What Is Botox?
Botox is an injectable muscle relaxer that uses botulinum toxin type A, specifically OnabotulinumtoxinA, to temporarily relax the muscle thus helping to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. This treatment is minimally invasive and is considered a safe and effective treatment procedure for fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes.
Botox treatment requires minimal preparation and is usually a lunch hour treatment. However, one needs to inform the doctors of any medical history, allergies or medical conditions before the procedure.
Botox injections and dermal fillers are unregulated in India. While there is an independent body who act as a watchdog over those administering treatment, there are still many injectors out there who are sub-standard and who use cheap products that have been tampered with or are not safe.
Choosing the right practitioner is crucial. You may find luring deals that offer wrinkle injections at very cheap rates or less, but we would urge those seeking treatment not to fall into this trap. It is possibly an untrained practitioner who is performing these treatments, or they are not using the products which they advertise.
Botox is a branded form of botulinum toxin. Many mistake the brand as a general term for the treatment, which is simply not the case. For this very same reason, many practitioners falsely claim that they use the branded product.
Not only do you need to feel comfortable with your practitioner on a personal level, you also need to make sure that you feel confident in their abilities, skills and knowledge. We always advise prospective patients to do their research and form educated decisions.
Cosmetically, the injectable can be used in the following areas: the area between the eyebrows (glabellar region), to treat moderate to severe frown lines around the eyes, commonly known as crow’s feet lines.
Before Botox Treatment
To begin with you will be asked about the areas that you need treatment for. You would also need to fill in a consent form declaring any allergies or any medications that you might be taking that may adversely affect the treatment. The area to be treated will be cleaned thoroughly as you lie comfortably. A slight numbing agent will be applied topically to the area that would be injected. You would be administered 3-5 injections of botulinum toxin type A. It will be injected into the targeted area between the eyebrows. You will usually need three injections on the side of each eye to smooth out crow’s feet. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Minor bruising or discomfort may occur but should improve within a few days.
What To Expect?
Botox works by temporarily blocking nerve signals and muscle contractions. This improves the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes and between the eyebrows. It can also slow the formation of new lines by preventing contraction of facial muscles.
It is important to note that one must avoid rubbing, massaging, or applying any pressure to the treated area. These actions can cause Botox to spread to other areas of the body thus negatively affecting your results. When being injected between the brows, do not lie down or bend over for the next three to four hours as this may cause Botox to slip under the orbital rim leading to eyelid droop syndrome. There is little to no downtime expected after the treatment.
Post Botox Treatment
You should be able to resume normal activities immediately in most cases.
It’s important to understand possible improvements and have realistic expectations. Noticeable results can be expected within 1-2 days post-treatment with peak results at 14 days. The full effect of this treatment typically lasts up to 4-6months.
FAQ
Even when treated by highly qualified practitioners, results are temporary, and treatment is on going. Patients usually have an injectable treatment every 3-4 months.
Prior to treatment to ensure your safety, a medical history will be taken and a mandatory consultation provided. The procedure itself should be virtually painless and choosing a highly qualified and experienced practitioner is an important factor in this process.
Botox injections can be used on a wide range of patients, and is primarily used for skin rejuvenation and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. Those who have medical conditions that can affect safety, such as damaged nerves or muscle complaints, should disclose this information during consultation, to avoid any complications. Treatment is not advisable for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. While there are no clinical studies to show that the injection is harmful to the baby or mother, medical professionals advise against having treatment under these circumstances.
A brings team of highly qualified practitioners who teach delegates their expert techniques on an international level. They are masters of creating a subtle, natural look by reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
Wrinkles and fine lines can be identified in two ways: expressive or static. Expressive lines are those which are evident when expressing emotion. Static lines are those which remain evident even when the face is relaxed.
The main areas that are affected by expressive and static lines and may benefit from an anti wrinkle injection are as follows:
Glabella – Frown lines
The Glabella is the area between your brows. Over time, some may find that there is a deep line that becomes quite prominent. The use of Botox can not only relax the muscle to stop you overworking that area, but can also reduce the appearance of that static groove.
Forehead – horizontal line
Likewise, the forehead is an area that we tend to get both expressive and static lines. The use of botulinum toxin relaxes the area to stop over-expression.
