Botox

Botox is a well-established, injectable cosmetic procedure that is used for many years in order to treat or significantly mitigate wrinkles and facial lines. Being the brand name for onabotulinumtoxinA, a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, it is currently regarded as a remarkably effective, yet temporary, method which also received clearance for cosmetic use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002.

How Does Botox Work?

Botox is performed through injections made by a medical expert so as to loosen up the contraction of facial muscles by blocking nerve impulses, thusly impeding the injected muscle from tensing further, eventually causing wrinkles and facial lines to appear minimized and abated. The procedure itself requires no anesthesia and takes a limited amount of time to be completed (approximately 15-30 minutes). The needle used prompts trivial discomfort and the patient is free to return to their work or daily activities immediately after the operation.

Benefits

The most important Botox merits usually include:

• It is very effective in terms of firming and tightening the skin
• It successfully deals with “dynamic-type” wrinkles – namely wrinkles emerging when the face is moving (i.e. when frowning) – and generally with forehead lines and lines around the eye (also known as “crow’s feet”)
• It hampers the forming of new lines
• It is a non-surgical procedure which can be carried out easily and in a relatively short period of time
• It rarely triggers severe side effects
• It is reasonably priced

Results

As it may have been obvious by reading the above paragraphs, most Botox procedures can render notable results in terms of revitalization of the patient’s appearance, erasing or mitigating the signs of aging from several facial spots such as forehead and crow’s feet (which were mentioned previously), the area around the mouth, the chin or even the neck. Obvious results typically take three days to a full week to be noticed and, as a rule, the sessions need to be repeated every 5-8 months (due to the gradual recurring of muscle action, which causes wrinkles and lines to reappear). Luckily, there is no specific limit to the number of Botox treatments a patient can receive.

Botox Reviews

On account of its verified effectiveness and having being put into action for so many years, Botox stands relatively high in users’ ratings for a younger looking appearance. Still, due to various reasons (starting from the performing of the operation by non-certified or inadequate clinical professionals, the use of improper saline for the injections and coming down to even absurd expectations from the patients’ side), moderate or even negative testimonials do exist when searching for feedback, while a series of side effects have also been reported (see next section).

Botox Side Effects

Generally, Botox is a safe way of rejuvenating a patient’s appearance; nevertheless, it can set off a number of side effects, the most important of whom, mostly attributable to the loss of strength of the associated muscles, are:

• Problems in pronouncing words
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Problems with proper breathing
• Droopy eyelids
• Double/blurred vision, eye dryness and blepharospasm
• Temporary bruising (very common)
• Headaches (also very common)

To decrease the severity of one or more of the above mentioned adverse reactions, or to avoid further complications (especially bruising), it is recommended that the patient abstains from alcohol consumption, aspirins, vitamins or anti-inflammatory medications one or two weeks before the operation. In addition, a potential Botox receiver should not be pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed, should not have a neurological disease while it is also necessary to inform the doctor about the medication he / she is possibly on.

Botox Cost

Although the expenditure of this cosmetic solution can vary depending on a number of factors, Botox is significantly cheaper when compared to other cosmetic procedures, and especially surgery. To give you an idea of Botox cost, Realself.com displays and average of $425, which is pretty affordable; yet, the repetitive sessions needed to maintain the results ineluctably can cause the total to climb.

Before and After Photos

Our Advice

All in all, Botox is a safe and effective restorative choice for men and women who are eager to reduce or erase the signs of aging; besides, it is no wonder that this method is so preferred by so many individuals worldwide. However, to ensure a patient gets only its positive features, Botox procedures should be performed properly, and that is guaranteed only if they are carried out by a certified medical professional with extensive experience on the matter, who, additionally, will be able to inject just the essential dosage to come up with the desired outcome. This is quite essential.. you need to be very careful while searching for the right Botox Specialist for you. Check reliable sites for testimonials on the physicians you are considering and also arrange consultations.

Also, you should always bear in mind that Botox is not equally effective on any person or for any kind of wrinkles and lines, so an in-depth consultation with the health care professional should take place prior to proceeding to the operation. Finally you should also check for other Non surgical alternatives that fight fine lines/wrinkles,  like Dysport (another product based on botulinum toxin), Dermal Fillers (like Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra or Radiesse) or a few options that don’t include injections (Ultherapy, Pelleve, Thermage)!