Botox
As the body ages, the skin of the face starts to lose its natural elasticity. Since the skin no longer bounces back every time an expression like a frown or an eye squint is made, it's common for people to develop sagging, drooping, and fine lines in the face. Sun exposure can compound these issues, often making a person look years older than they actually are. Botox is a prescription medicine that is injected directly into the muscles of the face. Botox causes those muscles to freeze, which creates a smooth face and prevents people from making expressions that cause wrinkles. Botox is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the U.S. today. It can correct both early signs of aging and more entrenched lines and wrinkles.
Who is a Good Candidate For Botox?
Botox can be used in most healthy adults who are concerned with fine lines and wrinkles. This often includes frown lines between the brows, crow's feet surrounding the eyes, horizontal forehead lines, drooping brows, and sagging at the edges of the mouth. Botox is also used as a treatment for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating in the underarm area.)
What are the Benefits of Botox?
One of the main benefits of Botox is that it's a non-invasive treatment that is done on an outpatient basis. Botox treatments take only minutes and there is no downtime afterwards. There are no incisions, only small injections using a very slim needle. Botox is so popular partially because it can be a reasonably priced way to fight wrinkles and look younger. It's far less costly than surgery like facelift, and it can often help patients delay major surgery for a long time. Botox works very well in combination with other products, particularly dermal fillers. Dermal fillers can create volume where it's needed and the Botox can prevent the wrinkles from coming back.
The Treatment Procedure
The treatment process for Botox is remarkably fast and easy. The treatment is complete in only about 20 minutes. There is no special preparation required, and no anesthesia is needed. Patients may experience tiny twinges during the injections, but it's very rarely painful or uncomfortable. The face may be slightly red around the injection spots for a few hours after treatment, but this fades very quickly. Patients may use an ice pack after treatment to alleviate any temporary soreness.
Recovery After Botox
After treatment, patients can leave right away and return to their routine. Some people even have their Botox treatments during their lunch break. Patients will be given a list of post-Botox instructions to follow. This includes staying out of the sun and tanning beds for 72 hours and avoiding heavy exercise for 24 hours. Patients should avoid laying down for at least 4 hours post-Botox treatment. This helps prevent the Botox from moving into the eye area and potentially causing a rare side effect, drooping eyelids.
What to Expect: Botox Results
It takes around 3 to 7 days for the effects of Botox to be seen. Patients will notice a smoothing of facial lines and a lifting effect in the face. Many patients say that Botox injections help them to maintain a much more youthful appearance overall. Botox lasts for around 3-4 months, and with regular maintenance treatments the product will start to last even longer. The best results are achieved when a maintenance treatment is done before the Botox has completely dissipated.
Ready to Smooth Away the Lines and Wrinkles?
Ready to eliminate the lines and wrinkles? The team at Rau Plastic Surgery is here to help. Call anytime to schedule a consultation for Botox treatment.