Does Face Tape Work as Well as Botox?

May 14, 2013 - By Dr. Jules Feledy

Are both wrinkle-removers made equal?

Hollywood starlets like Marlene Dietrich, Raquel Welch, and Joan Crawford, besides being famous actresses, have one more thing in common – “Frownies.” Frownies are adhesive strips meant to pull back wrinkles on the face, leading to a more youthful look. Actresses like these and more used them in the golden days of Hollywood, and they’re still around today. But, could Frownies be an alternative to Botox?

New York Magazine columnist Gina Grey recently put Frownies – or more accurately, a more modern alternative, Furlesse – to the test, with herself as the guinea pig. She wore the Furlesse patches for a week as she slept, to see if they could reduce or even prevent visible wrinkles.

She found that the strips did visibly diminish the appearance of facial wrinkles – so long as she was wearing them. Once removed, her wrinkles reappeared. According to a New York dermatologist quoted in the piece, the patches could potentially prove useful in stemming wrinkles by preventing involuntary facial movements while we sleep, but would take a lot longer than a week to show results.

And since the effects are only noticeable while the strips are worn, it means they won’t do you much good beyond the pillow – unless you’re willing to wear them out on the town. Actresses like Dietrich and Crawford did wear the strips in real life, hidden beneath wigs, but Way says, “unless he’s lost his sense of sight and touch, or is completely clueless, any guy will notice that you have these on.”

If you’re looking for more long-term results that are noticeable in your everyday life, and the idea of wearing adhesive strips 24/7 doesn’t appeal to you, there’s no contest – Botox wins out. Though, as with any cosmetic procedure, it shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Book a consultation with your plastic surgeon before you decide.