Muscle Relaxing Injections Botox Injections Vistabel Injections

Summary

Botox® is most popular cosmetic treatment in the world because it works well, looks natural, is relatively painless and very safe.
It is the most effective treatment of lines on the upper half of the face.
Botox® injections relax the muscles of facial expression so that they don't squeeze the skin so hard. The rested skin then heals naturally.
The effects develop gradually and, if injected properly, look natural.
Botox® can also be used to give a subtle ‘lifting' affect around the eyes and at the corners of the mouth, the so-called ‘Nefertiti facelift'.
The results of Botox® injections are visible within days and last 3-6 months.

Introduction

Botox® is the most popular aesthetic treatment in the world because it is a subtle, relatively painless and extremely safe treatment that eliminates all but the deepest lines.

What Does It Do?

If injected correctly, its effects look almost completely natural. All you see is a more receptive, happier and rested, younger-looking version of yourself. Treatment tends to lift the eyebrows a millimetre or two and "open up" the upper half of the face. If injected less skilfully, Botox® produces a less harmonious and sometimes rather "wooden" appearance.

Which Areas Can Be Treated?

The frown lines are the most popular site for treatment, followed by the lines on the forehead and those around the eyes. On the lower half of the face, Botox® is often used in conjunction with dermal fillers (Restylane®). The lines on the upper and lower lip can be softened by treatment and the corners of the mouth lifted a little to give a happier look. Neck bands often respond well to treatment.

Botox® remains the most effective means of reducing excess underarm sweating.

What Preparations Are Needed Before Treatment?

No special preparation is needed. However, some people like to stop taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, gingko biloba, vitamin E (doses greater than 400 IU/day), St John's Wort or any other herbal remedy that promotes bleeding, for two weeks prior to treatment in order to reduce the chances of getting a small bruise.

What Does Treatment Involve?

The treatment involves a series of injections with a very fine needle and takes between ten and thirty minutes. Most people find the injections very tolerable. However, if you find injections uncomfortable, we can supply you with some local anaesthetic cream to numb the skin first.

EMLA, local anaesthetic cream, is recommended before injections for excessive underarm sweating.

Botox® FAQs

How does Botox® work?
Which areas can Botox® treat?
Which types of botulinum toxin work best?
What should I discuss with the Botox® practitioner?
Is Botox® safe?
Does Botox® hurt?
How should I prepare for Botox® treatment?
What is involved in Botox® treatment?
How will I look immediately after Botox® treatment?
Is there any important Botox® aftercare?
How soon after the Botox® injections will I notice an improvement?
How much does Botox® cost?
How many Botox® treatments will I need?
How long does Botox® last?
Does Botox® produce any side-effects?
Who shouldn't have Botox® treatments?

How does Botox® work?

Tiny amounts of Botox® are injected into the muscles that crease the skin into lines and wrinkles. Botox® blocks the message from the nerve that causes the muscle to contract allowing the muscle to relax. The skin can then repair itself and lines and wrinkles gradually fade.

Which areas can Botox® treat?

Botox® is the best treatment for the following areas:
Frown lines - between the eyebrows
Forehead lines
Eye lines - lines and wrinkles around the eyes
Bunny lines - lines produced by wrinkling up the nose
Dimpled chin - the pebbly appearance on the chin.
Excess sweating under the arms

Botox® is a helpful treatment for the following areas:

Mouth lines - lines on the upper and lower lip
Corners of the mouth - it helps raise them
Neck bands - only if the skin is tight

In the upper face, Botox® alone will smooth out all but the deepest lines. In the lower face, Botox® enhances the effect produced by Dermal Fillers.

Botox® is an excellent treatment for excessive sweating under the arms. The injections dramatically reduce sweating for 4-6 months. Many people come once a year for treatment to tide them through the summer.

Which types of botulinum toxin work best?

There is really nothing to choose between them. Botox® and Vistabel® are the same product. Dysport® is made by another company. New companies are entering this market but as yet their products do not have a long safety record.

What should I discuss with the Botox® practitioner?

Before treatment, decide for yourself how much expression you wish to retain after Botox® injections. This will help the injector individualise the treatment so that you get the look you wish to obtain.

Try not to base your decisions on the manufacturer's own "before and after" photographs of the effects of treatment. These photographs are designed to advertise their product and will often give you unrealistically high expectations. Rather ask to see "before and after" photographs of the practitioner's own work. These will give you a better idea of the likely improvement that you are likely to see after treatment.

The aesthetic market is full of hype and false promise and it is hard to ascertain the training, experience and expertise of many of the people who offer treatments in this sector. If you choose to be treated by an "accredited specialist" you can check their training on the General Medical Council website and, if they are registered there, be reassured that that person has completed at least four years of higher training in that specialty. Be aware, that that in the aesthetic market the words, "Specialist", "Medical", "Consultant", and "Cosmetic Dermatologist" have become advertising slogans and may not reflect the practitioner's true status. It is possible to set yourself up as a "Botox Expert" after only a half day's training.

Is Botox® safe?

Yes. It is so safe that doses several times larger than the cosmetic dose are used to treat children with cerebral palsy. Long-term cosmetic use, over ten years, has also been shown to be safe and produce no lasting side-effects.

Does Botox® hurt?

Botox® is administered by injection and treatment involves several tiny pin-pricks that sting or tingle for about a second.

How should I prepare for Botox® treatment?

No specific preparation is needed, but try to avoid taking aspirin for two weeks before treatment, unless it is being prescribed for medical purposes.

What is involved in Botox® treatment?

Botox® is administered by injection and treatment involves a series of tiny pin-pricks with a very fine needle. Up to nine are needed to treat the frown lines, six to twelve for the forehead, four to eight for lines around the eyes (‘crows feet') and fewer for other treatment areas. Treatment takes 10-30 minutes.

How will I look immediately after Botox® treatment?

The injections of Botox® raise small bumps in the skin that settle within an hour or so. Very occasionally, a small bruise at one injection site may develop.

Is there any important Botox® aftercare?

No. You can return to work and normal daily activities immediately after treatment but don't exercise, drink alcohol, or massage the treated area for 3 hours after treatment, until the Botox® has had a chance to ‘lock' into place (on the site of the muscle receptors). You should not fly for 24 hours after Botox® treatment.

How soon after Botox® injections will I notice an improvement?

Botox® starts working 2-7 days after treatment and takes full effect by day 14. After that you will notice the lines and wrinkles fading in the areas that have been treated.

How much does Botox® cost?

Prices

How many Botox® treatments will I need?

I like to review the effects of the first Botox treatment after two weeks so that the dose can be tailored to suit each person. Once we have the formula, subsequent treatments take one visit only, repeated every 4-6 months.

How long does Botox® last?

On average, the effects of Botox® treatment last between 3 to 4 months but this varies with each individual. Some people find that they need injections less often after the first year of Botox® treatment.

Does Botox® produce any side-effects?

A small bruise at one or more of the injection sites is the most commonly experienced side-effect of treatment. Over-treatment of forehead lines can occasionally cause the eyelids to descend a millimetre or two, but this corrects after a few weeks. Rarely, drooping of one eyelid occurs. It can be treated with eyedrops.

Occasionally, people may develop a headache for a day or two after treatment, or experience some numbness around the injection sites. Interestingly, Botox® is also a recognised treatment for headaches.

Who should not have Botox® injections?

Botox should not be used if you are pregnant, breast feeding, have an allergy to human albumin or to Botox, or have a neuromuscular disease, including myasthenia gravis.