What exactly is BOTOX® Cosmetic?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. It is a non-surgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the brows, forehead lines, and lines at the corners of you eyes.. During treatment, very low doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. When Botox® Cosmetic is injected into the muscles surrounding the brow area for instance, those muscles cannot "scrunch up" for a period of time. They are paralyzed. Any wrinkles in that area, often referred to as furrows or frown lines, temporarily go away. The treatment is usually done in about 10 minutes and no recovery time is needed.
How does BOTOX® Cosmetic work?
Those moderate to severe frown lines between your brows and other facial lines form over time as the result of muscle activity. BOTOX® Cosmetic is injected directly into the muscles. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles; this reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those persistent lines to form.
When will I see results from a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment?
Within days, you may see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. Lines continue to improve for up to a month, and results can last for up to 4 months. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women rated the improvement in their appearance as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. Results may vary.
How long does BOTOX® Cosmetic last?
Results from treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic can last for up to 4 months. If you discontinue treatment, the frown lines between your brows gradually will look like they did before treatment.
Is treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic painful?
Discomfort is usually minimal and brief. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Many people return directly to work or normal activity following BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment.
Botox sounds like magic; is it?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is not magic. It's medicine. Botox will not radically change your appearance or make you look 20 years younger. Because it's highly localized and administered intramuscularly, its effects are usually confined to the region of injection, and Botox does not remain in your body indefinitely.
However, if doing all you can to look your best is important to you, Botox may be an excellent choice. If reducing those lines between your brows would make you feel more attractive, Botox is here for you. Thousands of appearance-conscious women and men are discovering the benefits of Botox. And not just models and movie stars! Everyday people — teachers, mothers and business people, Botox is now affordable and accessible to people from all walks of life.
Why go to Virginia Street Dermatology for your Botox treatments?
We are a member of the BOTOX® Cosmetic Physicians' Network. We are a medical practice that focuses on facial aesthetics, and we have detailed knowledge of facial anatomy and experience injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic. We also offer other facial aesthetic treatments.
Who should not use BOTOX® Cosmetic?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is approved for use in adult patients 18 to 65 years of age. However, BOTOX® Cosmetic should not be used if you are pregnant, or think you might be pregnant, or in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s) or by any individuals with known hypersensitivity (or allergies) to any ingredient in the formulation. Patients with neurological disorders such as ALS, Myasthenia Gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.
Will I experience any side effects?
Possible side effects include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop, and nausea. Less frequently occurring (<3%) adverse reactions include pain in the face, erythema at the injection site, and muscle weakness. These events are thought to be associated with the injection itself rather than the Botox and occurred within the first week.
Will my facial expressions continue to look natural?
After treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic, you may look in the mirror and see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. Although the results are visible, a treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic will not radically change your facial appearance or make you look as if you "had work done." The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced, so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.
What will happen to the frown lines between my brows if I choose not to continue treatments?
BOTOX® Cosmetic works by temporarily reducing the contractions of the muscles that cause those persistent frown lines that have developed between your brows over time. Within days, you may see an improvement that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary. If you do not continue treatments, the frown lines between your brows will gradually look like they did before treatment.
Is BOTOX® Cosmetic affordable?
When considering your facial aesthetic options, BOTOX® Cosmetic is quite affordable. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's 2003 survey, BOTOX® Cosmetic is one of the least expensive facial aesthetic procedures in the United States. Like other appearance-related investments, such as hair coloring and cuts, teeth whitening and chemical peels, the cost must be weighed relative to your expectations.
Do treatment results differ?
To get the best results, it's important to go to a medical doctor who is experienced in administering BOTOX® Cosmetic. We are a member of the BOTOX® Cosmetic Physicians' Network. We are a medical practice that focuses on facial aesthetics, and we have detailed knowledge of facial anatomy and experience injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic.
Who makes BOTOX®?
BOTOX® is the result of years of careful research and testing by the Allergan Corporation. Allergan BOTOX® product is the only one of its type. No other company manufacturers anything like it.
