need multiple treatments over time, so this type of treatment can be expensive in the long run, but it is a natural and non-toxic treatment that has no down time after the procedure is performed.

2. Red light therapy

Red light therapy has been shown in many studies to reverse the visible signs of aging and improve skin quality and texture.

Red LED light not only has anti-aging effects on the skin but it can also accelerate skin healing. In addition to reducing wrinkles, it stimulates skin fibroblasts to increase the production of collagen and elastin in the skin leading to younger-looking skin and more youthful-looking skin.

Luckily you can now get many at home red light therapy devices to help improve the look of your skin including red light face masks, red light neck & décolleté devices, infrared panels, and red light therapy face wands.

3. Facial yoga

Face yoga involves facial massage and exercises that stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system in your face. It is meant to soften and relax your facial muscles to help alleviate tension and stress. Advocates of face yoga say it can also reduce the signs of aging, and promote healthy glowing skin.

Not surprisingly there has been little research done on face yoga, but one small study found that a 20-week facial exercise program lead to an improvement in upper cheek fullness and lower cheek fullness. However a larger review of facial yoga found that the evidence to date is insufficient to determine whether facial exercises are effective for facial rejuvenation.

So it is still not clear whether facial yoga really works or not, but there are basically no risks to face yoga so it is a safe, natural option if you do want to try it. The one thing to consider is that to do a full facial yoga routine takes about 30 minutes, so it is a bit of a time commitment.

4. Facial Patches

Face patches, the most well known brand being Frownies, are sticky patches that you place on the areas of your face, neck and chest where you’re prone to wrinkles. You sleep with the patches and they are supposed to help smooth out wrinkles by limiting the movement of your facial muscles.

The nice thing about facial patches is that they are natural, inexpensive, are a treatment that you can do in your own home. So far there haven't been any studies to determine the effectiveness of facial patches, but there are many anecdotal reports of people seeing benefits with using them (I personally use them and find them effective).

And if you are worried about the waste produced by traditional face patches (you have to throw them out after each use), the good news is that you can now get reusable silicone wrinkle patches which are a more environmentally friendly option.

5. Plumping creams

Plumping creams can help give skin an instant plumping and filling effect to help skin look younger, fuller and hydrated. There are many plumping creams on the market, and my personal favourite is the Beautycounter Mighty Plump Ceramide Water Cream because it is non-toxic and tested for contaminants, plus I find that it works really well!

6. Microneedling

Microneedling involves the puncturing of skin with very tiny needles. It is usually done in a medical spa or aestheticians office, but you can also buy at home micro needling rollers that do not penetrate the skin as deeply, so aren't as effective, but are more affordable and is something you can do at home.

Microneedling uses the body’s own healing mechanisms by stimulating collagen production and elastin within the skin to help the skin heal after it has been punctured. This helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and can support your skin’s elasticity.

Microneedling can decrease the appearance of sun damage, scarring, pores, lines and wrinkles, and can also increase the effectiveness of the topical products used on your skin.

A few negatives of microneedling are that it can be expensive, can be painful, and requires multiple treatments to see the best results. However, it is minimally invasive compared to some other skincare treatments, and is non-toxic and all natural.

I have tried microneedling before and found it very effective for decreasing my acne scars, brightening my skin, decreasing the appearance of forehead wrinkles, and making my skin look healthier.

7. Anti-aging Skincare Products

High quality anti-aging skin care products can help prevent the signs of aging as well as help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There are many ingredients that can be used to help improve the appearance of the skin including hyaluronic acid, vitamin C serums, retinol, and bakuchiol (a natural alternative to retinol which is safe in pregnancy and breast feeding).

In particular, vitamin C serums are great for decreasing dark spots, improving skin texture, preventing sun damage by neutralizing free radicals, can help replenish the skin's vitamin E levels and act as a potent anti-oxidant which helps protect the skin from oxidative stress and environmental damage.

Just be sure that the skincare products you are choosing are safe and non-toxic. Many skincare products on the market contains ingredients that can be harmful to health including endocrine disruptors, allergens, respiratory irritants, carcinogens and more.

If you want more details on how to choose safe personal care products I have other posts on the topic including how to choose a non-toxic deodorant.

8. Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are a cosmetic procedure used to treat acne, reduce hyperpigmentation, and reduce the signs of aging. They usually require some down time, ranging from 24 hours to 3 weeks, depending on the type of peel you get.

The benefits of chemical peels are that they are safe and effective, and you tend to see results very quickly. The negatives are that you will need to see a skincare specialist for the procedure, they can be expensive, and depending on the type of peel that you get, you can temporally experience redness, facial swelling, and skin peeling after the treatment.

If you are looking for a less invasive option, there are gentler, home based overnight peels that you can do at home that are great for resurfacing the skin, but have no down time. My personal favourite at home peel is the Beautycounter Reflect Effect Overnight Resurfacing Peel.

9. Collagen Supplements

Taking collagen supplements has been shown in many studies to be beneficial for the skin. Collagen supplements can improve skin hydration, elasticity, roughness and density. Another study showed that taking collagen can reduce wrinkles (by 35%), improve skin elasticity, improve overall skin score, hydration, radiance, and firmness compared to patients not taking collagen.

