How do you know if Botox is right for you? 8 Burning Questions Answered
Aging causes face expression wrinkles, which begin to appear after the age of 20 and become permanent and easily recognizable after the age of 30.
Botox injections are the most popular cosmetic procedures existing today, being used for aesthetic purposes for about 20 years. Botox anti-wrinkle treatments relax muscles, smooth wrinkles, and prevent them from reforming.
Although commonly used, Botox surrounds itself with many widespread myths: that it can cause diseases and that it can lead to muscle atrophy. These claims are all false because the amount injected into the body is harmless.
If you are still wondering what Botox is and if it is the right procedure for your needs, read on to find out 10 answers to the 10 most common Botox-related questions.
What is Botox?
Botulinum toxin or Botox is a neurotoxin derived from a bacterium that allows for muscle relaxation once it reaches the nerve end. Botox blocks the passage of the impulse from the nerve to the corresponding muscle, simply put, botulinum toxin is a substance that contributes to muscle relaxation and, consequently, to the disappearance or significant attenuation of wrinkles.
Botox injections are successfully associated with other interventions in aesthetic medicine, such as injections with collagen or hyaluronic acid, chemical peels, laser, lifting.
What are areas that we can be treated with Botox injections?
There are various aesthetic areas that you can treat with botulinum toxin.
Through botulinum toxin injections, patients can be treated for dynamic wrinkles created by muscle hyperactivity, especially on the upper face. The areas where Botox is injected are:
glabella (area between the eyebrows)
forehead
the outer corner of the eyes (goosefoot)
the base of the nose (or internal angle of the eyes)
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) in the axillary, palmar, or plantar area, excessive sebum secretion, or diffuse erythema can also be combated.
Is there an age limit when getting Botox injections?
Botox injections can be started preventively around the age of 28-30 when wrinkles are not that deep. A face that is already marked by wrinkles at the age of 25-28 can resort to botulinum toxin injection without any problem. Sometimes it is only necessary to inject the area around the eyes. At this age, the dose used is usually minimal and, after repeated injections, may be reduced by half.
Forehead wrinkles can be treated when they are present. Some practitioners recommend taking a few units at the contour of the face (jaw) to prevent loss of tone at this level (Nefertiti lift).
Initially, it was thought that patients over the age of 65 did not respond sufficiently to treatment or that Botox was dangerous at that age. Indeed, some of these patients responded minimally, especially those who had long-term exposure to the sun throughout their lives, but others responded to treatment like any other person.
Is Botox injection painful?
The procedure is performed with the help of syringes and needles specially created to inject extremely small amounts of botulinum toxin, and because of this, the technique is easily bearable.
No local anesthesia is needed, the punctures are superficial, and the needles are extremely slim. Therefore the injections are usually easily tolerated by patients.
How long do Botox treatments last?
Botox injections can last 3, 6, maybe even 8 months, depending on the injected area.
On the face, the effect is installed in 3-5 days and maximum in 2-4 weeks. Sometimes a retouch is used 14 days after the initial meeting.
In the case of hyperhidrosis, Botox is injected into the superficial dermis after applying an anesthetic cream, but a higher dose and dilution are used. The results appear every 3-5 days and last 4-6 months, covering practically the whole warm season.
What are the benefits of Botox injections?
The advantages of Botox injections are related to the fact that the procedure is quick, the discomfort is minimal, and the results appear fast (3-5 days), without recovery time.
Adverse reactions to the product are very rare, making it one of the safest cosmetic procedures.
What are the potential risks of Botox?
If not injected correctly, Botox may sometimes deform the face. The most common complication is ptosis of the upper eyelid (2-3% of injections), but which is reversible in about a month and can be treated with a special eye drop treatment.
Other side effects include localized redness, bruising, swelling, headache, cold symptoms, nausea, all of which disappear after a few hours or several days.
Only a few cases of severe allergies have been reported to patients all around the world.
How often do you need to repeat Botox injections?
Many patients need only one annual Botox injection for wrinkles on the forehead and 2 or 3 for eye wrinkles.
The percentage of patients satisfied with Botox is very high, especially if you know how to select and adjust the dose for each.
Over time, with repeated injections every 4-6 months, the degree of satisfaction increases, especially if the injections are associated with hyaluronic acid, because permanent results can be obtained by eliminating wrinkles or reducing the frequency of injections, and therefore the cost.
Final Words
Like with any other cosmetic procedure, choosing an experienced beautician is essential. The appearance of the “frozen look” can be avoided by injecting the dose appropriate to the muscular tone of each person. Generally, this occurs when too much botulinum toxin is injected.
In terms of recommendations, a few days before and after treatment, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory pills (pain or cold and flu pills) are prohibited.
Also, about a week before, stop taking supplements vitamin C, E, Gingko Biloba, or other homeopathic combinations that may increase bleeding during the procedure.
To help the patient understand the complete procedure and the stages of healing, we recommend a consultation in which the patient will complete a health record and will be presented with all the details related to the Botox treatment.