Botox

Botox

Throughout history, people have looked for ways to achieve a younger, more radiant  look by improving their facial appearance.  A procedure utilizing Botox® (Botulinum Toxin) is used for the treatment of facial lines and wrinkles.  Botox® has been safely used for certain medical conditions for more than a decade. This procedure, sometimes referred to as cosmetic denervation, has been widely used and is considered a safe and effective way of treating aging skin.  It is used to eliminate or reduce worry and frown lines, “crow’s feet”, laugh lines and other wrinkles sometimes called dynamic wrinkles. The procedure works best on the wrinkles appearing in the upper one-third of the face, because its use on the lower two-thirds might cause distortion of a person’s smile or facial expressions.

The procedure works by physiologically weakening facial muscles beneath the skin that are related to expression lines.  The contractions of those muscles result in wrinkles.  Botox® works by blocking the impulses from the nerve to the facial muscles thereby relaxing them.  The result is that the pull of the underlying facial muscles relax causing the skin to flatten.  This results in a smooth, unwrinkled look.

The procedure

Before the injections, Local Anaesthetic cream is applied on the areas to be injected.

Botox® is injected into various locations on the face.  The needle is extremely small and only a tiny amount of liquid is injected at one time.

Because there is no sedative or anesthetic used, patients can return to normal activities immediately after the procedure.  It is possible to experience a mild headache after the procedure.  Our physician may recommend acetaminophen if this should occur.  Our physician may also recommend that the patient not lie down for 3 or 4 hours following treatment.  Some facial exercises may be recommended.  The treatment takes three to eight days to take effect.  The benefits will last from three to six months.  A touch-up may be necessary 1 to 2 weeks after the initial treatment.

When the toxin begins to wear off, the wrinkles begin to reappear; however, they frequently are not as deep as the original ones.  It usually takes two or three injections each year to maintain the smooth, youthful appearance that is desired.  Clinical studies suggest that, after several rounds of treatment, the patient may require injections less often.

Side Effects

There are no serious side effects associated with this treatment.  There may be a small amount of bruising around the treated areas; however, this is temporary.  On rare occasions, the needle may puncture a blood vessel which can result in a black and blue bruise around the treated area.  This disappears in a few days.  Another side effect that occurs only rarely is a slight drooping of the eyebrow or upper eyelid.  Fortunately, when this occurs, it corrects itself in two to three weeks.  There are no other visible signs of the treatment.

Botox® injections may not be suitable for persons with pre-existing medical conditions or allergies.

We recommend treatments every three months for the first year. As the muscles atrophy you will require less frequent treatments.

Botox Pre/Post Treatment

• Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen-like medications for 1 week before or after treatment.
• Avoid lying down or massaging the treated area for 4 hours after treatment.
• Do not exercise for 24 hours.
• Exercise the treated muscles.
• If you get a headache (as some people do for a few hours after the treatment), you may take a Tylenol, unless otherwise advised by your physician.
• You may take Arnica tablets if there is any bruising in the site of injections, or if you are prone to bruising.

You will notice the effect of the Botox in 5 to 10 days.