BOTOX

Botox works by weakening the muscles of facial expression which are on the upper surface of facial skin. Over a period of several months, frown lines will become softer and often times completely disappear.

A good candidate is between the ages of 30 and 60. In many cases, wrinkles in people over 60 are not caused by muscle pull but rather by sun damage.

Risks

There are no serious side effects associated with Botox. There may be a small amount of bruising around the treated areas, however, this is temporary. On rare occasions, the needle may puncture a blood vessel which can result in a bruise. This disappears in a few days. Another side effect that occurs only rarely is a slight drooping of the eyebrow or upper eyelid which can be caused if Botox migrates from the injection sites. Fortunately, when problem this occurs, it corrects itself in 1-2 weeks and medication is available to help the correction.

Post Op

Stay in an upright position for 3-4 hours following treatment. For the first 2-3 hours, try to use the injected muscles to speed up the effectiveness of Botox. Other than these precautions, normal activities can be resumed immediately after the procedure.

Results

The treatment takes approximately 5-7 days to take effect and last from 3-6 months. When the toxin begins to wear off, the wrinkles begin to reappear; however they frequently are not as deep as the original ones. It usually takes 2-3 injections each year to maintain. Clinical studies suggest that, after several rounds of treatment, the patient may require injections less often.