All your #botox questions answered: What is Botox? Pros and cons for Botox. Botox results. Botox side effects. What to expect with Botox? Does Botox hurt? etc.
What is BOTOX?
Botox® is actually a brand name, it is the most well-known injectable neuromodulator, made by Allergan. However not only Allergan makes botulinum toxin A - there are other brands such as: Azzalure, Dysport, Bocouture etc. However we tend to call every single brand of botulinum toxin A - BOTOX. It's a bit like Hoover, most of us will call their vacuum cleaner - a hoover, even though it might be a Dyson :)
How does BOTOX work?
Botox temporarily relaxes facial muscles to soften the look of dynamic facial wrinkles created by repeated muscle movement (such as: frown lines and furrowed brows).
It works by blocking nerve signals to the muscles, so the injected muscle can’t contract.
Originally it was developed to treat medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, Botox is FDA-approved to treat crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead lines.
It’s also used off-label to soften and smooth lip lines, "bunny lines" on the nose, chins, and neck bands. When injected above the upper lip, it can also create a "lip flip" (more on that below).
Botox can also relax muscles in the jaw - such as the masseter muscle, either to treat teeth grinding or for facial slimming. It can also treat hyperhidrosis which is excessive sweating on the underarms, palm of hands or feet.
Medically it is also used to treat a lazy eye (known medically as strabismus), chronic eyelid twitching (blepharospasm), chronic migraines, other types of muscle spasms, and vaginismus.
How much does BOTOX cost?
The cost ranges from £125 for 1 area to £300 for all 3 areas in Peterborough. The cost also depends on the brand of botulinum toxin A. Some practitioners charge per units, however most will charge per area. How much Botox costs can also vary by city or even practice location, since some areas have higher rents that need to be covered.
At Beauty Architect Aesthetics most of the time we use Botox® by Allergan, and we charge £140 for 1 area, £180 for 2 areas and £240 for all 3 areas, plus £25 male supplement, because guys have stronger and larger muscles, therefore they require more units.
At what age should you start BOTOX?
While it's approved for patients over 18, most practitioners recommend starting it in your mid-20s to early 30s as a preventative measure. Regular treatments can delay the formation of new lines. In fact, by relaxing the muscles before the lines settle, may prevent deeper lines and wrinkles from ever occurring in these areas. Remember prevention is better than cure!
At Beauty Architect Aesthetics, we would use less botox on a younger person, so the price would be adjusted accordingly. However it all depends on the individual situation.
Who shouldn't get BOTOX?
A good candidate is a healthy adult who is not pregnant or nursing. Botox is contraindicated in pregnancy, though this is largely due to the fact that its safety has not been established in human studies.
Botox is generally well-tolerated, but there are some contraindications for its use:
If you’re hypersensitive to any botulinum toxin avoid this treatment.
If you have an infection at the injection site, you’ll need to clear it up first.
It’s not recommended for people with a neuromuscular disease like multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis.
Tell your injector about any drugs—over-the-counter, prescription antibiotics—you're taking, as well as supplements and vitamins, flu shots or covid-19 jabs.
What is Baby Botox and should you consider it?
Baby Botox treatments use smaller doses that preserve your facial muscles’ natural expressive range. Microdosing is popular with young adults who want to prevent future wrinkles, but it’s also a good option for anyone new to the treatment or wary of looking overdone. Baby Botox is the best way to maintain a well rested, youthful appearance without looking frozen or overdone, but there are also some tradeoffs.
Each treatment is relatively inexpensive because your injector uses fewer units, but the longevity of baby Botox is typically less because you are receiving less than the recommended dose for a specific area. To keep up your results, treatments can be done every one to two months.
Please also note that this approach can be less effective on someone with more moderate to severe wrinkles. If the wrinkles are highly visible, the microdose may not be effective enough for the muscle, especially if it is a stronger muscle. Baby Botox is best for younger clients or clients who don’t have severe lines or wrinkles.
