FAQ's > Botox® | Mesotherapy | Mesolift | Restylane® | AFA Clay Mask IPL Photorejuvanation | TCA Peel | Laser Hair Removal Botox® FAQ's What is Botox®? Botox® is a powerful neurotoxin which has been approved by the FDA for use in the glabella area (frown area) only for the purpose of wrinkle treatment. Each year, thousands of people receive Botox® injections into a variety of facial areas. Botox® has become a popular treatment for reversing visible signs of aging. Use in other areas of the face and neck, although widely practiced, are officially off label and, depending on technique, may have side effects of temporary duration. Botox® is the trade name for botulinum toxin type A, one of several different toxins produced by Clostridium bacteria. The bacterium itself is NOT injected. The injected toxin is a protein manufactured by the bacterium, and when injected in minute amounts, remains local and temporarily paralyzes the muscles underlying skin, smoothing out the skin on top. How does Botox® work? Botox® blocks impulses from the nerve to the tiny facial muscles that are related to expression lines. Botox® relaxes the muscles so they do not contract. After treatment, the overlying skin remains smooth and unwrinkled while the untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, allowing normal facial expression to be unaffected. MAI is very interested in your satisfaction and will help you achieve your desired results. Who should I try Botox®? If dynamic wrinkles make you look older than you are, or give you an angry looking expression, despite being happy, Botox® could be for you. Cosmetic denervation can smooth these out and give you a more youthful and pleasant appearance. Static wrinkles are fixed through aging and photodamage, as in older people. These cannot be treated with Botox® they are unrelated to facial muscle contractions. What are dynamic wrinkles? Dynamic wrinkles are caused by contractions of the delicate underlying facial muscles every time you smile, laugh or frown. The more emotion you show, the deeper these lines are likely to be. Are Botox® Treatments safe? YES! Botox® injections have been used safely and effectively for over 20 years to treat many opthalmological and neurologic disorders. Yes Botox® has been used for over 20 years on thousands of clients to treat blepharospasm associated with dystonia. Botox® has been FDA approved in the frown area and has been used in many other areas of the face by skilled Physicians safely. What is the treatment like? Cosmetic denervation with Botox® is a simple and safe procedure. Utilizing a tiny micro-needle, a very small amount of Botox® is injected, very precisely, into several locations on the face. Because the needle is so fine and only a small amount of liquid is utilized, the pain associated with the injections is minimal. Most clients compare the sensation to a bug bite. No sedation or anesthetic is required and you can resume normal activities immediately. How long do treatments take to do? One treatment area takes 5-10 minutes to inject. What results can I expect? After treatment, the overlying skin remains smooth and unwrinkled while the untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, allowing for good facial expressions. The onset of action is within 2 days and improvement continues daily for 2 weeks. The effect starts to fade after 3 months. How often do I need to get treatments? Botox® injections are a temporary solution for the treatment of dynamic wrinkles. The results last on average 3-4 months. The average client will need to have Botox® injections about 3 to 4 times per year. However, after three or four treatment sessions, some clients have experienced a more lasting effect. Botox® is known to last as long as seven months in some clients. Clinical studies indicate that treatment benefits are increased over time, meaning you will most likely require fewer injections as time goes by. The duration of visible results will vary from individual to individual and may be less effective for clients over the age of 65. Why doesn t Botox® work? Many male clients come to MAI with the complaint that Botox® did not work for them in the past. Dr. Ringwald explains why: I see men that have been injected with an inadequate amounts of Botox® relative to their muscle mass. Some males may work up to a whole vial of Botox® before reaching the optimum result. The effect will usually last longer in these individuals, up to 5-6 months! How long is the recovery and healing time? After Botox® injections, you should activate the targeted muscles or muscle groups for at least 30 minutes. i.e. quickly frown and wrinkle your forehead. This allows for the Botox® to bind to those muscle receptors which are to be inactivated. Also, do not lie down for 3 hours after Botox® to prevent any shifting of the injected fluid into neighboring areas of the face. Botox® injections cause almost no redness or swelling. You can even go home or back to work immediately after the injections. Some clients experience a slight temporary bruising at the injection site. This can be covered up with makeup. In rare instances there will be a headache after Botox®. More often, a common sinus headache is eliminated by Botox®. Should I avoid anything? It is best to avoid heat and sweating for the first 24 hours. Who should not have Botox®? The only people that should not have Botox® treatments are those known to be allergic to Botox®, persons with neurological diseases and pregnant women. Are there any side effects? Although Botox® is a toxin, there have been no serious side effects associated with its use. Temporary bruising is the most common side effect. In some cases, the toxin can migrate and cause the temporary weakness of nearby muscles. In rare cases, there can be a drooping of an eyelid or asymmetry of facial expression. The risk of any side effect depends on the muscle injected. MAI will discuss this with you before your treatment. Because the effects of Botox® are completely reversible, any side effects are temporary, lasting only a few weeks. There is only one manufacturer of Botox® A in the US, the Allergan Company. Their product is manufactured to the highest standard and has been the only Botox® A sold in many years, be it for medical or aesthetic purposes. You can be assured that MAI ONLY uses Botox® supplied from Allergan. MORE ON Botox® There is only one manufacturer of Botox® A in the US, the Allergan Company. You can be assured that MAI ONLY uses Botox® supplied by Allergan. 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