Ever wondered if Botox is right for you? Can it really help your migraines, TMJD or wrinkles? We asked our expert Medical Spa staff to weigh in on some commonly asked questions.
What is Botox?
Botox is a neurotoxin derived from Clostridium botulinum, an organism found in the natural environment where it is inactive and non-toxic. Botox is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment, primarily used for treatment and prevention of face and neck lines.
How do you know it’s the right time to begin Botox?
When you start seeing frown lines between your brows, “crow’s feet” lines around eyes, or horizontal lines on forehead; another signal to start Botox is if your eyebrows appear lower or eyelids feel heavier.
Does it prevent wrinkles?
Absolutely. It relaxes over-active muscles which are the root cause of skin lines in your face.
Are there medical benefits beyond smoothing out lines?
People also use Botox to treat: excessive sweating, migraines, tension headaches, TMJ, neck pain, muscular disorders, urinary incontinence, achalasia (an issue with the throat that makes swallowing difficult), blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids)
What are risks?
Mild pain, mild swelling around injection sites, and/or mild redness at the injection site. These are temporary and go away within 15 minutes. Some people can also experience mild headaches for 1-2 days after a Botox treatment.
Does it hurt?
There is very little pain since the needles used to inject are very small and thin.
How much does it cost to maintain it?
$1000 per year, on average. Check out our Skin Care Pyramid that breaks down how often you should get different treatments.
Where can it be injected?
Most common areas are in between brows, around eyes and forehead. Other common areas are jawline (to treat clenching, TMJ) and neck. Lines on the nose and around mouth can also be treated with Botox.
Will it make me look fake?
Not if the appropriate dose is used and it is placed precisely in the correct part of each muscle.
Is it safe?
Absolutely. Botox is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment, with more than 6 million treatments administered each year.
What can I expect the next day? Week? Month?
The smoothing and lifting effects of Botox settle in starting at day 3 after the treatment and can continue improving for up to 10 days. At 1 month you are experiencing the peak effects of Botox. After 4 months, the effects are usually dissipating which signals that it is time to return for another treatment.
Written by the Medical Spa at PRO Medical.
Interested in learning if Botox is right for you? Come in for a complimentary consultation with us today.