Your aesthetic practitioner will be able to advise if Baby Botox treatment is for you.
What does the BOTOX treatment look like?
1. The process starts with a consultation, in which you and your injector discuss your concerns, goals, medical history to ensure that the injectable is safe for you and will check contraindications to the treatment.
2. Photographs should also be taken, so you’re able to see the changes from your treatment (it is also required for insurance purposes).
3. Sign the consent form.
4. Then your face is cleansed, the injection sites marked and the injector injects the areas of concern. Prior to injections, the injection points can be numbed with a topical numbing cream, but this is not necessary.
5. Your injector will advise on aftercare and book your follow up appointment (in 2 weeks' time), to assess the full cosmetic results and see if you need any touch-ups.
Botox injections are called a 'lunchtime procedure' because they usually take about 20 minutes. You can pop out to have your treatment done, then drive yourself straight back to the office. If you have any residual redness or bruising, it can be easily covered with makeup.
Does it hurt to have BOTOX?
No, not really. The needle used for Botox injections is very thin, so most clients experience only a brief twinge of mild discomfort. If you're concerned, you can request a topical numbing cream before the procedure.
What not to do after BOTOX?
Recovery from the injection is relatively simple. Immediately after some people may may look as though they’ve been bitten by mosquitoes. They’ll have some little bumps on their face that last about 15 to 20 minutes.
However, the most important thing you need to know is how to reduce the chance it spreading to other areas. Follow these guidelines to reduce that risk:
Don’t lie down for 90 minutes. Botox is bound to the muscle after 90 minutes, generally recommend to sit upright for the first 90 minutes to minimize the risk of diffusion. If you had it done in the evening, then sleep upright that night, face up.
No bending, no lifting for the first 12 hours.
Don’t exercise for at least 24 hours, ideally up to 72 hrs. Exercise increases circulation in the body, including the face, which is why your face flushes and gets red when you work out. This increased circulation is great for your skin, but it does increase the risk that the Botox will be taken away from the injection zone before it gets fully absorbed into the neuromuscular junction. We don't like this for two reasons: 1) it may leave less Botox where we want it, and possibly decrease the effect, and 2) we do not want to do anything that increases the risk that it will act anywhere other than where it is intended.
Don’t rub the treated areas for 6 hours. It is recommended that you do not do anything that may apply pressure to the area, this includes wearing tight hats or applying cold ice packs that you may press onto your skin. No facials, no massage (where you have to lay face down). Otherwise you risk the medication moving or dispersing and resulting in paralysis of a nearby muscle.
You can wash your face gently that night, and gently pat it dry, but I recommend you hold off on using any scrub brushes for the first 24-48hours.
Avoid exposure to heat for the first 24-48hrs. So, no sunbathing, sun beds, saunas etc.
No facials, eyebrow shape or laser treatments for 2 weeks after the procedure.
Avoid activities with high pressure such as diving, flying for the first 72 hours.
Anytime you get (any) injections, there’s always the risk of bruising, which can take up to a week to go away. You can minimize your chances of a bruise by stopping anything that thins the blood (and isn’t medically necessary) a week before your appointment. This includes alcohol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen, and fish oil and vitamin E supplements.
When will I see the BOTOX results and how long will they last?
The effects of Botox aren’t immediate because it has to bind to receptors on nerve cells to relax muscles. So it's a gentle process, making you look more relaxed, refreshed,
rested and younger looking from day 2 or 3 until even 2 weeks.
Fine lines continue to improve as the muscles are relaxed and not moving over a three- to four-month time period, and they continue to improve the longer you do Botox.
That said, every person is different. Since your body makes new receptors and neurotransmitters all the time, each client will have different lengths of effective Botox paralysis. So while the average may be three or four months, but some practitioners put the range at two to six months.
