Should you be getting 'loads of botox' like Olivia Colman?

Olivia Colman, 50, recently admitted to BBC Radio 2 host Vernon Kay on getting 'loads of botox'. While The Crown actress openly admitted to having received plenty of fillers, we asked experts if there's anything like 'too much botox?' Along with sharing the number of doses that are enough, experts also explain that though Olivia may have been praised for openly talking about her anti-ageing routine , people still are not very open about admitting that they have gotten the treatment and request to be given a look that is 'natural' and not artificial or doll-like.

'Too much botox can also paralyse the muscle'
Using botox too frequently in high doses can give an overly smooth, frozen or altered facial appearance, sometimes called a botox face, mentions Dr DM Mahajan , Senior Consultant , Dermatology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. "Getting botox injections more frequently than every 10-12 weeks increases the risk of developing antibodies or resistance to botulinum toxin. This can make the botox treatments less effective or ineffective over time, " he adds.

Too much botox can also paralyse the muscle, points out Dr Seema Oberoi Lall, Consultant, Dermatology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram. "If you use too much then the normal functioning can also get disturbed like the lid can have ptosis, which means that you'll not be able to open your eyes, or the eyebrow can drop down. If you do it in the lower face, a lot of times there could be a lisp in the voice, that is, a person may not be able to speak well, clearly or sometimes you can have a problem with eating food. So, too much botox is definitely a problem."

How regularly can you get botox?
For moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines): Botox is often recommended every 3-4 months for maintenance treatments

• For crow's feet (lateral canthal lines around the eyes): Botox results may last slightly longer here, so some dermatologists recommend treatments every 4-6 months

• For forehead lines: These lines tend to be more stubborn, so botox every 3-4 months is common

• For other areas like bunny lines on the nose or neck bands: Treatments every 4-6 months is typical

- Dr DM Mahajan

'The idea is to make it look natural and not artificial'
Experts share that they are always requested to do the botox in a way so that people cannot find out about the treatment. "We give doses in a way so that it does not give a plastic or doll-like face. I always leave natural forehead lines so that it looks natural and not like an artificial face," shares Dr Gunjan Verma, Dermatologist, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka.

"Many patients do request that their botox treatments are done conservatively in order to avoid an overly frozen or “worked-on” appearance. The key is to use an appropriate dose and injection technique to smooth lines and wrinkles while still allowing some natural facial expressions. For example, when treating forehead lines, the injector may avoid injecting the lower forehead to allow some limited frowning and brow movement. With brow lifts, the tails of the brows are often left untouched," adds Dr MM Mahajan.

'Male patients are now opting to smooth out wrinkles'
Though the percentage is still less in comparison to women getting botox, men now do opt for botox to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines on the face. The most common treatment areas for male patients are the upper face including the forehead, the frown lines between the eyebrows known as the "11" lines, and crow's feet by the eyes. It is also done for heavy jaws and for the neck bands to define the jawline.