Botox
What areas can Botox be used to treat? All neurotoxins can be used to soften fine lines and wrinkles in the upper 1/3 part of the face. They can also be used to make a round face appear more oval, to turn the corners of your mouth slightly upward giving a more youthful appearance, to treat a gummy smile, soften a horizontal line across the bridge of the nose and to treat hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating) in the underarms, palms of hands and soles of the feet.
How long does Botox last? All neurotoxins will last approximately 3-4 months in the face and 9-10 months for hyperhidrosis.
Do the muscles gets lazy from lack of movement? As the neurotoxin wears off the muscles are then able to move similar to before treatment.
What’s the history of Botox? Botox (Botulinum toxin) was discovered in 1920 as a toxin that caused muscles paralysis and death. In the 1950s it was found that in small doses it helped reduce muscle spasms. In 1989 the FDA approved the use of Botox to treat problems with eye muscles. Finally, in 2002 Botox was approved for cosmetic purposes to treat forehead wrinkles. Since then Botox has been used to treat fine lines and wrinkles of the face (including crow’s feet, forehead lines, frown lines and horizontal lines of the neck), hyperhidrosis, muscles spasms of the neck and shoulder, overactive bladder, GI dysmotility problems, and chronic migraines.
Have the ingredients of Botox changed? The ingredients of all neurotoxins have not changed although the process in which it is made is slightly different between them. There are 4 main forms of neurotoxin (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin and Jeuveau). There are other brands of neurotoxin making their way to the market.
What will I look like after the treatment? There is always the possibility of bruising post injection which resolves in 4-5 days. Injections in the forehead will leave small bumps that disappear over the course of 12-24 hours.
How long does it take to work? Botox is at full effect 7-10 days after treatment which is the same for Xeomin and Jeuveau. Whereas, Dysport will be at full effect in 3 days.
At what age should I start using Botox? Any neurotoxin can be started in women or men in their 20s predominantly for prevention of wrinkle formation. At this age much less neurotoxin is required and may not be required every 3-4 months. As we age our fine lines and wrinkles may be require a more consistent treatment plan to soften those lines over time. It is never too late to start neurotoxin treatment, but the longer you wait the more patient you will have to be.