The latest trendsetters say 50 is the new 40, and 40 is the new 30. There's no doubt that baby boomers want to maintain health and a youthful appearance.

Beauty aids such as Botox and Restylane, a filler, are becoming household words as more people -- men and women -- seek ways to smooth out wrinkles.

"You get these lines here with age, and you look like you're frowning all the time," Canales said, pointing to her brow. "I had three lines that were pretty deep. It always looked like I was mad -- I didn't like it."

"The results aren't permanent, of course," he said. "We can't stop the aging process completely, but for the money, the results can be very impressive."

"One of the reasons it's so popular is that it's safe and it's cheaper than surgery," said Miller, who is also chief of plastic surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso.

"Botox is one of the most lethal toxins on earth," Nassour said matter-of-factly. "But look at a scalpel. It's lethal, too. It's knowing how to use this product that's important."

Botox used by doctors is a medically sterile form of the bacterium. It works by paralyzing muscles. When the muscle can't move, the creases and brow "frowns" diminish markedly, Nassour said.

It can take from a few hours to a couple of days for the effects of Botox to begin. Within a week, most brow indentions and crow's-feet will hardly be seen.

If not injected correctly, Botox can cause an unnatural look to the face. It can cause an eye to drop or, if used inappropriately on creases or wrinkles on the neck, Botox can hinder breathing.

"It really can reduce the appearance of frowning that some people have," Nassour said. "And in many cases, that can be very important professionally and socially."

Before Botox was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 for cosmetic use, doctors were using it to treat eye muscle disorders. That's how doctors discovered that Botox could diminish wrinkles, temporarily.

Botox is also being used to treat other bona fide medical conditions, such as severe muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders, facial spasms, excessive sweating and even migraine headaches.

Researchers continue to study more uses of Botox to treat chronic neck and back pain, the FDA Consumer Magazine states in its July-August 2002 issue.

the common use of Botox sometimes causes patients to disregard the potential danger of misuse. Here on the U.S.-Mexico border, Botox can be easily obtained in Mexico and distributed for Botox parties.

Nassour said people interested in Botox should seek a treatment only in a medical setting and, preferably, by a plastic surgeon or a skilled dermatologist.

It's not advisable to use Botox in these areas, Nassour said, because the temporary paralysis of the muscles would affect the way a person speaks or smiles.

Canales was in Nassour's office recently to have Restylane injected in some "laugh" lines beside the nose and mouth. It was her first time to try Restylane.

Nassour carefully inserted a very fine needle into the light creases along Canales' mouth and nose. It looked a bit painful, but Nassour also had administered local anesthesia earlier; Canales sat perfectly still.

"The redness and mild swelling you see now will diminish soon, and in about 10 minutes or so Connie would be able to put on makeup with no problem," Nassour said as he continued to slip the needle down to the sides of Canales' mouth.

Animal- or human-based fillers such as collagen and fat from one's own body have been used for years to help fill in trouble spots on the face.

Restylane is made from hyaluronic acid, which is found in the body. Before plastic surgeons use collagen, they have to test a small amount on a patient. That can lead to delays of up to three months before a treatment can be given, Nassour said.

"The good thing about products like Restylane and Botox is that the results are temporary," Miller said. "If you don't like the result, you can just wait until it wears off."

Restylane must be used with extreme caution in the area under the eye. If it is injected incorrectly, it can cause blindness. Nassour knows of two such cases that occurred in El Paso.

"Research, research, research -- that includes finding a good plastic surgeon who knows what he's doing," Canales said. "Look for the plastic surgeon symbol next to their name, the circle. It could spare you a lot of grief."

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