BOTOX® Cosmetic
About BOTOX® Cosmetic
When you smile, laugh, frown, or look puzzled, you contract various muscles of your face. Over time, these repeated contractions produce permanent furrows and deep wrinkles in the skin, especially around the eyes and between the eyebrows, and on the forehead. These lines can make you look older, sad, angry or tired. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments not only blocks the muscles associated with these facial movements, it helps to relieve the signs of aging, leaving you looking younger and more refreshed.
What can BOTOX® treatments do for me?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the country and one of our most requested services. Quick, safe and effective, BOTOX® reduces or eliminates facial lines and wrinkles in certain designated areas for six months or more with no downtime and little to no discomfort. Through a series of tiny injections, BOTOX® gives you a rejuvenated look by smoothing smile lines (crow’s feet) on the side of the eyes, minimizing frown lines between the eyebrows, and lessening horizontal lines across the forehead.
How BOTOX® Cosmetic Works
BOTOX® is the brand name for botulinum toxin A, a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Originally approved by the FDA for the treatment of eye and muscle spasms, BOTOX® was quickly recognized for its cosmetic value. Physicians have been using BOTOX® Cosmetic for years as a treatment to correct visible signs of stress and aging. The medication, when injected into certain muscle groups within the face, relaxes those muscles that cause wrinkles or deep furrows. When injected in small doses in specific areas, BOTOX® injections block nerve to muscle electrical transmission responsible for the muscle action that cause those unwanted fine lines, wrinkles and frowns. In this way, BOTOX® diminishes the lines in the skin that otherwise make you look tired or angry.
Candidates for BOTOX®
A good candidate for BOTOX® treatment may be anyone looking to enhance their appearance by getting rid of unwanted lines or wrinkles. It is also important that patients seeking treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic are in good physical health, are not pregnant or nursing, and do not have a neuromuscular disorder. Men and women considering BOTOX® treatment should have realistic expectations of what the procedure can do and cannot do.RN, the nurse injector to ensure that your goals can be achieved.
The BOTOX® Procedure
Using a very fine needle, the nurse injector will inject BOTOX® Cosmetic into designated muscles in your face that are causing lines and wrinkles. You may experience brief, mild discomfort during the injection, but you can be assured that the treatment is very safe and effective. Taking only a few minutes, BOTOX® treatment requires no anesthetic and recovery is immediate, allowing you to return to work and resume your normal daily activities that same day. Results take several days for the intended paralysis to set-up.
Cost of BOTOX®
Although Botox® is charged by the unit, it is the skill and experience of the injector you are paying for. There are ostensible spas and salons selling Botox® for less money but the injector is the important variable, not the product. Many spas and salons use an esthetician or an inexperienced person, rather than a trained registered nurse. And even if it is a nurse or physician doing the injection, it does not imply they know what they are doing.
The Importance of Choosing a Qualified Physician
Even though BOTOX® is not a surgical procedure, it is very important to choose a highly experienced and qualified injector when deciding to undergo BOTOX® treatments.
BOTOX® Cosmetic Results
Immediately following the BOTOX® treatment, some patients may experience mild bruising, which will go away in a few days, and easily covered with makeup till then. You will see your wrinkles begin to fade within 24 hours, with continued improvement over the next 5 days after injection. The effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic typically last 6 months, sometimes longer, although many have reported results lasting up to a full year. In fact, after several BOTOX® treatments to the same muscle group, the results may last longer than the usual 4-6 months, since studies have shown that repeated injections make the muscle group favorably atrophic. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment will relax the intended muscles in your face and soften the skin, giving you a more relaxed and youthful appearance. For optimum results, many patients choose to use BOTOX® in conjunction with dermal fillers, a facelift or eyelid surgery, skin rejuvenation therapy, and/or skin resurfacing.
Risks and Side Effects of BOTOX®
Side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic are rare and are usually mild and temporary. The most common side effects caused by BOTOX® are headaches and temporary redness or bruising of the skin at the site of injection. In rare cases, slight drooping of an upper eyelid or asymmetry of expression may occur. Any risk of complication can be reduced by choosing a qualified and experienced injector, and by following post-procedure instructions.
The Importance of Choosing a Qualified Physician
Even though BOTOX® is not a surgical procedure, it is very important to choose a highly experienced and qualified injector when deciding to undergo BOTOX® treatments.
Juvéderm® Injectable Gel
Juvéderm® injections take a variable amount of time to administer, depending upon the number of areas being treated. Typically, an injection appointment can last anywhere from 30-90 minutes.It has been our experience that patients who underwent fillers at a different spa prior to coming to our spa, have often commented that their previous injector did not use an anesthetic or only used a topical anesthetic. After the local regional anesthetic has taken hold, the filler injection is then administered under the skin in the targeted area to add volume or fill in wrinkles and folds. After the injection, the injector usually gently massages the treated areas for maximum sculpting.
Once treatment is completed, patients can return to their regular activities right away, with virtually no downtime. For the first 24-48 hours after treatment, patients should avoid strenuous exercise, excessive sun or heat exposure and consumption of alcoholic beverages to reduce the risk of complications. Some patients may experience mild side effects such as redness, swelling or itching, but these usually go away on their own after a short time.
Juvéderm® injections are ideal for any patients who are unhappy with the signs of aging present within their face and are looking to enhance their overall appearance. Juvéderm® is the first hyaluronic acid filler FDA-approved for safe and effective use on persons of color. There are no major risks associated with this treatment.
In order to achieve satisfactory results, it is important for patients to have realistic expectations for their treatment and understand that Juvéderm® injections will not completely alter your look. The injector, will help you decide whether or not this treatment is right for you after an examination and discussion of your desired goals
The results of a Juvéderm® injection are visible immediately after the procedure, and will continue to improve over the next few days as any swelling and bruising subside. Results are expected to last typically up to one year, and might even last longer. Juvéderm® is the only hyaluronic acid filler to last that long, and its sister filler, Voluma®, for cheek enhancement lasts even longer.
Most patients achieve their desired results in just one treatment session and may only require yearly touch-up treatments in order to maintain results. As always, the results of this procedure may vary, but most patients are more than satisfied with their enhanced appearance after Juvéderm®. However, Juvéderm® does not take the place of surgical procedures, such as a facelift or eyelid surgery, if those are indicated. In fact, the advantage of a medical spa in connection with a plastic surgeon, affords the patient the opportunity to consider surgical solutions for overlapping and for separate facial cosmetic issues, rather than non-plastic surgeon spas which might chase after issues with fillers and Botox® that would be better served with a surgical solution.
While Juvéderm® is considered safe for most patients, there are certain risks associated with any kind of treatment. Some of these risks may include temporary redness, pain and swelling at the injection site, as well as bruising, itching, discoloration and infection. Most of these risks are considered rare, and can be further reduced by choosing an experienced injector to administer your injection.