Botulinum toxin Aneurotoxin is a purified substance that’s derived from bacteriaClostridium. Injections ofbotulinum toxin block the nerve signals to the muscle in which it was injected. Without a signal, the muscle is not able contract. The end result is diminished unwanted facial wrinkles or appearance.
Facial animation and especially repeated movements of the face like Smiling, frowning, squinting and even chewing—basically any facial movement—can eventually lead to one of the most common signs of aging – wrinkles. They can make you appear tired or even angry when you are not. The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin can relax the muscles on areas of the face and neck which cause wrinkles associated with facial expressions or facial pain.
Botulinum toxin can be used to
- Smooth crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines, lip lines and bunny lines
- Diminish neck bands
- Improve the appearance of skin dimpling of the chin
- Lift the corners of the mouth
- Soften a square jaw line
- Correct a gummy smile
Botulinum toxin can be combined with other cosmetic skin procedures—such as chemical peels, laser treatments, dermal fillers or microdermabrasion—to further improve your results. This combination of therapies can even help to prevent the formation of new lines and wrinkles.
Procedure
Injections of botulinum toxin may seem like a simple procedure to you, since it’s just a few shots. But it’s actually both an art and science that only an experienced healthcare professional should do.There are 43 muscles in your face and it’s vital that the person who performs botulinum toxin injections understands and pinpoints the correct spots to optimize your treatment.
A very thin needle is used to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into specific muscles. By carefully choosing specific muscles, your healthcare provider weakens only the wrinkle-producing muscles, preserving your natural facial expressions.The number of injections you need will depend on your facial features and the extent of your wrinkles. Crow’s feet, for example, usually demand two to three injections. Furrows above your brow could take five or more.Botox is diluted to a very controlled solution and when injected into the muscles, is almost painless.
Patients may feel a slight burning sensation while the solution is being injected. Botulinum toxin treatment injections usually take less than 15-30minutes.No anesthesia is required.
Recovery after botunilum toxin treatment
There is no down time or recovery time for botulinum toxin injections.You may resume normal activities immediately.One note of caution: Don’t rub or massage the treated areas after the wrinkle treatment because it can cause the botulinum toxin to migrate to another area of your face. If this happens, you could have temporary facial weakness or drooping.
Risks and complications
Before undergoing this procedure, understanding the risks is essential. No procedure is completely risk-free. The following risks may occur, but there may be unforeseen risks and risks that are not included on this list. Some of these risks, if they occur, may necessitate hospitalization, and/or extended outpatient therapy to permit adequate treatment. It has been explained to me that there are certain inherent and potential risks and side effects in any invasive procedure and in this specific instance such risks include but are not limited to:
- Post treatment discomfort, swelling, redness, and bruising,
- Double vision,
- A weakened tear duct,
- Post treatment bacterial, and/or fungal infection requiring further treatment,
- Allergic reaction,
- Minor temporary droop of eyelid(s) in approximately 2% of injections, this usually lasts 2-3 weeks,
- Occasional numbness of the forehead lasting up to 2-3 weeks,
- Transient headache and
- Flu-like symptoms may occur.