Botulinum Toxin

What is botulinum toxin?

The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin is a popular injectable that temporarily reduces or eliminates facial fine lines and wrinkles. The most commonly treated areas are frown lines, forehead creases, crow’s feet near the eyes. Several other areas have been treated such as thick bands in the neck, thick jaw muscles, lip lines and gummy smiles.

Botulinum toxin is a purified substance that’s derived from bacteria. Injections of botulinum toxin block the nerve signals to the muscle in which it was injected. Without a signal, the muscle is not able to contract. The end result is diminished unwanted facial wrinkles or appearance. Commonly known types of botulinum toxin type A injections include Botox®, Dysport® and Xeomin®.

Botulinum toxin can be used to:

• Smooth crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines and lip lines;
• Diminish neck bands;
• Lift the corners of the mouth;
• Correct a gummy smile

Who is a good candidate for botulinum toxin injections?

Smiling, frowning, squinting and even chewing—basically any facial movement—can eventually lead to one of the most common signs of aging – wrinkles. They can make a person appear tired or even angry when you they are not. One of the quickest and safest remedies to remove wrinkles is an injection of botulinum toxin type A.

Botulinum toxin can be combined with other cosmetic skin procedures, such as dermal fillers, to further improve the results. This combination of therapies can even help to prevent the formation of new lines and wrinkles.

Procedure steps

Injections of botulinum toxin may seem like a simple procedure to you, since it’s just a few shots. But it’s actually both an art and science that only an experienced healthcare professional should do.

There are 43 muscles in your face and it’s vital that the person who performs botulinum toxin injections understands and pinpoints the correct spots to optimize the treatment.

A very thin needle is used to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into specific muscles. By carefully choosing specific muscles, the healthcare provider weakens only the wrinkle-producing muscles, preserving a natural facial expression.

The number of injections you need will depend on your facial features and the extent of your wrinkles.

The results appear within a few days, but it can take up to a week to see the full effect. This improvement typically lasts about three to four months.

Source: www.plasticsurgery.org