Botox is the name of a drug that is used to treat muscle spasms, more specifically, it is used to reduce the activity of the muscles that cause facial wrinkles.
Botox is a medicine that can be injected into facial muscles to reduce the volume of those muscles, resulting in a smoother appearance. It has been combined with other treatments such as surgical and laser treatments to reduce wrinkles. It was first approved by the FDA in 2002, and it has since been hailed as "safe and effective".
In this article, I will be explaining what botox is, why you might want it done, possible side effects, costs involved with treatment for both procedures offered by the doctor during an office visit or at a medical spa clinic for more extensive procedures. There will also be some referrals throughout the article detailing personal experiences from other people about how they have benefited from these services.
WHAT IS BOTOX?
Botox is the name of a drug that is used to treat muscle spasms, more specifically, it is used to reduce the activity of the muscles that cause facial wrinkles. Botox comes in an injectable form that can be used on both your face and other areas on your body, such as upper arms, forehead and calves. It can also be combined with other treatments such as fillers for lips or medical peels. It has become more common to inject botox into areas of your body other than your face because of cost efficiency concerns over time, but you still solely want to receive botox injections on your face.
WHY DO YOU WANT BOTOX?
There are a number of possible reasons why you might want to receive botox injections - that is, if you meet the requirements and can afford it. Some of the most common reasons people want botox done include:
Facial wrinkles - These occur over time and are caused by muscle activity. In most people with wrinkles, there is a specific area of wrinkle formation as a result of facial muscles contracting as they pull on skin tissues as they move from the corner of the eye down to the forehead over time. There are also some cases where wrinkles occur from muscle contractions due to an underlying medical condition such as Bell's Palsy.
Forehead lines - These are lines that can extend from the forehead down to the eyebrows and across the sides of your nose.
Sagging and loose skin - This is an area of body parts that become loose and sags as a result of aging. The majority of these issues occur on the chest, thighs and abdomen areas, which do not require any injections at all. However, there are also some possible medical conditions such as thyroid problems that could warrant botox for this particular condition.
Frozen muscles - These occur when muscles contract too slowly or not at all; it can cause face expression to look stiff and unnatural. These are most often caused by nervous system issues with facial muscles, but it can also be caused by some medical conditions.
Plastic surgery alternatives - Botox also acts as an alternative for plastic surgery. A lot of celebrities have used botox to avoid having to have plastic surgery on their face, but some people might still want the permanence of the results that comes with plastic surgery.
HOW DOES BOTOX WORK?
When you get your botox injections, the doctor will be using a very fine needle to inject small amounts of botox into certain facial muscles that are causing wrinkles or are responsible for face expressions and muscle contractions. When this is injected into these particular muscles it restricts the ability for the muscle to move and thus eliminates wrinkles and other lines on your face.
BOTOX SIDE EFFECTS
This is an area that is very important to consider before you decide to go through with any type of procedure. Any time you are getting anything done to your body, there are certain risks involved. These can vary depending on what kind of injection you are receiving and how much it contains, but the most common side effects include:
Changes in blood pressure or heart rate - These can occur as a result of the medicine being injected into your blood vessels, but will usually subside once the medicine is removed. When these occur, they should not be treated as a medical emergency requiring immediate attention because they will usually fade after around five to 30 minutes.
Skin rashes and swelling - Some people can develop a small red rash and swelling of the injected areas. The swelling will go away after a few days and will not require treatment if it is small, but if it is large or occurs in an area that uses more than one muscle, then there could be serious side effects that may require immediate attention such as an allergic reaction.
Hair loss - This can occur as a result of the injection, although this is quite rare. However, if it does occur, there are many other possible causes such as depression or lead toxicity; it is not caused by botox itself.
Diarrhea and constipation - This is another rare side effect, but it does occur as a result of the medicine being injected into the stomach. These symptoms will usually subside after a few hours and may require medical attention for severe concern.
Muscle weakness or paralysis - There is a rare chance that this can occur as a result of botox. This can be more likely if you have had multiple injections or the dose of botox is too high for your body to handle, but it will generally resolve itself within a few days.
Redness, irritation or bruising - This can occur as a result of the injection, but should go away after a few days.
Headache - This occurs in some people as a result of the infusion of botox into their blood vessels or their nervous system. It will generally subside after a few days and does not require medical attention.
Depending on the injection you are receiving, you can also develop other side effects like nausea or dizziness. These will not happen with every botox injection, but it can happen occasionally in some people.
If you meet the requirements for getting your skin injected with botox, the cost is dependent on your insurance company and your doctor's office. There are some medical spas throughout the country that offer low-cost botox treatment, but they may not include consultation or post-treatment care services. You can request to be seen by more than one doctor if you want to get additional treatment before an injection is given. The cost itself depends on how many times you wish for this treatment to be done in the future, and how many more times you wish for an injection to be given.