Remember, while Botox is working, you are getting ‘wrinkle-free time, so if it works for six months and you do it only once a year, you’re still going to have fewer wrinkles.
Does BOTOX make you look older once it wears off?
No, it won't! If you decide to stop getting treatments or skip an appointment, the effects will wear off over time, and your muscles will go back to their normal movements, which could include frowning and wrinkling. However, some doctors say that taking an occasional Botox break makes it work better in the future.
What is a LIP FLIP?
The lip flip, a growing lip augmentation trend, uses a microdose of Botox (about 2 units on either side) to relax the muscles in the upper lip - this flips the upper lip out just enough to make it appear slightly fuller and more youthful.
Natural-looking results appear within five to ten days and last up to three months.
It won’t create the same kind of volume as injectable lip fillers or the dramatic results of a surgical lip lift, but it’s a popular option for people seeking a more subtle improvement.
However, if you want real lip augmentation, there is no substitute for lip fillers.
What are the BOTOX PROs and CONs ?
PROs
Botox is considered the gold standard for relaxing dynamic fine lines and wrinkles, caused by muscle movement.
The treatments are quick and relatively painless. In some cases, injections take as little as five minutes.
Downtime is almost nonexistent.
As long as your injector doesn’t overdo the Botox dosage, your face will still look natural, not frozen.
Cons
Results from a Botox treatment aren’t permanent. To keep up your results, you'll need to return to your injector every three, four in some cases five months.
Common Botox side effects include bruising, which can sometimes occur at the injection site and last up to a week.
If you’re injected improperly, you could see asymmetrical results such as a droopy eyelid or corner of the mouth, and it takes roughly three months for this kind of result to wear off.
Seeing an injector who isn’t experienced or qualified, or is using a type of botulinum toxin that hasn’t been purified or approved for human use could mean risking a medical emergency. Make sure you find a qualified injector who will give you the real thing.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding Botox is not for you; the drug hasn’t been tested in those cases.
Is BOTOX safe?
Clinical trials have shown that Botox is safe, with minimal risks and side effects. The most common ones include dry mouth, tiredness, discomfort at the injection site, headache; neck pain, and vision problems including blurred vision and dry eyes.
However, some people are concerned about the fact that this treatment is derived from a toxin—botulinum toxin type A, produced by a type of bacteria called bacterium Clostridium botulinum—that temporarily interrupts the nerve signaling between muscles.
But it can't actually give you botulism (a type of food poisoning).
Serious but rare complications of botulinum toxin injections include trouble swallowing, breathing, or speaking. Allergic reactions are also rare, but they can happen hours or even days after injection of Botox. Seek emergency healthcare if you develop hives and itching, wheezing, feeling faint, or swelling in your face, tongue, or throat.
There's also a risk that it can unintentionally spread into other areas, causing drooping eyelids, a lopsided smile, or crooked eyebrows.
The closer the Botox is placed to the brows, the higher risk of causing heaviness or eyelid droop. Overarching of the brows can occur as well, if too much Botox is placed in between the brows. Luckily, there is a solution for that, if the injection is overarched and you end up with the dreaded ‘Spock look,’ a few units of Botox carefully placed in the forehead at a follow-up appointment can correct this.
The neurotoxin can also leave you with a frozen look, if you’re over-injected. Results are never permanent and will gradually disappear over three to four months.
Your injector should talk you through the whole treatment and answer all your questions and concerns before you're treated.
At Beauty Architect Aesthetics we opt for more fresh and natural look, so our clients never look 'done' or 'frozen' unless it's their wish!
Skin after several years of botox injections - how will it look like?
There's been a study conducted on the use of botox, published by Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery showing some surprising results! Click here to view the results.
Hopefully this article answered your questions about botox. If not, please comment below your questions!
Beauty Architect Aesthetics is a cosmetic clinic in Peterborough, providing medical aesthetics services such as botox, dermapen, mesotherapy, dermal fillers, Profhilo etc.
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