Would you love to look more youthful and refreshed? BOTOX® Cosmetic may be the answer. This cosmetic treatment reduces the appearance of facial wrinkles and glabellar lines, the deep lines on the forehead. BOTOX also effectively diminishes crow’s feet wrinkles in the eye area. It’s an in-office treatment that takes only a few minutes and lasts for three to six months.
What Is BOTOX?
BOTOX is an injectable treatment for the lines and wrinkles that are caused by repetitive muscle movements. Over time, the movement of facial muscles contributes to wrinkle formation because the skin overlying the muscles is pulled when the muscles contract. Eventually, these wrinkles can become permanent, so they’re visible even when you’re not contracting those muscles. For instance, if you develop frown lines between your eyes, eventually those lines may be there even when you’re not frowning. The same thing applies to crow’s feet wrinkles, which many people develop partly due to squinting. For instance, being outside in the sun without appropriate eyewear or having uncorrected poor eyesight can contribute to crow’s feet wrinkles. Eventually, the wrinkles are visible even when you’re not squinting. BOTOX® is a brand name for botulinum toxin. This toxin is produced by a particular species of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. When it’s injected in tiny amounts into facial muscles, it paralyzes them and prevents them from contracting. This means they no longer exert the effect that causes facial wrinkles to form. After a BOTOX® injection, the relaxation of the facial muscles eases the wrinkles overlying the muscles. Deep glabellar lines become softer and less prominent. Some lines may disappear completely.While BOTOX isn’t a permanent treatment, it is long-lasting—approximately three to six months. As it wears off, you may choose to get another injection.
What Can BOTOX Do for You?
The main use of BOTOX® is as a treatment for facial lines and wrinkles, but it only affects lines and wrinkles that are caused by muscle movements—for instance, facial expressions such as smiling and frowning. BOTOX® doesn’t work on wrinkles and lines caused by sun damage or loss of facial volume. However, dermal filler treatments can effectively improve the appearance of wrinkles caused by loss of facial volume. What does BOTOX® work on?
Forehead lines – These include the lines caused by frowning that appear between the eyes or on the forehead. BOTOX® can reduce the appearance of deep glabellar lines, so they’re less prominent. If the lines aren’t deep, BOTOX® may be able to eliminate them entirely.
Lines and wrinkles around the eyes – When these lines are the result of smiling and other facial movements, BOTOX can temporarily improve the appearance of crow’s feet wrinkles and lines.
Underarm sweating – BOTOX can treat moderate to severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. In this treatment, BOTOX® is injected into the sweat glands underneath your arms. It works within a few days to dramatically reduce the amount of sweat you produce there.
Medical uses – Injections of BOTOX® can ease chronic migraines. It can also help people with cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis by reducing limb spasticity.
Can BOTOX Prevent the Formation of Lines and Wrinkles?
Yes! Because it keeps muscles from contracting, it affects how new facial wrinkles and lines form. When used regularly, BOTOX can slow down the formation of new lines to keep your skin looking smoother for longer. If you start BOTOX® treatment before forehead lines start to form, you can delay the development of those lines.
How Long Does BOTOX Last?
BOTOX is a temporary treatment. Most BOTOX treatments, including for underarm sweating, last between three and six months. It can last longer in some people than others.
How Much BOTOX Do You Need?
When you have a BOTOX treatment, you’ll receive a certain number of injections per facial area to be treated. The preparation with which you’re injected is measured in units. The number of units you’ll need depends mainly on how deep your lines are. Deeper lines often need more units of BOTOX than shallow lines. This is why more units are needed to treat forehead glabellar lines than to treat crow’s feet. In addition, the number of units you need may vary depending on the thickness of your skin. The thicker the skin, the more units that are often necessary. For this reason, men tend to need more BOTOX than women for comparable treatments. The average person needs:
- 15 to 25 units for a forehead treatment
- 20 to 30 units for lines between the eyes
- 5 to 10 units for crow’s feet wrinkles
If you have all 3 treatments in one session, you can expect to need between 40 and 65 units of BOTOX.
