If you are considering having Botox treatments, you may have a bunch of questions regarding the procedure and aftercare. Botox is a non-surgical procedure that is done to give portions of the face that are flat or drooping some filler to give a more youthful appearance and eliminate the appearance of wrinkles.
Treatment is administered by a cosmetic surgeon in an office environment. The doctor will be using injections to add Botox into the muscles in your face. Botox works by inhibiting muscles from contracting. After an injection, the muscles will stay relaxed, reducing the appearance of crow’s feet, the lines between your eyebrows, and the wrinkles on your forehead. Typically a patient who receives a Botox injection will not be able to move the muscles in the area of the injection site, even if they attempt to do so. Many times individuals subconsciously move the muscles in their forehead without realizing it, creating many forehead lines and wrinkles. Botox is an effective method of preventing new lines from forming and also correcting the appearance of present wrinkles.
You will want to reapply Botox periodically to keep the appearance you obtained with the first treatment. The effects of the treatment will start to show after about three days. Depending on a few factors, it typically lasts on average three months to a year. The amount of time Botox lasts depends on where it was injected and how much was administered. If it was placed in an area where you are able to regain the use of your muscles sooner, the procedure will need to be done more frequently. At the first signs of regained muscle movement you will want to call your cosmetic surgeon for an appointment for another treatment. If you have an injection before the muscle regains all strength, the appearance of wrinkles will stay the same. If you wait too long, they can come back between treatments making it more difficult to reverse.
After several Botox treatments, the muscles will get accustomed to the new positioning and less frequent treatments will need to be administered. This is considered to be a residual effect and you will permanently lose some of the strength of the underlying muscles. Speaking with your cosmetic surgeon before having the treatment administered is the best way to learn about the procedure and the effects that it will have on your facial features. Your doctor will be able to point you into the right direction regarding treatment frequency, taking your individual situation into consideration.
