January 04, 2010 | Injection Treatments
3 minute read
During the start of the year, many of us take stock of what we’ve accomplished and focus on aspects of our life we hope to improve. If reducing lines, wrinkles and grooves on your face is near the top of your self-improvement wish list, you may want to consider Botox.
BOTOX injections may be the single most popular non-surgical procedure to reduce or eliminate facial lines, wrinkles and grooves.
Wrinkles emerge gradually
Crow’s feet, lines and even deep grooves appear on our faces over the years, the result of our natural expressiveness, lifestyle habits, and the tendency to move our facial muscles in habitual ways. For instance, you may squint a lot (when you’re concentrating, when you’re worried, when the sun is bright, or when you are trying to focus your vision.) As the years go by, this repetitive motion begins to carve lines in your face and can eventually result in a permanent expression of worry or intense concentration.
We frequently notice these facial lines and wrinkles on friends and strangers alike. At times, we also find ourselves looking at someone and wondering, “Why is she so angry?” or “Why is he so uptight and stressed?” We’re talking about that vertical line that runs down the center of the forehead: one of the most obvious facial flaws, in otherwise attractive men and women.
Why use BOTOX?
BOTOX injections are a quick and cost-effective way to improve your looks. Performed by a highly experienced hand, the results are truly gratifying, softening the appearance of common lines and wrinkles:
- Crow’s feet (around the eyes)
- Glabellar lines and forehead lines (both vertical and horizontal lines and creases)
- Smile lines (on each side of your mouth)
For days after BOTOX is administered, you will look in the mirror and continue to see increased improvement in your face as the treatment reaches its full effect. BOTOX requires only local anesthesia, if any at all. The procedure effectively blocks signals relayed between certain nerves and muscles, causing a temporary paralysis in specific facial muscles.
After Botox treatment, you’ll still be able to smile, frown, and make normal facial expressions. BOTOX generally lasts 4-6 months before it needs to be replenished. Over time, many of our patients notice that their facial wrinkles continue to diminish even when they have BOTOX treatments less often. It almost seems to “train” the muscles to be more relaxed, resulting in a more serene, pleasing image as time goes by.
A word of caution
Maybe you have heard about “BOTOX parties,” where the treatment is administered to a group of women in someone’s home. We strongly recommend that you avoid this route. You only have one face. Don’t place it in the hands of someone whose knowledge of facial anatomy may be insufficient. Just because someone can inject BOTOX doesn’t mean he or she can do it properly or with an eye trained to give the best aesthetic result. A trained plastic surgeon will administer the treatment with your very own unique face taken into consideration.
If you are between age 18 and 65, are not pregnant, nursing or living with a muscular disorder, you’re probably a good candidate. Talk to us about BOTOX and start the New Year on a brighter, more attractive note.