Botox Cosmetic®

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BOTOX COSMETIC®: Definitions and Terms

BOTOX COSMETIC® is a trade name for botulinum toxin Type A manufactured by Allergan. It is a substance produced by a specific bacterium – Clostridium botulinum. In the "old days" it was possible to die from improperly prepared home-canned foods containing this germ (botulism). Today, this toxin is extensively diluted to produce a perfectly safe chemical which temporarily disables small muscles when injected with it.

Chemodenervation:

is the effect obtained by Botox® injection. The toxin blocks the ability of the muscle to respond to its controlling nerve impulses…for approximately 3-6 months.

Dynamic wrinkle:

A crease or fold in the skin which is caused by muscle action beneath it. You can demonstrate the common wrinkles favorable for Botox® by watching in the mirror while you

1) squeeze your eyes closed showing "crow’s feet" wrinkles at the outside corners.
2) raise your eyebrows to show horizontal "worry lines" across the forehead.
3) frown to show the creases above the nose/between the eyebrows…"frown lines" of the glabellar area.

A treatment area refers almost always to one of these 3 zones of the upper face. When coming in for Botox® injection we need to know exactly what you want treated (1, 2, or 3 areas) before you arrive!

Botox® must be mixed up and used fresh, which usually involves several patients coordinated on the opening of 1 bottle….making it very important that appointments are kept!

Units:

Botox® is dosed in units, and we usually use 20 units per treatment area (therefore 5 areas per bottle). Fees are determined by the units used….which is basically the same as saying the areas treated. The number of cc's or syringes is meaningless. It's all about units.

"Off label":

is the term for the legal use of an FDA approved product, when the approval is actually for a different purpose elsewhere in the body. It allows a doctor to use his judgment. The patient must be fully informed and then consent to the treatment. All cosmetic uses for Botox® are "off label" except glabellar folds.

The treatment session:

Pain: Tiny quantities are injected thru tiny needles and usually causes discomfort only. Patients vary widely as to their fear and tolerance of needles. Surface anesthetic can be applied to lessen the discomfort, but it may require 30 minutes to act.

Multiple injections are made in each treatment area to get the desired effect.

There is some immediate swelling and redness, but it disappears quickly. Slight bruising is possible, but typically disappears in a few days.

The effect takes place over the next day or 2. The full effect is at about 1 week. The decrease in muscle movement should be easy to see in the mirror.

Things to know:

Results: Deeper wrinkles will be improved but not gone completely. Muscle size varies among patients and usually explains incomplete effect. Mens musculature is approx. double that of women, so men require double the dosage. Overall results are superb!

Duration of effect varies for unknown reasons. It is reasonable to expect 4-5 months, but it could be 3 or even 6 months.

Headaches are occasionally improved by Botox Cosmetic®.

Botox® treatment to wrinkles in combination with filler makes the filler last, perhaps 2 or 3 times as long, because muscle action causes fillers to disappear a little faster.

Botox® has no permanent effects. Rarely, an upper or a lower eyelid can droop for a short time, but can be counteracted with eyedrops.

Botox can be used for mild lifting of the eyebrows or mouth corners.

The safety of Botox Cosmetic® is absolute.

Recently there were deaths in Florida resulting from an imitation substance made in a home lab! A very high profile and high dollar lawsuit in Beverly Hills claiming Botox to be responsible for a patients illness and disability was found to be meritless.

Would you like to be on our call list?

Botox must be used "fresh," so we only treat when we have enough patients to use up the opened bottles. Call 281-565-8333 to leave your name, best phone number, and specify "Botox Call List".