People are putting tape on their faces as an alternative to Botox! They say it stops fine lines, wrinkles, and saves you hundreds to thousands of dollars. If you get Botox every 4-5 months, and each treatment is $500. But, that can quickly add up. So, can a DIY treatment such be an affordable alternative?
We’re going to break down whether this works, what you need to know, and what you should be aware of. This trend started on TikTok when a woman started taping her face in places where creases normally happen. Before she went to bed, she did this for a week or two so she couldn’t lift her eyebrows or make facial expressions at night. Afterward, she claimed to get results.
After seeing this trend, people have wondered, “Why are we getting Botox when could be getting tape?” However, results do not come from a week of doing this or even from a few weeks. And truthfully, her results probably came from Botox. Like Dr. Youn says, “Tape is not going to reduce lines.” And even when you use Botox or any other neuromodulator, they don’t work immediately. It takes about a week to show results. When a professional injects a neuromodulator into your face, it goes into the muscle and temporarily paralyzes it. Muscles have synapses, and Botox prevents signals from going and making the muscle flex.
If we can’t flex that muscle, then our eyebrows can’t move. When we smile, this requires our muscles to flex. But, flexing over a long period of time causes our muscles to degrade and our skin to wrinkle. This is natural, but people use Botox so these creases can't set in. It's a preventative step.
That’s why claims about improving the skin by taping it are questionable. Neither tape nor Botox can undo fine lines. However, this doesn’t mean that the tape theory is debunked. Because if we’re preventing our skin from emoting, there is less of a chance for it to wrinkle. A lot of people have seen results by taping the face over time or using frownies or Sio patches. Dr. Dray has also talked about using Sio patches under your eyes and on your smile lines while you sleep.
SiO Beauty Eye and Smile Wrinkle-Smoothing Patch - $22.99
Frownies Facial Patches - $24.95
They prevent you from wrinkling, and Dr. Dray, a board-certified dermatologist loves them. You have to be consistent with them though. If you stop using them, they stop working, unlike Botox. They actually work very well and can prevent wrinkles when used between 30-40 times. The patches prevent your skin from creasing in your sleep. You sleep for 6-8 hours, and if you can consistently spend that amount of time not flexing your facial muscles, yes, this could reduce fine lines. It’s not going to be the same as Botox, but it could be helpful.
It would probably be more helpful than tape. And if you do use tape, you’ll need to use medical tape. Just make sure you’re not allergic to latex. Medical tape is meant to stick to the skin, and if you place it correctly, you could get those benefits.
Ultimately, medical tape will be harder to reuse and less comfortable, but it is the cheaper option. But, for it to work, you truly have to be consistent.