Botox is revered by millions as the answer to achieving a
more youthful appearance without having to resort to "going
under the knife." Botox injections can dramatically soften
expression lines, worry lines, frown lines, crow's feet and
laugh lines.
Botox is actually a paralyzant made from botulism toxin that is injected into the muscles under the wrinkles.
These wrinkles occur as the muscles under the skin contract
when we laugh, smile or frown. Paralyzing the muscles with
botox prevents the facial muscles from activly reinforcing these creases and smooths out the surface skin.
However before you book an appointment for a Botox treatment there are a few
factors that you might want to consider first.
All Botox is created equal:
When Botox is shipped it comes in the form
of a freeze-dried film of crystals inside a glass vial. The physician
hydrates the Botox by mixing it with saline to make the solution
that's actually injected. With the rising level of competion some
doctors are diluting the solution they use in an attempt to save money.
In some cases, price may be some indication of the quality of care.
However, that's not always the case. May physicians are able to offer
less expensive treatments because the have more patient traffic.
Botox is not cheap stuff: so it would be wise not to go for
the bargain botox, as there can be grotesque complications
as a result. It is very likely the saline in the diluted
botox can migrate into other muscle areas causing problems
such as double vision, droopy eyelids, droopy lips,
uncontrollable tearing and drooling.
It is also not a good idea to get botox if you are
pregnant or breast-feeding. Remember this is a toxin that
has like any other foreign substance the potential to
migrate to other places in the body. Although some
cosmeticians and surgeons will tell you it is okay to have
botox as long as you don't breast feed your baby for two
days afterwards your best course of action is to not get
botox at all if you are nursing!
Botox doesn't work for everything: Botox cannot be injected into some lines around the mouth
on the upper lip or into the lower frown lines around the
chin. This is because botox injections can paralyze the
face for up to six months in these areas which are called
the perioral area. If a practictioner tells you that it is
safe to inject botox into the area above the upper lip you
are probably not dealing with a professional.
Botox is safe: The FDA
gave Botox the okay for use in April 2002. Since that time Botox has
proven safe in getting rid of our most hated facial wrinkles. I’m
talking about wrinkles like the laugh lines Gladys Rhome suffered from
as well as frown lines and crows feet. Doctors have been using Botox
for more than ten years and so far they’ve seen no serious side effects.
You may experience a little localized pain, tenderness and bruising
in the aftermath of the injection. Your muscles in the vicinity of the
injection may also be a little weak. However some people see this as a
minor annoyance. You can usually see the affects of the injections
within 3 days.
The treatment lasts approximately three months to six months. Most
people will need another injection after that time. You can repeat the
injection as long as you don’t have any serious side effects. The two
good things about a Botox treatment are that it can be repeated as many
times as you like. And, the treatment takes less than an hour. You can
literally do it on a lunch break from work. In fact, doctors say the
more treatments you have the longer the lasting effects seem to be.
Botox is used in extremely small amounts and does not spread throughout
the body. An allergic reaction is not very common. However there is the
possibility that you may have a problem with a droopy brow or eyelid.
It is not a problem that will not correct itself over time. Botox can
be used by almost anyone. However you should not use it if you’re are
pregnant, breastfeeding or have a neurological disease.
