| What
is BOTOX®? |
•
BOTOX® has become the most popular and fastest growing non-surgical
procedure performed in a plastic surgeons office.
• BOTOX® is the brand name of a purified formulation
of botulinum toxin type A just one of seven different types
of toxin derived from the bacterium Clostridum botulinum.
It blocks the release of acetylcholine and relaxes muscles.
It has been used successfully for more than ten years to treat
conditions caused by overactive muscles such as strabismus
and blepharospsm. More recently, BOTOX® has been used to treat
facial wrinkles due to overactive muscles. |
| Who
is a Candidate? |
• Almost
everyone with "dynamic rhytids", i.e., facial lines
due to overactive muscles. It works especially well with "frown
lines", forehead lines, and "crows feet". Although
there is no evidence that clinical doses of botulinum toxin
type A have any effect on the unborn baby, BOTOX® should be
avoided if you think that you might be pregnant. It should
also be avoided in patients with neuromuscular disorders. |
| How
long does it last? |
• The effect
typically takes 3-7 days to develop and lasts 3 to 6 months,
with most patients noticing good results for about 4 months. |
| What
can I do to prepare? |
• Avoiding
Asprin and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen for 10 days prior to your
treatment will decrease the risk of bruising. Topical
vitamin K preparations and -- may be helpful after. |
| What
are the other risks? |
In general the risks are
a few.
• Ptosis: drooping of the eyelid is the most significant
complication. If this happens, it is usually seen within 1-2
days, usually minimal (1-2mm) and short lived (1-2 weeks).
This has been rare in our practice but if this happens, you
should contact our office for eye drops that may help minimize
this condition while you are waiting for it to resolve.
• People that receive large doses (100
units or more) for neurological conditions may develop neutralizing
antibodies that lead to a lack of response. Spacing
injection sessions atleast one month apart and keeping volumes
low can avoid this. It is uncommmon with cosmetic users -
we typically will use 50 units or less given 4 months apart.
No anaphylactic (severe allergic) reactions have been reported,
and no CNS effects.
• Pain of injection
is usually mild. It can be decreased further by the use of
small needles, small syringes and ice packs, such as we do
in our office.
• Some patients may
develop localized reactions such as hives, redness
or minor swelling, but this can be treated with icepacks,
antihistamines such as benadryl and topical c--ticosteroids
like hydrocortisone cream, and is not considered a reason
to not have BOTOX®. There have been sporadic reports of temporary
headaches. More commonly chronic tension headaches are
improved after the injection and some studies now suggest
that BOTOX® is actually helpful in the treatment of certain
types of migraine.
• Rare reactions
such as nausea, fatigue, malaise, distant eruptions and fly
like symptoms, have also been reported. |
| Do
I need to do anything special after my procedure? |
I have not found it necessary
for patients to "stay upright for several hours"
after the injections, and there has been no proved enhancement
of effect when patients are instructed to "use the (injected)
muscles" for 1 hour after the procedure. Most patients
can resume their normal routine immediately. |
There
are individuals who would like to enhance their appearance, but
do not want to undergo surgery and want as little downtime as
possible. Many individuals have turned to BOTOX® injections, a
quick, virtually painless procedure. BOTOX® is a form of botulinum
toxin that, when injected, temporarily paralyzes muscles that
cause wrinkles. This treatment reduces or eliminates frown lines,
forehead creases, crow’s feet near the eyes and thick bands
in the neck. BOTOX® treatments result in a youthful and more refreshed
appearance. 
