We all get older but many are not ready for invasive and extensive surgery. Fortunately, there are ways to reverse the inevitable signs of aging without surgery or a long recovery period. We welcome you to the amazing world of Botox for that more youthful and vibrant look!
What is Botox and how does it work?
Botulinum purified neurotoxin complex has the trade name Botox. Botox therapy works the best for those lines that are directly associated with muscle movement. Tiny amounts of this purified protein is injected into specific facial muscles responsible for the creation of facial lines and wrinkles. Botox has been used by medical doctors for various different medical conditions for over twenty years. In addition to cosmetic treatments, Botox can be used for excessive sweating of the underarms and palms and also for excessive headaches and migraines.
What is most commonly treated with Botox?
Facial lines, wrinkles over the forehead, next to the eyes and around the mouth are most commonly treated with Botox.
How often do you have to have Botox therapy?
There are various factors that play a role in the frequency of your Botox treatments. Since all people are different and have different lifestyles, a professional assessment is needed before any treatment can commence and is available with a physician at our clinic. The depth of the wrinkles and the size of muscles are taken into consideration. Botox therapy is temporary and therefore requires repeated treatments. On average, depending on the above factors, treatment lasts about 2-4 months. The effect of your treatment is seen within 3 – 5 days. It takes two weeks before you see the full result of your specific treatment and it could require more than one treatment before optimal results can be seen. Repeat treatments will result in longer lasting effects and improved smoothing of wrinkles.
Are there any side effects with Botox?
There is no permanent side effect known with Botox therapy for any of the current treatments it is being used for. There are, however, several temporary side effects that may occur:
- Although a tiny needle is being used to minimize discomfort, there may still be some pain involved – using a topical anesthetic cream can help. We use the Coolmax R to make treatments virtually pain free at our clinic.
- There could be some bruising in the area of injection.
- Eyelid or eyebrow droop may be seen in <1% of patients receiving Botox therapy. This is however a temporary side effect which is mild and only lasts about 4 weeks. Inform us immediately if this should occur as eyedrops are available to reverse eyelid droop.
- Botox should not be given to pregnant women, nursing mothers or people with certain muscle diseases (MS).
Post Care
Patients are advised to not lie down for 4 hours after treatment to minimize eyelid drooping. Strenuous activities should not be done for at least 24 hours. For better results we ask our patients to frown or squint every 10 minutes (be animated with your face) for 1 hour after the treatment to achieve the best results.
The facial movement allows the Botox to bind better in the area for longer lasting results.
Injecting Botox is an art as well as a science, our staff is experienced and welcome your questions and will address any possible concerns.
