BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS
Botox injections are used for the cosmetic treatment of wrinkles. Botox is injected into muscles in the forehead and around the eyes or neck that cause wrinkles when you frown, squint, laugh, smile or clinch your teeth. The injections block the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles causing them to relax and the skin to look smoother.
WHY WOULD I CHOOSE BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS?
For you! You want to look and feel your very best. You want to look on the outside as good as you feel on the inside. In fact, you don't mind having a few lines that express the character and vitality in your face. Other lines, however, like the vertical frown lines between your brows, can make you look angrier and more stressed than you are, or perpetually tired, even when you're well rested.
You know that looking great makes you feel great. But that doesn’t mean you want to look 18 years old again, or having a face that’s so unnaturally smooth and tight that it looks frozen. You may have heard about Botox Cosmetic Treatments, a simple and safe, non-surgical, and best of all, effective way to help smooth out frown lines and give your face a more relaxed, refreshed look; A look that better reflects the way you feel inside and makes you feel more like…you - and isn’t that who you’re doing this for?
HOW DO BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS WORK?
Important Note:
Botox Cosmetic Treatments are injection treatments derived from a purified protein. Botox is manufactured under strict quality control standards and is administered in extremely dilute dosages by a licensed medical practitioner.
Repeated muscular contractions such as frowning and squinting form lines known as dynamic wrinkles. During treatment, a tiny amount of Botox is injected into the muscle that creates the dynamic wrinkle. This blocks the nerve impulse from reaching that area and, as a result, the muscle relaxes. As the muscle relaxes, the dynamic wrinkle overlying the muscle is smoothed away, giving the face a more relaxed and refreshed appearance.
The procedure is so simple and quick (approx. 10 minutes) that patients can often have it done over their lunch hour. Most patients compare the sensation to a bug bite. No sedation or local aesthetic is required and you can resume normal activities immediately. Some patients experience a slight, temporary bruising at the injection site which can be easily covered with make-up.
WHAT RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS?
Possible risks of Botox Cosmetic Treatments include:
- Bruises, stinging, or redness around injection sites.
- Droopy eyelid if Botox is used improperly.
- Headaches that start within a couple of days of treatment and may last for several weeks.
Botox has been licensed in Canada since 1990 as a safe and effective treatment for a number of disorders caused by overactive muscles. It has even been used to treat children as young as 2 years with cerebral palsy. In 2001, Health Canada approved Botox Cosmetic Treatments for wrinkle therapy and it has been proven to be very safe through extensive research and testing. In the amounts commonly used, common side effects, such as bruising, are temporary and localized to the area of injection.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Botox Cosmetic Treatments continue to be the most popular among all cosmetic procedures (surgical and non-surgical combined). In North America it has been used by more than 2 million women and men, who want to take control of their appearance and look as good as they feel.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS?
Not everyone is a candidate for Botox Cosmetic Treatments. Persons with certain forms of muscular weakness should not use Botox. The professionals at Cosmetic Laser & Vein Centre can help determine if Botox Cosmetic Treatments are right for you. Patients who are pregnant or nursing, or have a neurological disease should not be treated. Patients should discuss with their physician if Botox Cosmetic Treatments are appropriate for them.
WILL BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENTS GIVE ME A FAKE, FROZEN LOOK?
Not if you are treated by an experienced doctor whom will be able to determine the right dose and injection technique for you. The treatment only relaxes the muscle directly beneath the frown line at the injection site, so other elements of facial expression are unaffected. It also has no effect on the sensory nerves, so you will retain normal feeling in the treated areas.
HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS OF A BOTOX COSMETIC TREATMENT LAST?
The effects of a Botox Cosmetic Treatment usually last approx. 3-4 months, at which time another injection is required. After several treatments, the effects may begin to last longer. The injections cause very little discomfort but your health care provider may numb the area beforehand. You should not bend over or lie down for 6 hours after an injection to keep the toxin from spreading to other muscles. It generally takes up to 4 days for Botox to start relaxing the muscles but for some patients it can take up to a week to start to see results. To keep the effects, you will need to repeat treatments every 3-6 months.
Source: BOTOX Cosmetic®/Allergan Inc.
If you would like to learn more about the options available to you, or find out if Botox Cosmetic Treatments might work well for you, please call our office and schedule an appointment for consultation.
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