Botox injections are a great way to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the face. More than 2 million Botox cosmetic injections are given yearly but the effects don’t last forever. If you are considering Botox treatment to reduce frown lines or other wrinkles on your face, you may be wondering, “How long does Botox last?” Botox is actually a naturally occurring “poison” from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. It has been the study of much research because it is a known food toxin that causes severe gastrointestinal distress when consumed in large amounts. Researchers found that when injected in tiny amounts, Botox causes a temporary paralysis to nerves and muscles within the face. This means that certain facial expressions that people perform constantly out of habit cannot be made. Constantly forming the same facial movements is responsible for creating lines on the face. Botox can be injected into the forehead or over the bridge of the nose by a plastic surgeon to reduce constant frowning or eyebrow lifting. These expressions create deep lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows. Botox will limit the ability to make these expressions and eliminate the constant creasing of the skin that has caused the lines. Over time, the lines will lessen and the skin will assume a more youthful appearance. Botox can also be injected into the area around the nose and mouth by a cosmetic surgeon. This will prevent the further formation of lines that commonly form from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth and may reduce the appearance of small “pursing” lines that...
As with any cosmetic procedure or drug administration, there are associated side effects and risks with Botox injections. Most of these can be minimized by using a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to perform your injections. A lot of doctors can perform the injections, but not many have the experience and training to give you the results you have paid for. You will pay a bit more to have the procedure done in a doctor’s office, but isn’t your face worth it? Common Side Effects Botox has been well studied and documented in clinical trials, including Botox injections for cosmetic purposes (removal of fine lines and wrinkles). Although most people do not experience any side effects associated with Botox injections, side effects are possible. Most commonly, patients report mild side effects associated with Botox injections, including flu-like symptoms, nausea, headache, drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety, bleeding at the injection site and pain at the injection sites. When Botox was used for non-cosmetic reasons, additional side effects were reported, including facial pain, indigestion or heartburn, tooth problems, upper respiratory infection, neck pain, difficulty swallowing, vertical misalignment of the eye, and high blood pressure. On occasion, patients have reported drooping eye muscles or muscle weakness at the injection sites. When reported, this side effect was most commonly resolved within days, but there have been rare reports of it taking months to resolve. Usually, side effects are mild, and either required no treatment or are easily treatable. Some uncommon side effects reported with Botox include chest pain, eye pain, speech problems, double vision, or signs of an allergic reaction, including rash,...
A patient can minimize his or her risks associated with Botox injections by consulting with a board certified surgeon with extensive experience in Botox injections. Botox is an amazing anti-wrinkle treatment when used by professionals, but it can be a dangerous substance in the hands of inexperienced physicians. Botox requires black box labeling by the Food and Drug Administration. Black box labeling is the strongest warning the FDA can put on a product. This is to warn of a rare but potential life threatening side effect if the botulinum toxin spreads beyond the injection site. However, none of these complications have ever been reported in patients receiving Botox injections for cosmetic reasons. The FDA does state that cosmetic uses of Botox appears to be safe. It is helpful to realize that all the severe side effects associated with Botox injections have been in patients receiving Botox for non-cosmetic reasons. When considering Botox injections, you should be aware of some side effects that have been reported by patients treated with Botox. Talk with your doctor to fully understand any risks or side effects potentially associated with Botox. Minimize your Risk The best way to minimize your risks with Botox treatments is to be an empowered consumer. Know what Botox does, how it works, and what the possible risks are. Reading this article is a good start. There are several other things you can do to minimize risks and side effects. If you smoke or take any medications, talk with your doctor to see if this will cause any potential drug interactions or side effects. Smoking can cause premature skin aging,...
