Botox

Botox is an injectable medication that is derived from botulinum toxin type A. The toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botox is manufactured by Allergan and comes in discreet vials of either 100 units or 50 units. The Clostridium botulinum type A neurotoxin complex contains Human Albumin and Sodium Chloride.

Wrinkles and lines on the face can be eliminated temporarily with botox. The effect time of botox treatment is between 4 and 6 months. Age and condition of the treated area can effect this time. Except pregnant and breastfeeding women, almost everybody can have botox treatment.
Botox can be applied in a very short time and can be used for eye contour wrinkles (crows feet), forehead, neck, glabella wrinkles leading to angry expression, eyebrow lift, preventing sweating. Application time is 10-15 minutes.

You won’t feel any pain after the treatment. Patients can go back to their daily life. The day botox applied, it’s recommended not to go to the gym, hair saloon, sauna and going to the pool for three days. Same day you should sleep properly and shouldn’t sleep face down. Full effect of botox can be seen between 5-7 days.

What are the most common cosmetic areas injected with Botox ?

The facial areas, that Botox has been approved to treat, has expanded throughout the years. Initially, Botox was only approved for the glabella lines, or furrows between the eyebrows. However, the indications for Botox have grown to include many other cosmetic treatment areas, all of which Dr. Sever performs in his office:

Forehead lines or worry lines. The forehead is an area which tends to wrinkle even when we are young and we often appear worried or stressed. Botox smooths out these forehead lines and leaves you looking relaxed and rejuvenated.

Glabella lines. The deep furrow which can form between the eyebrows can often make one look angry or scowling. Botox treats this deep wrinkle and a small amount of Botox can make this area look relaxed. One of the most popular treatment areas for Botox® Cosmetic is to reduce these frown lines. Frown lines (sometimes called “11″ lines due to their shape) between the eyebrows are caused by the action of a facial muscle called the corrugator muscle and the bunching of skin from repeated facial muscle contractions.

Crow’s feet around the eyes. Botox can remove the lines around the eyes which are most obvious when you smile or squint.

Neck lines or Cords. Botox can be used to minimize and smooth the lines around the neck in what’s called the “Nefertiti lift” by injecting the cords or platysmas bands.

Lines around the mouth. Botox can be used to treat the smoker’s lines around the upper lip which is a sure sign of aging.

Pau d’orange of the chin. Botox can be used to remove the texture and dimpling of chin wrinkles.

Frown lines around the mouth. Botox can be used to lift the angles or corners of the mouth to fix the depressed-looking smiles.

Brow lift. Botox can be used to raise the brow and give patients a brow lift and open up their eyes.

Botox Masseter Reduction for Facial Slimming. Botox can be used to non-surgically slim the face and make the square jaw rounder.

What other medical conditions does Botox treat?

The Food and Drug administration has approved Botox treatment for many other medical indications including:

TMJ pain: Botox is highly effective at treating the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and jaw tension for patients who suffer from this disorder. Botox injections eliminates the headaches arising from teeth grinding and diminishes lock jaw as well.

Migraine headaches: Botox has been approved for patients with severe migraines to relieve the pressure and alleviate the pain.

Excessive Sweating or Hyperhidrosis: Botox is commonly used to reduce severe underarm sweating and make it possible for patients to wear clothing without staining.

Depression: Recent studies have showed that Botox injections can treat facial expressions and influence feelings of depression and make patients feel happier since they do not appear frowning.

Cervical Dystonia: Botox treats this neurological muscle disorder which causes neck pain and severe muscle spasms in the head and neck.

Overactive bladder or Urinary Incontinence: Botox is highly effective at treating adults with urinary incontinence, who have symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency, and have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of anticholinergic medication.

Blepharospasm: Botox is used to treat blepharospasm, which is an abnormal twitch of the eyelid, many of which are chronic.

Strabismus: Strabismus is a disorder in which the eyes cannot look in exactly the same direction at the same time and Botox can temporarily alleviate.

Muscle spasms: Botox can reduce muscle spasms around the eyes and in the neck, arms, legs, hands, and feet.

Contractures in patients with cerebral palsy (CP): One very painful side effect of cerebral palsy, particularly in pediatric patients, age 2 to 17, are muscle contractures and spasticity of the arms and legs. Botox injections can relieve this painful side effect of CP when physical therapy cannot relieve these contractures. Botox has been used to treatment upper limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.

Can Botox cause headaches?

Some patients may experience mild headaches after having Botox injections in the face, although this is not a common side effect. Studies have shown that patients who have Botox injections for the treatment of severe migraines are most likely to experience mild headache as a side effect of treatment.

What do you do to prevent bruising ?

Before any cosmetic facial injection, it is best to refrain from taking any blood thinners, such as Aspirin, Motrin, Alleve, or Coumadin, for at least one week before your injections. Vitamins, fish oil, and herbal supplements, can all cause bruising and should be similarly avoided. It is suggested to also refrain from drinking alcohol for at least one day before your cosmetic injections since alcohol can also lead to increased bruising.

Does Botox hurt ?

