A Quick Botox Primer
Here are the most burning questions you’ve always wanted to ask about Botox. Dermatologists provide the answers.
What is Botox and how does it really work? Botox is made from botulinum toxin, a protein that freezes the facial muscles. It binds to the receptors on the muscles, blocking the signals that make the muscles contract. Hence, you won’t be able to make movements linked to wrinkles between your eyebrows, crow’s feet, and forehead lines. However, Botox does not affect static wrinkles, the wrinkles that are there when you aren’t making an expression. The goal of treatment is to prevent dynamic wrinkles from becoming permanent static wrinkles.
Is Botox just for reducing wrinkles? Botox is not just for lines and wrinkles. It’s also being used to treat excessive sweating or eyelid twitching. It blocks the nerve from receiving signals so that sweat glands do not secrete sweat and eyelids do not twitch. Botox’s muscle-relaxing effects are also used to treat chronic migraines, overactive bladder, strabismus (crossed eyes), and even depression. It’s been studied that treatments that prevent frowning correlate with reduced negative mood.
Is Botox expensive and how long does its benefits last? Botox is typically not covered by insurance for purely cosmetic procedures. Depending on your specialist-provider, costs vary from $150 to $400 per treated area. It can take 5 to 14 days to activate fully and results can last three to four months.
Is Botox painful? Botox is an injectable procedure, so you can expect to feel a few quick pricks. You can however request for numbing cream if you so desire. But the procedure is short and quick and after a day or so of mild redness, you can expect to return to normal activities.
Is Botox safe? Botox is safe and effective in the hands of a licensed and trained provider. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not undergo this treatment.
Are there side effects? Side effects are uncommon but include headache, bruising, and a drooping brow or eyelid There is a chance that the toxin can move beyond the injection site, causing muscle weakness, double vision, urinary incontinence; or difficulty breathing, swallowing, or speaking – which require prompt medical attention. However, severe side effects have never been definitively linked to dermatologic use, if doses are low. Adverse effects are more likely in therapeutic cases, where the doses are much higher and other diseases are present. Reduce your risk by seeing an experienced provider.
SourceLearn More About Botox at Botixue Tacoma
If you are considering Botox for the first time, let your friends at Botixue in Tacoma tell you more about this popular and effective recourse to youthful, smoother skin.