If you have spent any time online, you may be confused as to the best wrinkle treatment out there. Everyone is claiming they have the next best thing. Is it a cream? Is it microdermabrasion? Is it topical collagen? Is it snail extract? No matter what the internet marketers say, Botox is still the gold standard for fine line and wrinkle reduction. The bottom line is it works – immediately. Many creams out there claim they work as well as Botox, but their results may take weeks, even months to show up. Botox is reliable, and immediate. It does cost more than most of the creams out there, but you get what you pay for. How Does Botox Work? Botox is extracted from the toxin of a bacterial species called Clostridium botulinum. In the past, this bacteria was the feared cause of a disease called Botulism, and was often called the “sausage poison”. Botulism paralyzed the whole body and was often fatal. It disrupts the release of a chemical messenger called acetylcholine, which essential paralyzes muscle and stops it from contracting. The results are temporary and last anywhere between 3 and 6 months. Two brilliant physicians by the name of Jean and Alastair Carruthers described the cosmetic effects of Botulinum toxin in the 1990s, and Botox was born. In a Botox procedure, after applying a numbing cream, a cosmetic surgeon injects minute amounts of Botox under the skin. This is typically done in a doctor’s office as an outpatient procedure. Procedures take 10-20 minutes, and the patient can return home immediately after the procedure is done. How Effective is...
In 2005, Botox was number one in cosmetic procedures with 3.8 million treatments reported. Botox is used widely as an injection treatment for fine lines and wrinkles, deep forehead furrows and for marked armpit perspiration. Botox works well on wrinkles, typically reducing them by about 80%. In addition, science is busy determining its uses for TMJ (temporomandibular joint disease), arthritis, migraines and BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Why is Botox so Popular? Compared to other cosmetic procedures, Botox is FDA approved, cheap, quick, and minimally invasive. It is done as an outpatient procedure with only a topical numbing agent to minimize needle prick pain. There is no recovery time and results are evident within in one week. They last about 3-5 months. The cost per Botox treatment is between $125 and $400. Treatment costs vary widely based on region, the doctor and how much treatment you require. It is important that not all cosmetic surgeons are created equal. A lot of doctors inject Botox, but not everybody has the experience necessary to give you the best effect and minimize your risk of side effects. Even though they cost more, it is worth it to see a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist for your injections. What is the True Cost of Botox? While Botox may be all that is written above, there are some hidden costs associated with Botox. The most obvious is that the results are not long lasting. Depending on your results, you need to plan on additional treatments to maintain the effect. Talk with your doctor about the appropriate dosage that is needed to reduce wrinkles, how...
Maybe you have thought for years what it would be like to be a C instead of an A. Maybe you have had back problems and need to explore surgical breast reduction. Maybe you have had breast cancer and need reconstructive surgery for one or both breasts, or maybe you just want to put them back where they used to be. Whatever the need, breast augmentation is a growing area of cosmetic surgery, and now there are more options than ever. Breast and body lift surgery is now less invasive with better post-surgical results. Because there are so many procedures and options available it is important to find an experienced, reputable board certified breast surgeon who can design the best procedure for you and your breasts. Experience counts: ask to see before and after breast lift photos. When you have your initial consultation, the surgeon will want to discuss your goals and expectations. Be prepared to talk about the size and shape you desire and your feelings about the procedure. This goes without saying, but also be prepared to take off your shirt. Make sure your breast lift surgeon includes you in the decision about the type of implant, where it will be insert and where the incision will be made. The surgeon should give you all the options available based on your body type. How much does Breast Lift Surgery Cost? The cost of breast lift augmentation varies widely, and is dependent upon many factors, including the region, the demand and skill of the surgeon, whether the procedure takes place in a hospital or cosmetic medical clinic, what...
Botulinum neurotoxin is made from the gram-positive anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Eight distinct botulinum neurotoxins exist: A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F, and G. Only seven are associated with paralysis. Types A, B, E, F, and G are connected with human botulism. Botulism is a toxin that acts by stopping signal transmission within the peripheral and sympathetic nervous system, while leaving sensory transmission intact. Botulinum toxins are currently being used in the treatment of several disorders including headaches, pain syndromes, tics, tremor, spasticity, focal dystonias, hemifacial spasms, and strabismus. Botox (botulinum toxin type A) injections are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for cosmetic treatment, which makes up most of these injections. Cosmetic Use of Botox Aging is associated with the development of wrinkles and lines caused by muscular action, sleep lines, gravitational effect, and actinic damage. A botox injection can reduce facial lines caused by over functional muscles. It can also be used to re-shape aspects of the face such as the brows. Injections in the Face Utilizing botox injections to treat horizontal forehead lines is simple, and the results are usually very satisfying. Procedure Multiple botox injections of minute amounts of toxin create weakness without total paralysis. The cosmetic surgeon will inject three to five sites on both sides of the mid line, using 2 units per site. He will then procede to separate the sites by 1-2 centimeters. He will then choose to begin with a site around 1 centimeter above the eyebrow, directly vertical to the medial canthus. Additional sites will diverge toward the hairline using a “V” configuration, for a total...
