Botox
Botulinum toxin type A injections can be used to treat wrinkles of the face, namely forehead wrinkles, frown lines and smile lines (crows feet). It can also be used to reduce gummy smiles and lift the corners of the mouth.
Botulinum toxin type A works by treating wrinkles caused by the contraction of facial muscles. It inhibits the transmission of neurotransmitter from the nerve to the muscle and stops the muscle from contracting and forming wrinkles.
Botulinum toxin type A injections do not immediately improve static lines, or lines that are present at rest. These lines can be treated, by adding volume with dermal filler or through other skin treatments
Anyone can benefit from botulinum toxin, both men and women are good candidates for Botulinum toxin type A injections. There are some exceptions:-pregnant women, nursing mothers, those who are allergic to Botulinum Toxin Type A, those who have a history of botulism poisoning, and patients taking certain medications. However, this will be checked during your consultation stage.
After your initial consultation and assessment your subsequent visit for treatment may only take 20 minutes.
Depending on the area treated you should notice a difference after 2-3 days. Often this is more of a sensation rather than a reduction in the wrinkle. Normally Botulinum toxin type A treatment takes 2 weeks to work.
The risks can include droopy eyelid/eyebrow, raised eyebrow, altered smile, headaches, nausea, bruising and swelling. The risks are mainly due to the administrator, so make sure you only receive treatment from an experienced person with the correct qualifications, training and insurance.
The needles used are diabetic needles which are extremely fine, and only a small volume is injected. Normally, any discomfort or tenderness experienced is minimal, short-lived and well-tolerated, so there is no need for anaesthesia. You can opt to have anaesthetic cream or ice applied to the area prior to treatment to help reduce any discomfort.
After receiving botulinum toxin type A treatments you may experience a small amount of swelling or redness at the injection site. This usually disappears after about 20 minutes, so you can return to work straight away.
Normally you are asked to avoid vigorous exercise/lots of bending up and down, touching the area, applying make up and lying down for approximately 3 hours.
You do not need to carry out lots of facial expression after treatment. The botulinum toxin type A treatment will still work as effectively if you just resume your normal ‘facial activity’.
Everybody is different, it’s a bit like getting a sun tan. On average botulinum toxin type A treatments will last up to 4-5 months. With repeated treatments the interval time will increase.