We’re happy to offer Botox to our clients here at Cosmetic Med Spa.
Botox is the brand name of an injectable treatment that paralyzes muscles and nerves in small, targeted areas. In cosmetic applications, this can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines in the face and neck. There are other medical applications for this safe, well-understood treatment too.
You will typically see results from your first Botox treatment in three to seven days, and this treatment can last from four months up to a year.
What Is Botox?
Botox is the brand name of an injection made from the toxin of bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This revolutionary treatment has become synonymous with younger, healthier-looking skin with only a few injections. Botox has other medical uses as well.
Injectable treatments, especially Botox, are very popular ways to improve the look and firmness of your skin, especially on your face. In 2016, there was a 10 percent rise in the United States in injectable procedures, with Botox being the most popular.
Injections using Botox weaken or paralyze targeted muscles and block certain nerves, which can reduce wrinkles, improve skin tone and smoothness, and even reduce muscle spasms or tension. These injections are most often used as a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure, which allows you to improve your appearance without a long recovery time, general anesthesia, or overnight stay in the hospital.
Benefits of Botox Injections
Most people associate Botox with fewer wrinkles in the face. This cosmetic injectable specifically targets wrinkles caused by dynamic movementof muscles in the face, which can become permanent over time as you smile, frown, or laugh. Relaxing these muscles so they do not contract in their habitual way allows the skin on top to become smoother.
When used in cosmetic treatments, Botox injections tend to remain effective for 4 to 12 months. You can then decide if you want to return for more treatment as the results wear off.
Botox is best at treating these wrinkles:
- Glabellar lines (or “frown lines”)
- Wrinkles around the eyes like crow’s feet
- Forehead creases
- Wrinkles at the corners of the mouth
- A “cobblestone” appearance to skin on the chin
Botox has also been used in other medical treatments for decades. Since these injectables paralyze muscles, they are useful in managing a variety of conditions that might cause pain or other problems.
Botox injections can be used to treat certain medical conditions like these:
- Severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis)
- Severe neck and shoulder muscle contractions that cause pain (cervical dystonia)
- Uncontrollable blinking or eyelid twitching (blepharospasm)
- Misaligned eyes due to differences in eye muscle strength (strabismus)
- Chronic migraines
- Overactive bladder
Whether your Botox injection is for wrinkles, medical reasons, or perhaps a lip flip, this procedure is overseen by trained medical professionals. There can be some side effects, including pain, swelling, and bruising at and around the injection site. These side effects will go away within a few days, but if they do not, or they get worse, contact your medical provider for assistance.
You may experience tiredness after your injections or temporary muscle weakness that makes facial expressions less pronounced. Injections in the face, especially around the eyes, can cause eyelid drooping, which should also clear up on its own fairly quickly. Your Boca Raton treatment provider can give you an estimate and examine your eyelids if drooping is an ongoing problem.
Other side effects can include flu-like symptoms, stomach aches, or headaches. This is because your body reacts to the bacterial toxin, but it can be a symptom of a related infection, so let your treatment provider know. In very rare cases, there are instances of trouble breathing or swallowing; call 911 in these instances.
Who Is a Candidate for Botox?
Botox has been used in cosmetic procedures for decades, and it is widely regarded as one of the safest cosmetic procedures available. Since it is so well understood and safe, almost anyone is a good candidate for these injections.
In the United States, if you are 18 or older, you likely qualify for Botox treatment. You just need to decide what area of your face you want to treat.
When you visit a cosmetic specialist in Boca Raton, Florida, you will be assessed for your general health, so your treatment provider can confirm that you are a good candidate. This may include a small allergy test to see how your skin reacts to Botox injections.
During your initial consultation, you will be asked about your medical and health history. It is important to inform your Botox treatment provider about any underlying conditions you have. Some allergies, skin reactions, neurological conditions, and prescription medications make treatment unsuitable. However, there may be other treatment options that suit you better, and your cosmetic specialist can discuss these with you.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also not suitable for treatment with Botox.
The Botox Treatment Process
Once you have determined that you want Botox and are a good candidate, the process with your cosmetic treatment provider begins.
- Pre-treatment consultation: You will meet with your cosmetic specialist to assess the areas where you want Botox injections. During this consultation, you will also discuss your medical history. Even if you know you are a good candidate for this procedure, your treatment provider will use your medical history to offer a detailed aftercare plan, including healing time.
- During treatment: You will receive a topical anesthetic to numb the area before the procedure. Although many people find this unnecessary since the injection needles are thin and do not go very deep, topical anesthetic can help you relax a little more. Without it, you might feel a small pinch or sting at the injection site.
- After the procedure: Typically, you can return to your regular activities after receiving Botox injections since this is a simple outpatient procedure, but your cosmetic specialist may recommend that you take at least one day off afterward to relax and monitor potential side effects. Keep your head upright as you rest to reduce swelling, redness, and bruising, which are potential side effects after Botox.
It can take between three and seven days after your first treatment to see results.
Safe, Simple Botox Treatments in Boca Raton, Florida
Botox injections have been used for cosmetic treatments and medical procedures for many years, and they are one of the safest options available for improving the appearance of the skin on your face and neck.
Cosmetica Med Spa is a recognized and recommended provider of several aesthetic services, including Botox injection treatments and related injectable treatment options.
References
Botox. (May 2020). MedlinePlus.
Botox. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).
Botox-Type Injectables Guide. American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
Highlights of Prescribing Information. (1989). United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Label: Botox. (July 2021). DailyMed.gov.
