Botox®
Skin > Botox®
REMOVING FACIAL WRINKLES WITHOUT SURGERY!
We can now remove or substantially reduce some very prominent facial wrinkles without surgery. By injecting a small amount of dilute Botox ® into certain facial muscles, those muscles are temporarily weakened. Consequently, the wrinkles in the overlying facial skin flatten out and effectively disappear.
What Is Botox® And How Does It Work?
Many of the wrinkles that develop on our faces as we age are a result of the repeated contraction of certain muscles of expression. This is particularly true for the wrinkles around the outer edges of our eyes, or crow’s feet, the horizontal lines across the forehead and the vertical frown lines. The contraction of the muscles of expression over many years cases the wrinkles in the skin that overlays them. Years of squinting, smiling, frowning, and worrying forms the wrinkles on the skin. These wrinkles are known as Dynamic Wrinkles. Botox ® acts on these wrinkles. When injected into the muscle, it temporarily prevents that particular muscle from contracting causing the wrinkle to flatten and become softer.
Which Areas of the Face Can Be Treated?
Botox® can only be used to those muscles that are not critical to the normal function of the face. This limits treatment to wrinkles around certain areas of the face, such as the--
- outer edge of the eyes (crow’s feet),
- forehead wrinkles and the vertical lines between our eyebrows or frown lines.
- Experience with Botox has widened the use of Botox to other areas of the face.
- The masseter muscle can be very prominent and gives a wide appearance to the angle of the jaw. Botox can soften the wide jaw look.
- Small muscle that pulls the corner of the mouth down can be treated to elevate the corner of the mouth.
- Small muscle under the nose pulls the tip of the nose down especially when smiling can be treated to prevent the hooking down of the nasal tip.
- Muscle that pulls the upper lip up, giving the gummy smile can be treated to improve on the gummy smile.
How Long the Injection Lasts?
The effects of a Botox® injection last from three to six months. When weakness of the muscle wears off, the affected muscle will again start to contract and the wrinkles in the overlying skin return. In order to maintain the desired cosmetic result, the injection process must be repeated as the effects of the previous injections wear off.
What Does Treatment With Botox® Involve?
Botox® injection is an office procedure. There no down time or after care required. It takes about fifteen minutes to inject the muscles of expression that cause the wrinkles in the affected areas.
You may notice mild redness and occasional bruising at the injection sites. The medication can spread or accidentally affect surrounding muscle and cause droopy eye lid, or weakness of that specific muscle .
You can return to your normal routine after the injections without any restrictions in your activities. Avoid rubbing the injected areas.
Botox takes about 5 days to start working. The effect can last from three to six months. The injections must be repeated to maintain the desirable cosmetic results.
Are There Any Side Effects Or Adverse Effects Of These Injections?
Botox® is has proven safety record, when used in the manner described and in appropriate medical setting. There are no systemic effects from the local injection of this material into the facial muscles of expression. Very rarely, an adjacent muscle to one that is injected is also affected, producing an unwanted result. This unwanted weakness is only temporary and wears off in about three weeks.
Imitation Botox is flooding the market. Make sure and ask where the Botox used on you was purchased from. There is only one company that manufactures Botox in the United States.
It is important to remember that this is a medical treatment and should be administered only by a physician with in-depth familiarity with the facial muscles and their function.
The combination of Botox and wrinkle filler is more powerful treatment to smooth deep wrinkles.
Are There Other Cosmetic Procedures That Remove Facial Wrinkles?
There are a number of cosmetic procedures that have been developed over the years to improve on facial wrinkles, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The injection of fillers is popular and effective. The combination of Botox® and fillers can be very effective. Fillers can be used to all types of wrinkles where Botox is not.
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Chemical or laser peels, and formal surgical facelifts, are specifically used to reduce facial wrinkling. These procedures can be used over the entire face and are longer lasting than Botox®.
When The Indications Are Right, Botox® Is Hard To Beat!
Botox® injections are very safe and yield exceedingly desirable and dramatic cosmetic results for the money spent. The procedure is done quickly in the doctor's office, without any recovery time needed. For those busy people with unsightly wrinkling about the eyes and forehead, Botox® is the ideal procedure.
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