Crows’ Feet – Corner of the eye
This is a concern many of our patients have. Many believe the eye (and lip) area to be the most obvious sites for ageing. Not all products can be used in this area, and it is always important to check that the injector administering treatment is highly-skilled when injecting around the eyes.
Bunny Lines – Top of the nose
Bunny lines are mostly evident when smiling. They form on the bridge of the nose, near the tear duct of the eye. If in doubt, picture a bunny scrunching up its nose. While it might not be an obvious area to treat, it can be a bugbear for those who do not like the way their smile appears in photos and so on.
Brow – Lifting of the brow area
Botox Surgery is usually the last resort for patients. They wish to get great results all the same, but would rather not go under the knife, and that is completely understandable. Botulinum toxin can be used as a non-surgical alternative to a brow lift by introducing the solution to key points, relaxing the muscles we use to frown, lifting the weight that we naturally want to push down.
Jawline – Non-surgical reshaping
If your masseter muscle (the muscle that controls jaw movement) is particularly robust, it can make your jawline rather square. If you desire a slimmer, heart-shaped jaw, botulinum toxin can be used to streamline the area. This is particularly favourable among women.
While there is no real downtime or side effects associated with anti wrinkle injections, it is important to note that you may encounter some slight bruising and swelling directly after Botox treatment, due to the needle.
This can easily be masked by makeup. Some mild discomfort may be felt during treatment, but we use ultra-fine needles at Musk, and the treatment is complete relatively quickly.
There are no long-term side effects of having wrinkle injections, meaning patients can resume their usual activities straight away, and can also fly post-treatment. For best results, avoid massaging the area that has been treated and avoid exercising the area for 2-4 hours after treatment. This will ensure that the product works to the best of its advantage, for the individual.
Results should be visible after 5 – 7 Days. If after 7 days our patients wish to return for a follow up, we are happy to add a little bit if required.
“We’re now seeing an increasing number of male patients getting Botox, and if we understand what it achieves, we can see why. Ultimately, Botox comes down to who is injecting it, so we can give a very subtle treatment, or a stronger one. Most men are nervous about having cosmetic injections, but what we tend to do is go very light and natural with the male patient, so all we are doing is softening the expressions, rather than freezing them, which is what a lot of patients, both men and women, are worried about.”
“Following treatment, it’s not unusual for our patients to ask us, “Can I have a drink tonight?” What we typically want patients to do is avoid excessive blood flow to the face, so we recommend they don’t bend over for long periods of time, engage in strenuous exercise, have alcohol, or go to steam baths or saunas. We don’t want the Botox that we’ve put in a very discreet place to spread around. That being said, I’ll often say to my patients, especially if it’s close to the weekend, if you want to have a small glass of wine, by all means, go ahead.”
Following any treatment which involves injections into the face, we would always recommend not touching the area for at least 6 hours, though preferably waiting until the next day. It’s okay to clean the area, but we advise against the application of any makeup until 24 hours after treatment, at which point it is perfectly reasonable to use light makeup.
“Many patients will ask me questions about whether they are too young or too old to have Botox. I don’t think there is any right age, we have to remember that people will display the signs of their expression at different ages. Sometimes I will see women in their 40s and 50s with very few expression lines, and conversely, I might see a 21 year old patient with very deep expression lines. I am always looking at the patient and their concerns, not their chronological age.”
“One of the biggest concerns patients come into the clinic with is whether they will be left with a shiny or fake-looking forehead. With Botox, it’s important to remember that the results are dose-related. Accordingly, if we put too much Botox in, all expression will be blunted, and the skin may develop a very smooth, shiny appearance. That being said, the vast majority of patients want a very natural result, so we put in less product, therefore retaining some expression, and avoiding that shiny appearance.”
“We often get asked if there is anyone who isn’t suitable for Botox injections. We would never treat somebody who is pregnant or breastfeeding, but other than that, as long as the person is seeing a qualified practitioner who can assess them and ensure they are a good candidate for Botox, I wouldn’t see there being any other exclusions.”
“Along with using botulinum toxin for expression lines and excessive sweating, another very important application is to create jaw contouring. There is a number of people who notice they have excessive squaring of the jaw, usually due to an overactive muscle, called the masseter. In some people, it can give a square shape to the face, and we can use the botulinum toxin with patients to create a nicer contour to the jaw.”