Botox® has been used for many years to treat unwanted wrinkles and is a simple medical procedure that can be performed in less than 30 minutes at my Boston plastic surgery practice. The beauty of Botox is that it can enhance your appearance without surgery.
Botox works on wrinkles caused by muscle movement. When Botox is injected into a facial muscle, it blocks the release of a chemical in the nerve endings, and prevents the muscle from contracting. It is this relaxing of targeted muscles that can reduce lines and furrows.
The most commonly treated wrinkles are the ‘glabellar’ lines or the ‘11’ that appears when you frown. The location and size of these muscles varies from person to person. By examining the movement of these muscles, the physician can determine exactly where to place the injections to achieve natural-looking results.
Another frequently treated area are the crow’s feet (the creases at the outside edge of your eyes). The amount of Botox used in this area will depend on the strength of the muscles (men’s are generally stronger), and the age of the patient.
Other areas include lip lines, vertical neck muscles and the ‘mini brow-lift’. A physician with an advanced knowledge of facial anatomy may perform a mini brow-lift by selectively treating the muscles which move the brow up or down. The difference in appearance is slight, but very effective.
Every patient responds differently to Botox. Most patients will notice an improvement within 3 – 6 days and the effect can last up to 4 months. After this, further treatment will be required. Those with stronger muscles or heavier frown lines may see the return of wrinkles sooner.
Botox is extremely successful in treating hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition, which should be diagnosed by a healthcare professional. This severe underarm sweating is caused by overactive sweat glands which produce far more moisture than the body requires for cooling down. If prescription deodorants fail to work then Botox could be a solution.
In the treatment of hyperhidrosis, Botox acts on sweat glands rather than muscles. Injected under the skin, it blocks the chemical signals from nerves which tell the sweat glands to produce sweat. It will stop sweat production in the treated area only, allowing other areas of the body to perspire as normal. Patients should notice a reduction in sweating within 4 weeks. Botox treatment for underarm hyperhidrosis can last from 4 to 6 months.
Leave a Reply