skintips

Botox or Botolinum toxin is a neuromodulator that blocks release of acethylcholine hence preventing muscle contraction. Whew! That’s a lot of technical terms! Simply put, it is a toxin that relaxes or weakens your muscles.

In Dermatology, it is mostly used to treat dynamic wrinkles on the face. Common areas are:

• Crow’s feet (lateral side of eyes)
• Forehead lines
• Frown lines (between eyebrows)
• Bunny lines (nose wrinkles)
• Cobblestone chin

There is also a procedure called “Botox lift” to produce that fresh, youthful look with a lifted appearance.

Botox can also treat TMJ disorders and bruxism (night teeth grinding).

It is also helps in producing a more V-shaped contour of the face.

Botox also helps with excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. Patients with axillary or underarm hyperhidrosis greatly benefit from this treatment.

Fact Alert! Botox is actually a brand of the neurotoxin but is commonly used as a generic term for the procedure.

The procedure – Botox for wrinkles

Your dermatologist will plan the injection sites and number of units to be used on your face. She will ask you to make facial expressions to map out where the best injection spots are for you.

We use a very fine needle to minimize the pain with injection. Other modalities may be used such as applying ice, tapping, or if necessary, applying topical anesthesia. Most patients tolerate the procedure well and ice compress is more than enough.

When do I see the effect of my Botox treatment?

Most patients appreciate the effect after a few days of the treatment. If a touch up is necessary, this is scheduled at least two weeks after the initial treatment.

Effect of a single treatment may last 4-6 months. Factors affecting this include: strength of facial muscles, how animated or active your facial muscles are, and the number of units used.  Once the effect of Botox wears off, your face will not be worse than before you had the treatment! A lot of patients worry about this. Botox will not make your wrinkles worse once it wears off, but you will do notice your wrinkles coming back.

Side effects

Some of the possible side effects are:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
•  Mild headache (uncommon)

Frozen face – we do not like this either! We aim to give you a natural, youthful look while preserving your facial expressions.

Am I a candidate for Botox?

Don’t wait to have the permanent creases or wrinkles on your face before getting a Botox treatment. Those deep lines you see in older people are harder and more expensive to treat.

The trend now is to maintain and prevent the signs of aging, as early as you can.

Experienced dermatologists can plan the best treatment for you. The number of units and the injection points vary from face to face because each face is unique!

Cheers to healthy skin!

For inquiries and to set your appointment, CONTACT us here.

Stay tuned for updates and promos, follow and like us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Want to learn more about Botox as a wrinkle remedy?

Wrinkles are lines on the skin that appear with facial expressions such as frowning, raising our eyebrows, squinting, smiling, etc. There are several factors contributing to the development of wrinkles. Intrinsic aging or natural aging is largely genetic and is inevitable with the passage of time. Exposure to UV rays, cigarette smoke, poor quality and lack of sleep, and stress can accelerate the aging of skin hence earlier appearance of unsightly wrinkles.

Over time, with repetitive facial expressions these wrinkles become permanent creases even when our face is not showing any emotion or even when we are not moving. These permanent creases are much more difficult to treat. It will cost you a lot more to treat the permanent wrinkles! So the best time to treat your wrinkles is now.

What do I need to prepare for my Botox appointment?

Inform your doctor of any history of Botox treatments and other facial cosmetic procedures. Tell your doctor if you are taking any medications especially blood thinners such as Aspirin.

What happens during this procedure?

Botox involves injection of the toxin in small amounts to targeted muscles. Pain is minimal as we use a very fine needle.  Most patients tolerate the procedure well. For people who are very sensitive to pain, inform your doctor and ask if “painless” option is possible.

When do I see the effect of my Botox treatment?

The full effect of a Botox treatment can be appreciated about 7 to 14 days after the procedure. Some patients may already experience the benefit of Botox after 3 days.

Any side effects?

These have been the reported side effects with Botox treatment: redness, swelling, soreness, bruising. Uncommon side effects are mild headache and temporary eyelid drooping.

Numbness or loss of sensation is not seen with Botox treatment.

After care?

You may go back to work immediately after the treatment. You may apply make up taking care not to apply pressure on the treatment points. Keep upright for a few hours after the treatment. Avoid facial massage or rubbing the treated areas for the next few days.

Follow up?

You may follow up with your dermatologist 2 weeks after your treatment. Some patients may need correction or injection of additional units.

Dermatologists who are experienced with Botox can plan the best treatment for you. The number of units and the injection points vary from face to face because each face is unique!

Our goal with Botox is to have a natural look while minimizing wrinkles. We want you to retain facial expressions and not have a frozen face.

Cheers to healthy skin!

For inquiries and to set your appointment, CONTACT us here.

Stay tuned for updates and promos, follow and like us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.