SAN DIEGO BOTOX is one of the safest cosmetic treatments available. When it is injected correctly by trained physicians, serious side effects such as a hoarse voice or drooping eyelids are extremely rare.
Botulinum toxin works by blocking the release of acetylcholine from nerve cells. The toxin then weakens and paralyzes muscle action, causing the fine lines and wrinkles around the face to relax.
The Botox name derives from the Latin botulinum, meaning “to freeze.” It’s a neuromodulator that reduces wrinkles and other fine lines of the face by blocking nerve endings from absorbing certain molecules. The drug is manufactured by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. Still, it’s diluted and sterilized in medical laboratories to prevent the rare nervous system disorder that can occur when large amounts of the toxin enter the body through food or contaminated wounds.
Once the FDA gave its stamp of approval to the drug, cosmetic surgeons quickly embraced the injection as an effective and relatively low-cost anti-aging treatment for patients who don’t want surgical options. It has become an industry standard, used in spas, malls, and other walk-in clinics to soften frown lines, crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes, and other telltale signs of aging.
In addition to cosmetic uses, doctors have discovered medical benefits for the drug as well. After injecting some patients with Botox for eye muscle conditions such as uncontrolled blinking (benign essential blepharospasm) and a condition in which the eyes don’t point in the same direction (strabismus), doctors found that the injections also reduced migraine headaches in half of the subjects.
More recently, scientists have been experimenting with other medical applications for the injection. Using a technique similar to the eye-relaxation injection, doctors can use the drug to weaken muscle spasms in the neck that cause a painful condition called cervical dystonia. It can also be injected into the pyloric sphincter, the muscular valve that controls the flow of food from the stomach to the small intestine, to help those with gastrointestinal issues such as gastroparesis or bulimia nervosa pass food more easily.
Before you decide to get Botox, be sure your doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or a comparable board in another country. Then discuss your expectations and goals with your doctor, as they may differ somewhat. It’s also important to be honest about your health history and let your doctor know if you have any other medicines, such as sedatives, allergy or blood-clotting medications, a nerve disease called shingles, or an infection such as herpes B or C.
How is Botox injected?
Before the injections, a healthcare provider will numb the skin or muscles. The treatment is performed in a medical office, and most people don’t feel pain during the procedure. Health care providers use a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of Botox in the target area. They may also use a small amount of ice to numb the skin or a massage technique called vibration anesthesia. They may use ultrasound imaging to help them find the right spots for the injections.
Botox works by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or blocking nerves. This reduces or prevents lines and wrinkles from forming. The results usually last three to 12 months, depending on the area treated. Most doctors use Botox for cosmetic purposes, but it’s also used to treat headaches and bladder spasms.
Doctors can inject Botox into the facial muscles to soften frown lines, crow’s feet and other fine lines. The drug is also approved to treat chronic migraine headaches by reducing the number of attacks. It can also be injected into the muscles of the neck to reduce or eliminate muscle spasms that cause pain in the head, face or jaw.
The drug is made from a purified protein. It has been safely used for years to treat various medical conditions. Doctors have used it to treat excessive sweating, and a few studies show that it can help relieve tension headaches and eyestrain by treating forehead lines and glabellar lines (between the eyebrows).
There are different types of botulinum toxin. Type A is the most familiar and best suited to treating facial lines and wrinkles. It’s sold under the brand name Botox, as well as Dysport and Xeomin. Type B is effective in treating neck spasms and is marketed as rimabotulinumtoxinB (Myobloc).
Injections are safe, but be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions exactly. For example, don’t rub or massage the area or lie down for 4 hours after treatment. This will help prevent the botulinum toxin from spreading to areas where it’s not needed. You should also read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start treatment and each time you get an injection.
What are the side effects of Botox?
BOTOX is one of the safest cosmetic treatments available today, especially when administered by a licensed skin specialist. However, it is important to follow post-treatment instructions and seek treatment every three to six months to maintain the results you’ve achieved.
The neurotoxin in BOTOX prevents muscles from contracting by blocking signals sent to the brain by nerve endings. These effects can relax the muscles and reduce wrinkles caused by repetitive facial expressions. It can also treat conditions like neck spasms, overactive bladder, lazy eye and migraine headaches.
While Botox is FDA-approved, it is not for everyone. It is not recommended for pregnant women, those with certain medical conditions, or anyone who is allergic to any of the ingredients in the injection formula or other botulinum toxin products such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) or Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA).
BOTOX side effects are generally well-localized and short-term. The most common side effects include bruising, which occurs when the needle damages small blood vessels at the injection site. In rare cases, these can develop into hematomas that require medical attention. Another potential complication is anesthesia or infection, although these are typically less serious and can be treated with antibiotics.
Some people develop mild, short-lived headaches in the first few days after getting a Botox treatment. These can usually be relieved with acetaminophen or other over-the-counter painkillers. Inexperienced injectors may cause unwanted outcomes, such as droopy eyes or other “additional” muscle movement caused when the Botox spreads to muscles not intended for treatment.
It is also important to note that the bacteria toxins used in the manufacture of BOTOX are the same as those that cause a foodborne illness called botulism, but the purified forms of the drug used by licensed health care providers meet rigorous standards and have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA and local jurisdictions are currently investigating 22 cases of harmful reactions in patients who received fake or mishandled botulinum toxin injections in nonmedical, unlicensed settings. The symptoms of these cases included blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing.
What are the benefits of Botox?
Botox is a popular wrinkle-smoothing injectable that helps soften frown lines on the forehead and brow, crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes, and other fine lines around the face. The treatment can also improve thick bands in the neck, heavy jowls and lip lines, a gummy smile, and other cosmetic concerns. In addition to reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Botox has been shown to stimulate skin elasticity in the areas of injection. This results in younger, healthier looking skin that looks and feels smoother.
The anti-aging effect of Botox is temporary, but with regular treatments, your facial muscles will become trained to relax and not contract as aggressively. The effect of repeated Botox treatments also leads to the formation of new collagen, which further reduces fine lines and wrinkles over time.
Injections of the botulinum toxin type A are also used to treat a variety of medical conditions. When injected into certain eye muscle locations, it can prevent uncontrollable blinking and spasms of the eyelids (benign essential blepharospasm) and a condition in which the eyes do not point in the same direction as one another (strabismus). The FDA has approved the use of Botox for migraine headaches, and studies have shown that a series of injections can cut the number of days you experience headaches in half.
As with any medical procedure, the use of Botox must be supervised by an experienced physician. Inexperienced or careless injectors may introduce the drug into areas of the face that do not belong, resulting in a frozen, expressionless look that can take weeks to return to normal.
Unlike surgical interventions that require incisions and anesthesia, Botox is quick and relatively painless. Some patients experience redness and swelling, but these effects usually fade within a few hours. The procedure is performed in a medical office, and your doctor will numb the treatment area using anesthetic cream, cold ice or vibration anesthesia. The doctor then uses a very thin needle to inject tiny amounts of the botulinum toxin into the targeted area.