BOTOX® Questions & Answers

What is BOTOX® (Botulinum Toxin)?
BOTOX® (Botulinum toxin) is a purified protein derived from the bacterium, Clostridium Botulinum. It relaxes targeted muscles, thereby eliminating wrinkles on certain parts of the face. It has been used for many years in treating patients with muscular diseases where the muscles are in spasm. For the past ten years, it has been used in cosmetic aesthetics to treat hyperfunctional facial lines, typically the vertical lines between your eyebrows, forehead lines, and lines at the corners of your eyes (crow's feet).

How do you inject BOTOX®?
BOTOX® is injected into the targeted muscle using a very fine needle. Usually several injections are given per area.

How quickly will I see the results of BOTOX®?
BOTOX® usually starts relaxing the treated area within several days.

What are hyperfunctional facial lines?
These are expression lines such as frown lines, brow lines, crow's feet, and bunny lines that become prominent with age, sun damage, and excessive facial muscle activity.

How does BOTOX® work?
Cosmetic denervation with BOTOX® is a simple and safe procedure. BOTOX® is injected into a targeted facial expression muscle, blocking impulses from the nerve to the muscle, thereby relaxing the muscle so it does not contract. This in turn causes the overlying skin to become smooth and unwrinkled, while the untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, allowing normal facial expression to be unaffected.

How soon does it work and how long does it last?
The effect usually lasts from 3 to 6 months. The treatment may be repeated as often as desired.

What are the side efects of BOTOX®?
The most common side effect of BOTOX® is slight bruising from the needle stick. In rare instances, an adjacent muscle may be affected, causing eyelid weakness (ptosis) for several weeks.

Are the injections painful?
The muscle injections are given with a tiny needle, so there is only minimal discomfort.

Is there any special preparation prior to my injection?
You should stop all anti-inflammatory medications, including aspirin, for 5-7 days prior to the injection to minimize bruising. We also prefer that you do not take Vit. E, Fish Oil, Garlic tablets, or St. John's Wort for 5-7 days prior to an injection.

Are BOTOX® treatments safe?
BOTOX® injections have been used safely and effectively for over ten years to treat many ophthalmologic and neurological disorders. Each year, thousands of patients receive BOTOX® treatments for a variety of conditions, and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular treatments for temporarily reversing the visible signs of aging.

What is the treatment like?
Using a tiny micro-needle, a very small amount of BOTOX® is injected, very precisely, into several location on the face. Because the needle is so fine, and only a small amount of liquid is used, the pain associated with the injections is minimal. Most patients compare the sensation to a bug bite. No sedation or local anesthetic is required, and you can resume normal activities immediately. You can even drive yourself home or back to the office. Some patients experience a slight temporary bruising at the injection site. This can be covered with makeup.

What results can I expect?
If dynamic wrinkles make you look older than you are, cosmetic denervation can smooth these out and give you a more youthful and pleasant appearance. However, this procedure cannot improve wrinkles due to aging and sun-damaged skin, since they are unrelated to facial muscle contractions. BOTOX® injections will not improve sagging skin or replace the need for certain laser procedures.

At our clinic, we strongly recommend doing TITAN® Skin Tightening and/or GENESIS® Skin Rejuvenation procedures in conjunction with BOTOX® injections. Remember, BOTOX® is just working on the underlying muscles. The TITAN or GENESIS procedure is an excellent treatment if you have skin laxity, drooping, lines, wrinkles, sun damage, and aging that results from lack of elasticity and damaged collagen in the skin.

What are the limitations of BOTOX® injections?
Unfortunately, BOTOX® injections are a temporary solution for the treatment of dynamic wrinkles. The effects of the injections last from three to six months. You will need to have injections about two to four times a year. Early clinical studies indicate that the duration of treatment benefits increases over time, so you may require injections less frequently in the future. Also, the duration of effect varies from patient to patient, and may be less effective for those over 65 years of age.

How can I find out if I am a candidate for BOTOX®?
If you would like to learn more about your cosmetic options, or to find out if BOTOX® treatments are right for you, please call our office at (913) 962-1869 and schedule a consultation with the doctor.