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a cosmetic procedure performed but cannot imagine yourself having surgery to achieve your beauty goals? If you answered “yes” to that question, you may not realize that significant youth-restoring results can be achieved through quick, non-surgical methods. As we age, our skin loses volume and can sag and crease, making us look older than we would like. To help restore the volume and youthful look to our skin, we need to help Mother Nature along a bit and can easily do so with Restylane injections. Restylane is known as “dermal filler” and is made from natural hyaluronic acid and safe, effective and long lasting. You may see the results of your injections for up to six months. Restylane injections are quite safe and you may be surprised to learn that hyaluronic acid already exists in your body and is completely natural. It has many valuable uses in medicine and one of the most common of late is Restylane injections. The injection of Restylane creates a chemical reaction below the skin where the acid bonds with the water in the body’s cells and increases in volume. This makes wrinkles disappear without paralyzing any facial muscles as with some other treatments that can look unnatural and obvious. Restylane injections look much more natural and change the look of lines and wrinkles without causing unpleasant side effects or exaggerated results. Your skin will look more taut, healthier and younger for many months. Because it is created in a lab, Restylane poses no risk of animal-borne illness and will not require allergy...
As we age, facial wrinkles and creases become more prominent. The face also loses its fullness with increasing age. Based on research, the loss of facial fat is a very significant component of facial aging. When the layer of fat beneath our facial skin begins to thin, the volume loss contributes to hollows and contour changes especially around the eyes. The deflated appearance due to loss of facial fat makes the face looks older and more tired. Cosmetic surgeons perform facial rejuvenation procedures for patients who want an improvement on their facial skin texture and volume. Facial rejuvenation surgery requires replacing the lost fat. Improving the volume of the face makes one look younger and healthier. What is fat transfer? Fat transfer is also called micro-lipo injection or autologous fat transplantation. This cosmetic procedure improves fullness of facial features with a patient’s own fat. Fat transfer is popular alternative to treatments for wrinkles. Fat transfer is designed to re-contour your face and can provide definition to your cheeks and chin. It can be used to correct skin deformities such as deep furrows, facial wrinkles and other depressions on other body areas. Since this treatment uses your own fat cells, allergic or rejection reaction will not occur. What are the benefits of Fat Transfer? Autologous fat transfer offers several major benefits. Aside from improving the appearance of aging face, autologous fat transfer is natural. The material used is not from animals or synthetic products. The fat can be used to correct facial skin imperfections which include scars and depressions; it is also an excellent complement to facial resurfacing treatments. Facial...
Being a neurotoxic protein, concerns regarding the side effects of Botox will not be far behind. Controversies spurred regarding the 180 reported adverse effects and 16 deaths from patients treated with Botulinum toxin for various diseases and conditions. The issue of Botox spreading into sites away from the intended treatment areas and causing lethal reactions to the muscles responsible for respiration and swallowing was also raised. However, the number of people undergoing Botox treatment continues to grow. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2.8 million individuals in the United States underwent the procedure in 2008. Botox as a Cosmetic Surgery Procedure The introduction of Botox as a treatment for wrinkles has provided a fast and convenient alternative to surgical facelifts. It comes at a much lower cost than plastic surgery. For aesthetic purposes, the concentration of the toxin is diluted and delivered in tiny amounts to the wrinkles on the face; hence most of the adverse effects are minor and self-limiting. The experience and knowledge of the doctor performing the botox injections are important in avoiding unnecessary risks to the patient. Possible Botox Side Effects A person may complain of a wide range of idiosyncratic side effects of botox while another may experience very minimal unpleasant effects. There may be mild stinging, swelling, redness and pain to the injected sites. Depending on the technique, bruising may last for 3 to 10 days. Flu-like manifestations are also noted in 2% of cases. Even if Botox is an emerging treatment for migraines, transient symptoms of headache and nausea can be observed a few hours after the procedure. This feeling could last...
