Botox is an ideal treatment to help rid our face and prevent unwanted fine lines, wrinkles, and deep facial furrows. This skin treatment temporarily reduces muscle activities underneath the skin’s surface resulting in moderate to severe skin issues, frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines in adults—Botox results in a much smoother facial appearance.

         Today, let us know more about Botox and how it works. Read until the end to determine if this popular skin treatment can work for your skin issues and concerns.

What is Botox?

         Botox is famous primarily for its ability to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. They treat conditions such as neck spasms, excessive sweating, overactive bladders, and lazy eyes. This injectable may also prevent occurrences of chronic migraines.

Botox uses a toxin called onabotulinumtoxinA as its main ingredient to help temporarily prevent a muscle from moving. The microbe produces this toxin, resulting in food poisoning called botulism.

Botox was the first drug approved by the FDA to utilize the botulinum toxin. Nowadays, other products include abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport), rimabotulinumtoxinB (Myobloc), and incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin). Each is slightly different, particularly regarding dosage units, so they aren’t interchangeable.

How Does Botox Work?

Botox works by blocking nerve-to-muscle signals. When injected, the targeted muscle can’t contract, making unwanted wrinkles relax and soften. Botox is typically used on forehead lines, crow’s feet or the lines around the eye, and frown lines. However, this skin treatment won’t help wrinkles caused by sun damage or gravity.

How Is the Botox Procedure Done?

Undergoing the Botox treatment only takes a few minutes. And the good news – you won’t need anesthesia. Your doctor or healthcare provider uses tiny needles to administer Botox into particular muscles, experiencing only minor discomfort.

Generally, it can take 7-14 days before its full effects manifest. It is best to avoid alcohol starting at least a week before the procedure during this period. It would help if you stopped taking aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications two (2) weeks before your scheduled treatment to help prevent any potential bruising.

Refrain from rubbing the treated area for the next 24 hours. Scratching the injection site may spread the Botox to other locations in the body. Practitioners may also advise you to stay upright 4 hours after the shots and take a day off from exercising.

Why Botox is Done

Botox injections block specific nerve chemical signals, primarily ones that cause the contraction of muscles. Most commonly, Botox is injected to temporarily help relax facial muscles that create unwanted wrinkles, usually in the areas of the forehead and around the eyes. These injections are also commonly used to treat conditions affecting the body’s functions. Examples include:

• Bladder dysfunction – Botox helps reduce urinary incontinence caused by an overactive bladder.
• Cervical dystonia – this painful condition makes your neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing head twisting or turning into an uncomfortable position.
• Chronic migraine – experiencing migraines more than 15 days a month can be a hassle, so Botox injections may help reduce these frequent headaches.
• Eye twitching – these injections may help relieve contraction or twitching of muscles around the eye.
• Hyperhidrosis – is the excessive sweating condition that occurs even when the temperature isn’t hot, and you’re not exerting yourself.
• Lazy eyes – is most commonly caused by an imbalance of muscles responsible for eye positioning.
• Muscle contractures – neurological conditions like cerebral palsy can cause your limbs to pull toward your center. In some cases, you can relax these contracted muscles with Botox injections.

How to Prepare for Botox

Tell your doctor if you’ve had Botox within the last four (4) months. Additionally, let them know if you’re taking allergy medications, sleeping aids, or muscle relaxants. For those who take blood thinners, you may temporarily be required to stop their intake a few days before your Botox injection to help reduce potential risks of bruising or bleeding.

Expectations from Botox

Before the Procedure

Most patients don’t feel that much discomfort during the Botox procedure. But some may want their skins numbed before receiving Botox, especially those treated in the palms or soles for excessive sweating. Doctors or healthcare providers might administer various numbing methods available to relieve the area from potential discomfort. Such methods can include topical anesthesia, ice, and vibration anesthesia using massage to reduce possible discomfort or pain.

During the Procedure

Botox is usually administered inside the doctor’s office. Practitioners use thin needles to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into the targeted skin or muscles. How many and how many injections you’ll need will depend on several factors, which include the extent of the targeted area.

After the Procedure

Avoid rubbing or massaging your treated areas for 24 hours. This step may help prevent the toxin from spreading to a different location. Immediately go back to your daily activities right after your Botox treatment.

Results

Botox usually begins working a day up to three (3) days after treatment. Depending on the treatment problem, the effect may last three months or longer. To maintain the result, you’ll need regular follow-up injections.

Potential Risks

As a relatively safe procedure, Botox injections still need to be performed by an experienced doctor. Possible side effects and complications include:

• Crooked smile or drooling
• Droopy eyelid or cockeyed eyebrows
• Eye dryness or excessive tearing
• Headache or flu-like symptoms
• Pain, bruising, or swelling in the treated area

Although very unlikely, the toxin in the injection can potentially spread and make its way to other areas of your body. Seek immediate medical attention from your doctor right away if you notice any of these effects hours to weeks after receiving Botox:

• Breathing problems
• Loss of bladder control
• Muscle weakness
• Trouble speaking or swallowing
• Vision problems

In general, skin experts recommend against using Botox when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, Botox should not be used in people allergic to cow’s milk protein.

Possible Side Effects

As temporary as they may seem, there are still possible side effects after having Botox injections. These could include:

• Bruising – is the most common side effect and will go away.
• Crooked smile or drooling
• Eye dryness or severe tearing
• Eyelid drooping – happens with only a tiny percentage of people and usually goes away within three (3) weeks. Typically, drooping of the eyes occurs when the Botox moves around, so don’t rub the treated area.
• Flu-like symptoms or a general unwell feeling
• Headaches – a typical side effect and end in 24-48 hours
• Minor instances of pain or swelling around the injection site
• Numbness
• Upset stomach
• Weakness in nearby muscles

Final Thoughts About Botox

         Botox is one effective procedure that can help you with your skin concerns. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider to help achieve optimal results, and if you’re unsure what you can or can’t do after getting Botox.

Do you want to experience Botox? Our amazing friends at Bella Derma Logan can help you today. Visit them now! https://belladermalogan.com/