Botulinum Toxin | Botox®

Botox, or Botulinum toxin type A, is used to remove wrinkles cosmetically by temporarily paralyzing the underlying muscles and medically to treat certain muscular conditions, such as, excessive sweating, migraines, muscular spasms, and some bladder and bowel disorders. It is the most popular non-invasive cosmetic treatment, and has been known for over a century. It is used in medical purposes for more than 50 years. Botox stands for Botulinum Toxin and it is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Although Botox is a powerful poison, it has huge demand and has proven to be a successful and valuable therapeutic protein.

If you decide that Botox® is for you then you will be in the comfort of one of our clinics with an experienced practitioner throughout each step. A consultation will be arranged and a treatment plan will be created, and once you are happy we will continue with the procedure. The procedure itself doesn’t take long, no anaesthesia is required and it is virtually painless. Botox® is injected with a super fine needle into specific muscles. Once the practitioner has finished injecting, some aftercare advice will be given, and a follow up appointment is arranged for 14 days following the treatment.

Procedure

The target areas are cleansed with a non-alcohol cleanser prior to being injected. Some doctors’ will also apply a topical anesthetic to further reduce discomfort. Then small amounts of Botulinum toxin are injected into the muscles to be treated to have some limited activity of the area. Several injections are injected at different sites, which blocks nerve impulses to those tissues. The muscle activity that causes the frown lines is reduced, which results in a smoother look. The skin usually has a difficult time wrinkling if it doesn’t have a contracting muscles beneath it.

The Practitioner uses a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of Botox in the target areas. The number of Botox injections required usually depends on many factors, one of them being, the extent of the area that is treated. Botox usually come as a crystalline substance which then has to be reconstituted with saline or another liquid. Practitioners add varying amounts of liquid when reconstituting it. Most doctors add about 2 mL-3 mL (half a teaspoon) of liquid to each vial. A small, highly concentrated dose of Botox is less likely to spread from the injection site than a large amount of diluted dose. The injections take about 10 minutes, and we should have no downtime afterward.

After the injections, we will have to lay upright on the table for about 2 to 5 minutes to make sure we feel good after the procedure, and then we should avoid lying down for the next 2 to 4 hours.

Any injection can hurt, but the needles used for Botox injections are very tiny, so the pain is usually minimal. Most people tolerate the injection discomfort well. However, there are various methods available to numb the area, such as topical anesthesia or vibration anesthesia, and ice, also manual massage which reduces discomfort.

Botulinum toxin can frequently soften the lines but not always completely get rid of them and the symptoms will gradually return as the medication wears off.

Advantages

Use of Botox makes wrinkles and fine lines, less obvious. They can temporarily alter and improve our appearance without the need for surgery. Deeper facial lines becomes somewhat less deep and superficial lines will nearly disappear. Botox has a 65% satisfaction rate.

Limitations

The injections are expensive. In the UK, Botulinum toxin injections cost somewhere from £150 to £350 per session, depending on the amount of product used. The effect of Botox injections aren’t permanent. Also there’s no guarantee that the desired effect will be achieved. The signs of ageing will be seen elsewhere, for example, Botox will not fix sagging eyelids.

The FDA has approved Botox Cosmetic for anyone aged between 18 to 65. However, we shouldn’t use Botox if:

• We’re allergic to any ingredients in Botox or Botox Cosmetic.
• We’re allergic to Myobloc, Xeomin or Dysport which are other brands of botulinum toxin.
• Have an active skin infection in the injection area.
• Suffer with breathing problems, such as asthma.
• Have difficulty swallowing.
• Have bleeding issues.
• Previously had facial surgery.
• Have weakness in our forehead muscles.
• Have drooping eyelids.
• There are several factors that may shorten or lengthen that period of how long the Botox lasts:
• Our age.
• Whether we smoke.
• Our diet.
• How much sun we get and also how much sun damage our skin already has.
• Whether we use Botox repeatedly or not

Precaution

We can resume our normal daily activities right after the procedure. However we must take care to not rub or massage the treated areas as this can cause the toxin to shift to a different area. Also, we shouldn’t drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness or clear vision until we’re certain that we can perform such activities safely. We must also limit alcoholic beverages. Use of Botox treatment is not recommended to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

If we take blood thinners, we may need to stop taking them several days before our injection, to reduce the risk of bleeding or bruising. After the procedure, it is advised not to use the affected muscles during the next several days and to avoid strenuous activity for several hours afterward because it may increase the risk of bruising. Applying direct pressure is much more effective than applying ice to control bleeding and bruising.

Tips to prevent or minimize side effects of Botox:

• We must make sure the physician performing the treatment is very experienced at Botox injections and practices in a clean, safe and appropriate environment.
• Before having injections, we must tell the clinic about any health problems we have.
• We should also tell him/her about medications, vitamins, herbal preparations or other supplements we take.
•  We must follow our practitioner’s pre and post injection advice’s very carefully.