Botox®
What is Botox® Cosmetic?
Botox® is a naturally occurring protein that can be easily injected into select facial and neck muscles to soften wrinkles and reduce frown lines. It uses the Botulinum toxin (BTX), which is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium bacterium. Botox® is used in miniscule amounts to relax wrinkles caused by muscle contractions.
Is Botox®Cosmetic safe?
Although Botox® is very potent in high concentrations, in cosmetic treatments it is used in small, safe quantities. Botox® usage was approved in in 1990. One safety feature of Botox® is that it’s not permanent. Your body will form new neurotransmitters that will allow reactivation of the muscle; the injected area will completely recover over time.
How long does it last?
For most patients, it lasts between 3 and 4 months. We suggest re-injection every 3-4 months to keep the muscles inactive and allow furrows to smooth out completely. Once an area is smooth, you’ll only need to return once you notice a return in muscle movement, which may not occur for up to 4 to 6 months.
Is treatment painful?
We use very small needles, and the medicine itself stings less than a local anesthetic. If you are concerned about pain, we will use ice to cool your skin right before an injection.
What areas are most commonly treated?
The most common areas are the forehead lines, the lines between the brow known as frown lines, crow’s feet lines around the eyes, lines around the mouth and chin.
What are the other uses of Botox® Cosmetic?
Botox® works well to smooth aging skin in the neck area, reducing necklace lines and softening neck bands and jaw lines. It is also used to lift low or sagging eyebrows. Botox® Cosmetic can eliminate gum show (excessive gum visible above the upper teeth when smiling), and a few units of Botox® Cosmetic can reduce perioral lines (lines that radiate out from the mouth) and even make lips look somewhat fuller. It can stop chin dimpling and reduce fine wrinkling on the chest.
What should I expect after my treatment?
The effects of Botox® Cosmetic treatments are not immediate. You will notice some muscle weakness several days after an injection, with weakness peaking at about 14 days. To ensure the treatment is effective and to prevent side effects, we advise that you consciously use the muscle for the first 30 to 60 minutes. Intentionally making the muscle contract helps localize the protein to the selected muscle for best results.
Are there any side effects?
Botox® Cosmetic is usually very well tolerated. It is by far one of the simplest and easiest procedures performed by Dr. Nield. Occasionally, you may notice some numbness in the injected area. If used around the eyes, it can cause a short spell of dry eyes (a rare side effect), and if it’s used around the mouth, it may cause a temporary dry mouth sensation. Some people occasionally experience bruising and headaches.
Complications are rare; temporary drooping of one or both eyelids occurs in well below 1% of all injections. If it does happen, effects are usually minimal and resolve within a couple of weeks.
Am I a good candidate for Botox® Cosmetic?
The effect that Botox® Cosmetic will have on you (and the length of time it will last) depends on a number of factors:
- Your gender. Women’s facial muscles are easier to relax, which means that the smoothing effect is more complete and longer-lasting, but men are also very good candidates for this treatment.
- Your age. Anyone over 18 will respond to Botox® Cosmetic. More individuals are starting treatments at an earlier age to prevent lines from forming in the first place.
- The thickness of your skin. Thinner skin responds better and has a more stable result than thicker, coarser skin.
- The expressiveness of your face. The more naturally animated your expressions, the better the results.
- The area being treated. The facial areas that generally respond best to Botox® Cosmetic treatments are foreheads, central frown lines and exaggerated crow’s feet around the eyes.
- The amount and concentration of the Botox® Cosmetic being used. Each facial zone requires an optimum amount of Botox® to get the best results.
For safety reasons, it is our policy not to treat women who are pregnant or nursing. If you become pregnant shortly before or after treatment, please rest assured that a number of medical patients have delivered healthy children after receiving Botox® injections.
If you have a history of neuromuscular disease (such as multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis) or other types of disease involving neurotransmission, you should avoid this treatment.
If you are taking aminoglycoside antibiotics (Streptomycin, Tobramycin and Garamycin injections), penacillamine, quinine and calcium channel blockers (Calan, Cardizem, Dilacor, Norvasc, Procardia, Verelan), you may experience increased effects of Botox® Cosmetic in the injected muscles.
If you are taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin or Advil, stop taking them at least 4 days prior to treatment, since may cause excessive bruising or bleeding.
How can Botox® Cosmetic make my neck look younger?
Botox® can be injected into the anterior neck bands to make them less prominent. This technique softens the appearance of the neck, and gives it a slight lift by tightening the surrounding skin. Botox® can also reduce “necklace lines.”
How can Botox® Cosmetic be combined with other facial procedures?
We often use it in combination with other procedures, giving you better, more dramatic results:
- YAG Laser treatments for fine lines If you have significant wrinkles on your forehead and around your eyes, Botox® Cosmetic will enhance the results of YAG laser treatments.
- Deep folds and wrinkles. If you have persistent lines and furrows even after a treatment, they can be smoothed with injectable soft tissue fillers. Small amounts of Botox® Cosmetic and soft tissue fillers can also be combined to correct droopy mouth corners.
- Photo rejuvenation. We often combine Botox® Cosmetic with our Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment to reverse sun damage.
- Chemical peels. This non-invasive technique freshens your skin and enhances the benefits of Botox® Cosmetic.
- Photodynamic therapy. We can also combine Botox® with PDT to further revitalize your skin.
- Microdermabrasion, Acthyderm® treatments, and anti-aging
products recommended by Dr. Nield can further enhance your treatments.
I suffer from hyperhydrosis. Am I a candidate for Botox® Therapeutic treatments?
Yes, if you are over age 18 and Dr. Nield has examined you and found you to be in otherwise good health with no underlying reasons for the excess sweating. Please feel free to call for a consult with Dr. Nield to see if this treatment is right for you.
How is a Botox® Therapeutic treatment done?
Dr. Nield will perform a minor starch iodine test to determine the location of the sweat and the amount of Botox® Therapeutic needed. Multiple tiny needle pricks will be made during the treatment, which takes less than 30 minutes.
How long will the effects last?
The reduction of sweat may begin within 1 to 2 weeks and can last for 7 to 9 months.