There are many types of collagen supplements on the market and if you are going to use one, you want to make sure that you are using a high quality collagen supplement. I recommend using one that is non-GMO, and free from artificial ingredients, natural flavours, artificial flavours, sweeteners, preservatives, stevia, or colouring agents. I simply add a scoop of collagen peptides to my morning coffee or smoothies.

My favourite collagen is the Perfect Supplements collagen because they test it for contaminants and ensure it is also glyphosate free (shop for Perfect Supplements collagen and use the code SIMPLE10 to get 10% off).

10. Avoid Alcohol and Cigarettes

Alcohol and cigarettes are two of the worst things for skin. Smoking is known to increase the severity of lines and wrinkles (especially on the forehead, around the eyes and around the mouth), worsen under-eye puffiness, and reduce lip fullness.

Alcohol use leads to increased lines and wrinkles (mainly on the forehead and around the mouth), increased under-eye puffiness, worsens volume loss in the mid face, and increases the appearance of visible blood vessels on the face.

In other words, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes are two of the best natural ways to help prevent the signs of aging in your skin.

11. Prevent Sun Damage

Too much sun exposure can damage the skin and is one of the most common causes of signs of aging in the skin. One study estimated that UV exposure is responsible for 80% of the visible signs of aging on the face including wrinkles, sagging, pigmentation, and decreased elasticity. This is the reason that sun exposed skin shows signs of aging more quickly compared to areas of the body that are unexposed to UV rays.

To help prevent sun damage to your skin it is important to keep your skin covered including methods like wearing hats and sunscreen. Now, just be aware that when choosing sunscreen it is very important to choose one made with safe ingredients. Many sunscreens on the market are made with unsafe ingredients so be sure to pick one that is mineral based, and tested for contaminants like benzene.

If you are looking for safe, non-toxic sunscreen options I have a review of the best safe sunscreens you can read.

12. Gua Sha and Face Rollers

Gua sha can help target fine lines, sagging skin and wrinkles. This practice uses flat or fan-shaped jade or quartz stones to manipulate and massage the facial muscles and tissue around the face, jawline and neck.

Gua Sha has been shown to increase blood flow to the targeted areas. It is also known as scraping therapy and traditionally aimed to create petechiae on the skin, using the body's natural processes to stimulate a healing process in the skin, which was felt to lead to the therapeutic benefits including anti aging effects. However, facial gua sha is often much gentler, and doesn't leave any marks on the skin but can still provide benefits.

There are a variety of tools you can use to do Gua Sha and facial rolling at home including jade facial rollers, jade gua sha stones, rose quartz facial rollers, lapis facial rollers, amethyst facial rollers, and obsidian facial rollers. My favorite face rollers and gua sha stones are the ones from Primally Pure (shop Primallly Pure and use code PUREANDSIMPLE to get 10% off).

13. Eat a Healthy Diet and Drink Enough Water

Your overall health, including your skin health, is directly linked to what you eat and drink.

Drinking enough water is important for skin health because it helps maintain the skin's balance and tissue function.

Getting enough protein in your diet is very important for your skin, and certain vitamins and minerals are also vital for skin health.

As well, diets high in sugar can lead to accumulation of advanced glycation end products and skin inflammation, so limiting your sugar intake can help the appearance of your skin.

As well, eating enough fat is also important for skin health as essential fatty acids are involved in skin lipid synthesis and metabolism.

14. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation has many negative health effects and has been shown to lead to worsening skin appearance and increased signs of aging in multiple studies.

Even just one night of sleep deprivation has been shown to have negative effects on skin appearance leading to decreases in skin hydration, impaired barrier function, decreased skin elasticity and translucency, increased skin scaling, more obvious pores, skin dullness, and decreased skin blood flow.

15. Correct Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Minerals such as copper, zinc, iron and selenium as well as vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin E are essential for skin health. If you are deficient in these vitamins and minerals your skin can start to suffer.

Speaking from experience, when I was iron deficient, my acne was much worse, and once I corrected that deficiency my skin cleared up quite a bit.

However, it is also possible to take too much of some of these vitamins and minerals, so before starting any supplements be sure to talk to your health care provider.

Two of the supplements that I personally use to help keep my vitamin and mineral levels in check include Trace Minerals and Liver Capsules. I take both of these supplements on a daily basis.

16. Maintain Gut Health

Simply put, if your gut health isn't optimized it will likely show on your skin.

When it comes to the GI tract, the gut microbiome can affect the skin through the gut-skin axis. Any changes in the gut microbial diversity (also known as dysbiosis) can negatively influence skin health.

Many skin conditions, including acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea are linked with changes in the gut microbiome. In other words, poor gut health can lead to poor skin health.

This means that if you are struggling with GI issues you may see this reflected on your skin. If this is the case, all the topical treatments in the world will only be able to do so much for your skin. You will really need to work on healing from the inside out if your gut health is impaired. If you are struggling with GI issues I recommend speaking with your healthcare practitioner.