What Is a BOTOX Injection Like?
The actual treatment typically takes less time than the consultation! Depending on how many areas you want to improve, your BOTOX treatment could be over in as few as 10 minutes. BOTOX injections use a very fine needle. The needle is so small, it causes only a minimal amount of discomfort. If you’re concerned about the discomfort, tell the trained individual administering your BOTOX. They may be able to suggest ways to help you relax when you’re receiving injections.
BOTOX Recovery
After the treatment is over, you can go about the rest of your day as normal. You can even return to work right away, as there’s no recovery period. You should avoid exercise and strenuous activity for the first 24 hours. This is important because some kinds of movement can increase the risk that BOTOX might spread from the injection sites to other parts of your face. Take this into account as you plan the rest of your day. For instance, if you normally run or bike to work, you’ll need to make other arrangements on the day you have a BOTOX treatment. It takes three to seven days to see the full results of a BOTOX treatment. During the week after receiving injections, you can expect a little bruising at the injection sites. To reduce this, avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin, for the two weeks before your treatment. Note: BOTOX symptoms, such as bruising, can take a few days to resolve. If you’re getting an injection in preparation for a special event, take this into account when you make your appointment! It’s best to allow at least a week in between the BOTOX treatment and the event.
BOTOX Risks and Complications
BOTOX is derived from a bacterial toxin that is dangerous if taken in large amounts. The amount of toxin used in BOTOX treatments is tiny, so the side effects of the treatment are minimal. BOTOX was FDA-approved for the treatment of frown lines and crow’s feet wrinkles in 2002. For most people, BOTOX treatments cause only light bruising at the injection sites. Some people have headaches in the first couple of days after treatment. BOTOX does have some serious side effects, but these are very rare. One such side effect is drooping eyelids, which can occur on one or both sides of the face. This is temporary and can happen if the BOTOX moves away from the injection site. Drooping eyelids usually return to normal within two to three weeks. You can minimize the risk of this side effect by protecting the injection sites. Don’t touch them or allow anyone else to touch them for at least 12 hours after treatment. Some other rare side effects include:
- Blurred vision or double vision
- Trouble breathing
- Urinary incontinence or urinary tract infection
- Allergic reaction
If you have any side effects that concern you, tell your doctor or healthcare professional. Another risk is that people with the autoimmune disorder myasthenia gravis may have a flare-up of symptoms if they have BOTOX injections.
Your BOTOX Consultation
At your BOTOX consultation, you’ll meet with one of our board-certified and fellowship-trained cosmetic surgeons or Elaine Ver Halen, MPAS, PA-C at the DFW Center for Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery office. They will explain the procedure and the improvements you can expect from a BOTOX treatment. If you have any questions, this is a great time to ask them!
How to Pay for Your BOTOX Treatment
DFW Center for Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery accepts a number of different payment methods. These include the healthcare credit cards CareCredit® and Alphaeon Credit®. Another option is to pay using a secured loan from United Medical Credit or Enhance Patient Finance. United Medical Credit offers options for both prime and subprime loans, with multiple plan options and payment terms. Other options include:
- Credit card
- Cash or cashier’s check
- In-house financing
- Other loans
Are You Ready to Find Out What BOTOX Could Do for You?
Those first signs of aging can make you feel self-conscious and insecure, especially if you’re not ready for them! But there’s no reason to feel that way. Aging happens to everyone; there’s nothing wrong with getting older. There’s also nothing wrong with deciding to enhance your natural appearance. BOTOX can smooth out lines and wrinkles in one short in-office treatment. It can even help prevent or slow down the formation of new ones. If you’re interested in finding out what BOTOX can do for you, make an appointment for a consultation with us. BOTOX won’t turn you into a new person, but it can help you become the best version of yourself!