Have you ever wondered what Botox® is all about? Do you want to look more relaxed and healthier before you have to face the in-laws this Thanksgiving? Then let me welcome you to the world of facial rejuvenation and one of its stars: Botox®!
So what exactly is Botox®? Botox® is a prescription medicine that is injected into the muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of both moderate to severe crow’s feet lines and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults. It is the only FDA-approved prescription medicine for this purpose.
What Botox® does is temporarily relax the muscles of the face that cause these moderate to severe wrinkles around the eyes and in between the eyebrows (also known as 11s). It can also be used to improve the appearance of wrinkles on the forehead, nose (aka bunny wrinkles when you laugh), lips and elsewhere.
Typically, men and women with fine, moderate or severe wrinkles on their face come to me for facial rejuvenation treatment. Botox® is the choice of treatment to smooth lines on the face and even give a slight eyebrow lift to open the eyes and face up, thereby giving a more youthful appearance. Also, many patients who have severe headaches and/or migraines will get great relief using Botox® treatment as an adjunct to other therapies. The same thing goes for TMJ issues.
What can you expect when getting Botox® treatment?
- You may get noticeable results with the first 48 hours, but typically its full effect will be seen within 7-10 days. These results will last up to 4 months.
- Most patients say that getting injected with Botox feels like a tiny pinch and that’s it! Some patients don’t even feel the injections since I use ice beforehand to numb the area being treated.
- The total injection time itself takes around 10 minutes. First I do a facial rejuvenation consultation with each patient. I analyze their facial musculature and we determine together what treatment is appropriate to reach his/her desired result.
- I tell my patients “You’ll look like yourself, but like you’ve been on vacation!” People won’t know what is different about you. They might ask if you’ve had your hair done, or if you’ve lost weight. But you’ll just look refreshed and well-rested like you’ve been on vacation – that’s it!
- There’s basically no downtime or recovery period. You may experience some redness and swelling at the injection sites, but it’ll dissipate within a half hour typically.
- Cost consideration – be aware that you are not only paying for the cost of materials when it comes to Botox® treatment. You are also paying for the skill of the individual practitioner, and his/her expertise.
Also, be aware that “discounted” or “cheap” Botox® is most likely highly diluted, so it won’t last as long, and you’ll be going back to get injections more times throughout the year. Do you want to get injections in your face more often? I think not! My patients typically see me 3-4 times per year in order to maintain the well-rested look they desire. That’s it!
You may wonder about going to the dentist to have Botox® treatment. But let me tell you something, the day I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, I was a head and neck specialist – unlike MD (medical doctors) who have to further specialize. In fact, while I was still in school many years ago, I had medical doctors who were just learning how to do Botox® and dermal fillers, asking me about the anatomy and nerves of the face because they weren’t familiar with it. For over 12 years now, my patients have been trusting me with their Botox® treatment, and everybody keeps on coming back for more!
So I hope you enjoyed this quick rundown of what Botox® is and what it can do for you. And be sure to get your Botox® treatment this month if you want to ensure that the only one with wrinkles at the Thanksgiving table this year is the turkey! Gobble, Gobble!
Toot-a-loo,
Dr. Meli