Botox™

For years, the only solution to the facial wrinkling that occurs as we age was an invasive facelift that required weeks off from work and changes in your normal routines, not to mention a significant investment. Today, Botox has become a popular, affordable, and effective way to deal with crow’s feet, laugh lines, and other lines in the face which make you look older than you feel.

Is Botox™ right for you?

If you are starting to see the development of lines and wrinkles in your face which are interfering with your self-confidence or making you unhappy with your appearance, then Botox may be the right option for you. Botox is a good choice for individuals who do not want the risks and other problems associated with an actual surgical procedure. It’s also an excellent option if you cannot afford the several thousands dollars needed to pay for a facelift – Botox injections cost around $350 per treatment. Botox may be right for you if you don’t yet need or want the major work associated with facelifts but want to enjoy tighter, smoother skin.

What is Botox™?

Botox is the commercial name for botulinum toxin. Although the name may sound frightening, Botox treatments are actually safer than surgical treatments. Botox injections include very low doses of the toxin. In fact, Botox had been used to treat medical conditions even before its miracle anti-wrinkle properties was reviewed and approved by the FDA in 2002.

The treatments are performed in your plastic surgeon’s office. No anesthetic is needed for the procedure, but your discomfort will be minimal. If you’re concerned about potential pain, your physician may be able to use a numbing cream or ice pack to numb the area before beginning the treatment. Either way, the entire treatment is over much faster than any type of surgery. On average, you can be in and out of the office in just ten minutes. That’s why many business women and men schedule their treatments for their lunch breaks. The beneficial results are visible in only 48 hours or less and they last for around four months.

Are you a good candidate?

Almost anyone is a good candidate for Botox. The treatments can be used on people between the ages of 18 and 65, and because no healing is involved, the procedure is generally available even for smokers (many plastic surgeons will not perform facelifts or other invasive procedures on smokers because of increased risk of healing complications).

There are a small number of people who should not receive Botox treatments. The main group is people who suffer from neuromuscular diseases, such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, because those individuals may be at greater risk from the potential side effects. You should also not have the treatment performed if you have an infection in the area of your face where you want the injections. After the infection clears up, however, you will be able to have the procedure completed.

How is the procedure performed?

Botox procedures begin with a discussion with your cosmetic surgeon of where you want to be treated. During a single setting, you can have the treatment applied to multiple areas of your face. Once your physician knows what you want, he will prepare the injections.

A low dose liquid of the chemical will be added to a small, fine needle. Then, your physician will inject a small amount of the toxin directly into the muscles causing your wrinkling. For some deeper wrinkles or for certain facial areas, it may take several injections to do the job. The toxin paralyzes the muscle temporarily which prevents it from wrinkling. After each injection, your physician will probably gently pat the area to remove any of the chemical that leaked out of the injection site.

Botox treatments can be done as quickly as 10 minutes by most physicians.

How long will it take before I feel normal again?

Another benefit of Botox treatments is that your recovery period is much, much faster. Typically with facelifts and other surgical procedures, you’ll need to be off from work for two to three weeks and will probably experience bruising and swelling for about the same amount of time. With Botox, you’ll be able to go right back to your normal routine as soon as you leave your doctor’s office.

Are there any risks?

Botox injections do come with a number of potential side effects, but these are relatively mild. The most common are nausea, a headache, and drooping eyelids. There may also be a little bruising or redness at the injection site.

Less common but more severe side effects include muscle weakness in the face which could cause you to be unable to make certain facial expressions and sores developing in your cornea. While these types of problems are rare, Botox is still a relatively new treatment so the potential long-term effects of continued injections are not yet known.

Will I be happy with my results?

Most individuals are thrilled with their Botox results. The best part is that you won’t have to wait weeks to see those results - in most cases, you’ll see improvement within the first two days and by the end of the first month your wrinkles in the treated areas should be gone. To maintain those results, you will need to repeat the treatment every four months. If treatments are stopped, the muscle will gradually regain its movement and the wrinkling will return.

Further information

This web site has been prepared to give a basic understanding of the procedure before a consultation takes place, and to cover many of the questions frequently asked about this type of cosmetic surgery. Final decisions should not be made until an individual assessment has taken place with the surgeon.

There is no obligation on the part of the patient to undergo surgery by attending for consultation.

If you have any further questions or would like to arrange a consultation please fill in the online form or call us on 07590 666 302. All enquiries are always treated confidentially.