You have probably heard about Botox in ads, blogs, celebrity gossip magazines and from your friends. Botox has been available in the United States since the FDA approved it in 2002. In 2017, botulinum toxin was the top nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in the U.S., with over 1.5 million injections performed by physicians, their assistants and nurse injectors.
What Exactly is Botox?
Botox is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This is the same toxin that causes a life-threatening type of food poisoning called botulism. However, doctors use it in small doses to treat health problems. Most people associate Botox injections with the treatment of wrinkles, like horizontal forehead lines, crow’s feet, marionette lines at the corners of the mouth and smoker’s lines around the lips. But it is also used for many other conditions, including spasticity, eye twitch, neck contracture, migraines, overactive bladder and severe underarm sweating.
How Does Botox Work for Wrinkles?
Botox is not the same as dermal fillers. Dermal fillers work by plumping up tissues so that lines and wrinkles diminish or disappear. Botox injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or by blocking certain nerves. Botox injections are relatively safe when performed by an experienced practitioner. As with any procedure there are risks. Possible side effects include:
• Swelling, pain or bruising at the injection site
• Headache or flu-like symptoms
• Droopy eyelid or cockeyed eyebrows
• Drooling or crooked smile
• Excessive tearing or eye dryness
Although very rare, there are times when the toxin injection will spread in your body. If you experience muscle weakness, vision problems, trouble speaking or swallowing, breathing problems or loss of bladder control after a Botox injection and you will need to seek medical attention. These symptoms can occur hours or weeks after the procedure. Botox is not expected to travel far enough through the body to affect a fetus or breastfeeding infant. But for ethical reasons, it should not be performed on pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
What Can I Expect Immediately After Botox?
For the most part, Botox injections are relatively painless, but you can have your skin numbed beforehand. Botox injections are usually performed in an office with a thin needle where tiny amounts of botulinum toxin are injected into your skin or muscles. The number of injections will depend on the extent of the area being treated. Avoid rubbing the treated area(s) for 24 hours to prevent the toxin from spreading to a different area. The procedure takes about 10 minutes and you can expect to see results in one to three days with the maximum effect occurring at about 10-14 days. The result can last for three months or longer depending on the problem being treated. You will need follow-up injections to maintain the effects. There is no downtime with Botox injections, and you can go right back to normal activities.
Botox Injections & Injectable Treatments & More in Mansfield, Texas (Just Minutes away from Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, De Soto, Red Oak, Midlothian, Waxahachie, Cleburne & Benbrook, Texas)
Botox can be dangerous if it’s administered incorrectly. It’s important that injections be placed precisely to avoid side effects and get the desired results. Contact Open Door Med Spa to see what Botox injections can do for you!