Botulinum Toxin Injections

Botulinum Toxin Injections

Purified botulinum toxin is used to soften facial lines and wrinkles. Botulinum toxin works well for forehead lines, crow’s feet, and frown lines. Purified botulinum toxin is injected into the muscle in these areas and works by weakening the muscle, which in turn lessens the lines of facial expression. The results last 4-6 months. By combining botulinum toxin with peels, daily alpha hydroxyacid, and tretinoin cream, a patient can look years younger without surgery.

Side Effects:

Sometimes an injection does not take and a touch-up is necessary, touch-up treatments cost ¼ to ½ the cost of the initial treatment fee.
One in ten patients will develop a small bruise or hematoma, which will take several weeks to resolve.
Rare drooping of eyebrow or eyelid can occur; this can last 3-6 months but is always reversible.
Extremely rare double vision has been reported, this can last 3-6 months but is always reversible.

Precautions:

If any of the following apply, you should not receive botulinum toxin injections:

Have myasthenia gravis
Have neuromuscular disease
Have an allergy to human albumin
Have an allergy to botulinum toxin
If you are now pregnant or breast feeding
If you have had beer, wine or alcohol in the last one week
If you have taken aspirin or antiinflammatory medication in the last two weeks

Alternatives:

For those not willing to risk the potential side effects of this procedure, a natural wrinkle treatment such as Revitol Anti-Wrinkle Solution can be quite effective.

What to Do before Your Botulinum Injections:

No alcohol one week prior to treatment
No antiinflammatory medication or aspirin two weeks before treatment

What to Do after Your Botulinum Injections:

Do not lie down for 4 hours after the treatment
Do not massage the treated muscles, this can cause the botulinum toxin to spread to the muscles around the eyes
Exercise the muscles every 15 minutes for 1 hour after the treatment, the botulinum toxin attaches better to active muscles

What to Expect after Your Botulinum Injections:

The treated areas will take 5 – 10 days to soften; treatment will last 4 – 6 months.

Can You Have Repeat Botulinum Injections?

Yes, Injections can be repeated every 4 – 6 months. There are no known long term side effects. With time some patients will require less frequent treatments as they break the habit of contracting frown lines and other muscles of facial expression.

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