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.