BOTOX

Botox is a purified protein (botulinum toxin type A) derived from a bacterium. Used therapeutically for almost two decades to treat a variety of medical conditions, including muscle spasms in the neck and eyes and excessive sweating, Botox was approved for cosmetic care treatments by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002.

What It Treats

Botox has been hugely popular for reducing or eliminating facial lines and wrinkles, particularly deep creases between the eyes and on the forehead and smaller “crow’s feet” lines on either side of the eyes.

More recently, doctors have found that skilled use of Botox can also help contour the face. By knowing precisely which muscles to relax with an injection of Botox, an experienced doctor can, for example, lift the corners of the mouth or eyes, or reshape the eyebrows, creating new, more pleasing, symmetrical arches. Once Botox has flattened wrinkles, a dermal filler, such as Restylane, can be used to plump out the skin, thus completing the facial contouring.

How It Works

Each time you smile, laugh or frown, the tiny muscles under your skin contract, forming wrinkles. Over time, these wrinkles deepen. Botox works by blocking impulses from the nerve to the facial muscles. The muscles stop contracting and relax, leaving the overlying skin smooth and unwrinkled.

What the Treatment Involves

Treatments involve one to three injections of Botox per muscle. A very fine needle is used. Many people compare the injections to a minor bug bite. No anesthesia is required, although the treatment area is sometimes numbed with a cold pack or anesthetic cream prior to the injections.

The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes, and you can return to your normal activities immediately. The effects of the treatment may not be visible for four to seven days. The nerve blockage gradually wears off, so treatments need to be repeated, usually every three to six months.

See also:
Fine Lines & Wrinkles