Botox

When our skin is young and healthy, it has a tight, “rubber band-like quality” and can easily snap back into place after it is pinched or pulled out of shape. Whenever we use our face to communicate emotions by making facial expressions or when talking or eating, the facial skin is being moved by the underlying muscles. This includes facial movements like blinking, frowning, squinting, and raising our brows each day. Wrinkles eventually begin to form in the areas where these muscles are constantly contracting. The resulting lines are called dynamic wrinkles or expression wrinkles.

Our skin also becomes thinner and weaker over time due to a combination of damage from external stressors (like ultraviolet radiation) and intrinsic aging. This leads to collagen deficiency, which makes wrinkles develop more easily and appear more pronounced. Ultimately, grooves worn into older skin by active muscles become visible even when the muscles are at rest.

Manufacturer Allergan is the maker of BOTOX® Cosmetic. The first question many patients considering this treatment have is: “What is BOTOX® made of?” Simply put, BOTOX® is an injectable introduced directly into the skin in a liquid form for the purpose of minimizing facial wrinkles and addressing other signs of aging. The key ingredient it contains is botulinum toxin type A, a protein produced by bacteria found in certain natural environments.

This protein is very good at preventing muscle contractions by interfering with signals sent through the nervous system. When the brain sends signals to muscles to get them to contract— and cause wrinkles to appear on the surface of the skin—BOTOX® stops the message from arriving, keeping the muscles at rest and softening the lines formed by otherwise constant movement. The overlying skin lies smoother, creating a more youthful and unlined look.

BOTOX® is mainly used on the upper areas of the face, particularly on the eyes and forehead where there is a lot of muscle activity and the skin is thinner. BOTOX® is FDA approved specifically for minimizing moderate to severe lines and wrinkles including crow’s feet (tiny lines around the corners of the eyes), forehead lines (lines that run horizontally on the forehead), and glabellar lines (vertical frown lines or “11s” between the eyebrows).

Virtually anyone would be a good candidate for BOTOX® as long as they are physically healthy and don’t have underlying health conditions that would keep them from getting the injectable. In order to determine that BOTOX® is the best course of action for each patient, our cosmetic injector first conducts an examination of the patient’s skin, obtains a medical history prior, and discusses general and specific cosmetic goals.

Ideal BOTOX® candidates are women and men over the age of 18 who see unwanted moderate to severe frown lines near the forehead and eyes and want to correct them, while maintaining realistic expectations. Many patients favor this injectable because they want a quick and convenient treatment that requires no downtime, and they understand that the convenience of the treatment means results are temporary.

Women who are pregnant or nursing and patients with neuromuscular diseases are not ideal candidates for BOTOX® and should discuss alternative options during their consultation. Some people who have weakness in the facial muscles, drooping eyelids, pronounced facial scars, active skin disorders, or very thick facial skin may also not be considered good BOTOX® candidates.

One of the chief reasons behind this cosmetic treatment’s popularity is the fact that BOTOX® allows patients the freedom and privacy to go to an appointment and return to work, socializing, and running errands right away, without any downtime. The lengthiest part of the process is the discussion with a cosmetic injector prior to treatment.

During this consultation, the cosmetic injector examines the patient’s skin and discusses the patient’s concerns, and the cosmetic injector and patient come to an agreement about the best course of treatment. For patients interested in a single BOTOX® treatment, the appointment will last about half an hour, and the injection process itself requires only about 10 minutes. At the beginning of the appointment, the injector may apply a topical numbing cream to the areas being addressed.

Depending on the area being treated and severity of the lines being addressed, the number of injections can vary. Crow’s feet, for example, require the cosmetic injector to administer three injections into the muscles near the right eye, with another three for the left side. Forehead frown lines typically require more injections. Prior to getting started, the BOTOX® injector will walk you through the process, including the exact number of injections you can expect.

BOTOX® injections are almost completely painless. Many patients compare the physical sensation of the injection to a mild pinching feeling. Anyone concerned with how they might react to the needles can discuss this during their consultation, when we can come up with a solution to make the process as comfortable and stress-free as possible.