Botulinum Toxin Injection
What is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum Toxin is approved by FDA for the treatment of frown lines. It has been widely tested with more than 20 years of effective use in hundreds of patients worldwide for various medical uses.
How does Botulinum Toxin work?
Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein that has the ability to relax the muscle it is injected into. The amount of botulinum injection vary from individual to individual and the treatment expectations are carefully discussed prior to treatment.
What to expect from the treatment?
Topical anesthetic cream is often administered 30 minutes prior to botulinum toxin injection. Discomfort is minimal as botulinum toxin injections are administered with a very fine needle. The vast majority of patients resume normal activities immediately after treatment. After the botulinum injection, it takes two to three days for Botulinum Toxin to begin taking effect. The relaxation effects produced by Botulinum toxin are temporary and will gradually fade as the treated muscle wakes up gradually with time.
Botulinum Toxin efficacy typically lasts four to six months. The result will wear off gradually and expression lines slowly return. To maintain the effects, you will require repeated injections. Studies have shown that with repeated Botulinum toxin injection, the effect is able to last longer. Henceforth, you may require a lower frequency of treatment in the future to maintain the appearance or results you like.
What areas can Botulinum Toxin treat?
Botulinum Toxin treatments are commonly performed around the eyes and the region of the forehead to improve wrinkles and aging of the face.
Other treatment locations include
Forehead horizontal frown lines
Glabella frown lines (in between eyebrows)
Crow feet
Horizontal or vertical neck bands
Prominent muscular jaws (square face)
Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) – underarms, hand, and feet
Sweat glands require a nerve impulse to activate. Through the injection of botulinum into areas such as underarms, hands, and feet, the associated nerve impulse is stopped from reaching the sweat glands. This, in turn, should stop sweat production in the area for approximately four to seven months. In clinical studies, 95% of patients with hyperhidrosis that was severe enough to interfere with their daily lives experienced the benefits of Botox® after just one week, with sweating reduced by an average of 83%. After the first treatment, the effects of Botulinum Toxin last an average of seven months.
What other cosmetic treatments may be combined with Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum Toxin can be combined with FDA-approved dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane. “Almost instantaneous facelift or face rejuvenation with minimal downtime” may be achieved with treatment combinations.