Botox injections are not a painful procedure. However, some patients feel some discomfort from any needles or injections. If this is the case, we suggest applying a topical numbing cream to the treatment area for one hour before your Botox injections.

What is the downtime after Botox injections ?

One Botox treatment can be performed in as little as ten minutes, which means it can even be done on your lunch break. There is little or no down time from Botox injections. There can be some mild temporary swelling at the site of injection. We advise all patients to refrain from any blood thinners, vitamins, or fish oils for one week before the procedure to lessen the risk of bruising at the injection site.

What are the side effects of Botox ?

Patients should not receive Botox if they are allergic to any of the ingredients in Botox in the medication guide for Botox, or have had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc, Dysport, or Xeomin. It is important to remember that Botox is a prescription medicine, that is injected into the muscles, and can have potential side effects like any other medication. Botox injections should not be done when patients are pregnant or breastfeeding. Dr. Sever will review all of your medical history and current medications with you before treating you with Botox injections for facial wrinkles.

It is important to tell Dr. Sever is you have any muscle nerve conditions such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome. Always let Dr. Sever know if you are taking any prescription medications (including muscle relaxants antibiotics for infection, allergy or cold medicines, sleeping pills), herbal supplements, or over-the-counter medications, which could potentially interact with your Botox treatment. It is always advised to discontinue any blood thinners for at least one week before your Botox injections.

Side effects to Botox include:
Localized swelling
Bruising at the treatment area
Pain at the injection site
Headache
Flu-like symptoms
Dry eyes or excessive tearing
Drooping eyelid or ptosis
Double vision
Blurred vision
Dry eyes

Immediate allergic reaction side effects which require immediate medical help include:
itching
rash
red itchy welts
wheezing
asthma symptoms
dizziness

Rare side effects of botulinum toxin products may result from the speak of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may cause:

Muscle weakness
Trouble breathing, talking, or dysphagia (trouble swallowing)
Vision problems
Bladder incontinence (loss of bladder control)
Hoarse voice
Neck pain
Paralysis

If you develop any of these serious side effects following Botox, further injection of Botox should be discontinued.

How long does it take to see the results from your Botox injections ?

While the results vary from patient to patient, the full effects of the Botox injections are reached after two weeks. The results are dependent on both being the right candidate for the procedure and the skill of the injector who performs the cosmetic Botox injections. The effects of Botox injections can last from 3 to 5 months before additional touch-up injections are needed.

What should I not do after Botox injections ?

Immediately after having treatment with cosmetic Botox injections, you should be upright for the first four hours. You should refrain from strenuous actives, facials, consuming alcohol, blood thinners, or excessive heat exposure including saunas or steam rooms. You should apply an ice pack immediately after your Botox injections to help control any swelling that may occur. If you have an increased propensity for bruising, an oral herbal supplement called Arnika Forte is available that can help minimize this.

Is Botox preventative ?

Yes, Botox injections can be preventative. Since Botox prevents certain facial muscles from contracting, it prevents dynamic wrinkles from forming. This is why so many younger patients are having Botox injections, as a preventative measure for treating fine lines and wrinkles before deep creases can ever

What is the best age to start Botox injections ?

The best age to start Botox is when you start to see fine lines and wrinkles starting to form on your forehead, furrows, or around the eyes (crow’s feet). Since aging is due to both genetics and sun damage, everyone ages at a different rate. If you are beginning to develop these lines, Botox can both help treat these wrinkles and prevent new lines from forming. This is why many patients start Botox injections as young as their mid 20’s and 30’s.

Does Botox prevent wrinkles ?

Absolutely! Botox can be used to prevent the development of wrinkles and fine lines. The injection of preventative Botox has been increasingly trendy thanks to celebrities and social media influencers openly boasting the benefits of having Botox treatments. Botox is indicated for patients who are at least 18 years old, and patients as young as their mid 20s often choose to take advantage of preventive or “baby” Botox.

How long does Botox last ?

The effects of Botox injections typically last for 3 to 4 months in duration. Keeping up with your Botox treatments is a great way to keep the muscles in the treatment area relaxed, and some patients find that with regular maintenance sessions their Botox injections can last for up to six months. If you are someone who has regular treatments with Botox and have noticed that the effects are no longer lasting as long as they previously did, it is possible that you could have developed antibodies to Botox, rendering the injections essentially ineffective.

Is Botox FDA approved ?

Of course! Botox was approved for cosmetic use in 2002 after extensive clinical trials were conducted to demonstrate efficacy and safety of treatment. Since its approval, Botox has soared in popularity and is not the number one non-invasive cosmetic treatment around the globe.

Can you exercise after Botox ?

Dr. Sever recommends avoiding heaving exercise immediately after Botox injections. Saunas, and steam rooms should be avoided for 48 hours after cosmetic injections as this leads to swelling of the treatment area.

Can you drink alcohol after Botox ?

It is best to refrain from drinking alcohol for 24 hours before your Botox injection and for one day after your treatment. Alcohol can thin your blood and like aspirin, can cause bruising.