What is Botox?
Botox is a muscle relaxer and the most commonly performed, minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in North America. Botox comes in the form of a purified protein and is traditionally injected into facial muscles, causing them to relax rather than contract. Muscle contractions are what cause the lines, or wrinkles, on our faces.
How does Botox work?
Botox, through a process called cosmetic denervation, is injected into muscles that tense up and cause wrinkles. Botox blocks some of the transmitters in the muscles, preventing them from contracting and essentially causing them to relax.
Is Botox painful?
The needle that is used to inject Botox is tiny, and its sting is minimal. The entire process is practically painless, so no anesthesia is needed.
Botox Before and After photos
How long do treatments take and how long do they last?
Botox treatments require just one 5-15 minute appointment, and results are almost immediate. The effects of Botox usually last 3-4 months.
Can Botox be used for more than smoothing wrinkles?
Yes! Botox has cosmetic benefits that complement and even enhance many oral treatments, smoothing wrinkles around the lips and highlighting new teeth. However, Botox can also be used to ease chronic facial pain and the intensity of muscle contractions. Suggest Botox be used to treat TMJ, jaw clenching, and teeth grinding.
Botox treatment is a revolutionary approach to reversing the effects of facial wrinkles. Crow's feet, worry lines and laugh lines can all be a thing of the past. These are referred to as dynamic wrinkle lines and all are treatable with this procedure. Cosmetic denervation is the process of injecting Botox into the tiny facial muscles that create the wrinkles.
The Botox Procedure
Botox injections are performed without anesthesia because it is virtually painless. Only a very small sting is felt when the injections are made. The effects are not permanent and may need to be repeated two to three times per year to retain the effects. Research has suggested , however, that long term use of the injections leads to a longer duration of each treatment's effect. Patients over the age of 65 may not experience results as dramatic. Botox is only useful in treating expression lines and cannot be used to repair sagging skin caused by aging.
