The idea of beating the ticking clock of ageing is a very tempting one. It sounds like a race against time, and in many ways, that’s exactly what it is.

Time will move on regardless of what you do, but can you stop your face showing the signs of that? Can you really stop wrinkles and lines from forming in the first place? Can you, in reality, stay forever young?

Preventative botox says that, yes, you actually can. Or, at least, you can give it a damn good try.

But, how young is too young?

The age at which you start to develop any signs of ageing is totally genetic in many ways, but generally speaking, it can begin by the age of 24. Yes, that young. Many people therefore start to have Botox around this time, in an attempt to try and stop the lines and wrinkles from ever appearing.

When you think about the science behind it, it does make a good amount of sense. Botox, in essence, paralyses the muscles which cause the lines and wrinkles, so if you get to heart of it before they even begin, surely they won’t appear at all. Well, yes and no. Many botox clinics will not administer botox to any patient before a single line has appeared. Botox generally works better when there is something to work with, even if it’s something small. In addition to this, the common addiction to botox is more likely to grab hold in someone who is starting too young; it’s all very well and good to treat something, but to try and stop something which hasn’t yet appeared? Possibly the wrong road to go down.

There are of course many ways you can look after your skin and prevent ageing for as long as possible, before you start botox (if that’s the road you want to go down).

• Remove make up at night, without fail
• Always use sunscreen, even if it’s not sunny
• Don’t drag make up wipes or cotton wool pads under the eyes, instead, use small circular or dabbing motions
• Avoid smoking, you’ll only end up with smoker’s lines (and a poor bank balance)
• Drink plenty of water, to keep the skin hydrated
• Exfoliate regularly, to remove dead skin cells and boost circulation
• Try peptide creams for day time use, and retinol creams at night
• Eat a healthy diet, and make sure you get enough sleep at night

Of course, there is a place for botox in the skincare and beauty world, but perhaps wait until you actually have something to treat first?