Botox FAQs
How Many Sessions Will I Need, And How Far Apart Can I Have Them?
Botox treatment is very simple, as long as it is carried out by a trained medical professional.
If you are having treatment for the first time, the thing that should take the most time is your research into the topic and the consultation process, as opposed to the actual procedure!
You will only require one session for your treatment, unless you require a ‘top up’ dose.
The initial treatment requires one appointment where the Botox is administered. The results are not instant; they will start to take effect a few days post treatment, and will continue to do so for two weeks after your treatment. This is the optimal time to attend for your second session if you need one. The window for your ‘top up’ dose is 2-3 weeks after your treatment, and no more than four weeks.
This is because of the nature of the procedure and your body’s response to the doses. If further time has elapsed you will be advised to wait until your next treatment interval, no less than 12 weeks after your first appointment.
Am I A Suitable Candidate?
If you are above the age of 18 you may be suitable. Botox is licensed in persons up to the age of 65, after which it can still be administered but it is an unlicensed use of the product.
If you have lines and wrinkles Botox may be a suitable treatment to soften those lines.
If you don’t have lines at rest but see lines appear on movement/facial expressions, Botox is a fantastic treatment to eradicate these.
There are very few adults who aren’t suitable for Botox treatment, and it is used in many medical indications as well as cosmetic ones.
Who Will Perform The Treatment?
I will be the only practitioner performing Botox treatment in my clinic. You will not be passed off to trainees or colleagues.
As an experienced professional I have years of experience in administering Botox injections and you should feel at ease knowing you’ll be in good hands!
What Areas Can Be Treated?
Treatment with botulinum toxin is extremely versatile.
For cosmetic treatment, you can have treatment in most areas of the face. Botox is most commonly used in the upper ⅓ of the face, to treat the forehead, frown, and crow’s feet lines.
It can also be used to give a subtle brow lift, and on the under eye creases.
Further down the face, Botox can be administered to the bunny lines on the side of the nose, seen when we scrunch our face.
It can be used to perform a beautiful ‘lip flip’. This will give the lip a gentle plump at rest, and stop the lip curling inwards when you smile. It will also soften any wrinkles formed above the lip line, and improve the smoothness of the lip border.
Another area which can be treated is the dimpled area of the chin, to enable a softer look when the muscle is pulling the lower lip.
The muscle which pulls the lip corners down can be turned off to give a lifted effect on the mouth corners.
Many people show an excess amount of gum above the teeth when they smile. Treatment of this complaint with Botox will drop the lip when smiling to the top of the teeth.
Many other things can be treated;
The neck lines
Excess perspiration
Teeth grinding
To name but a few!
Is There Any Downtime And What Are The Side Effects?
There is absolutely no downtime associated with Botox treatment and you may return to work or resume your daily activities straight after you leave the clinic.
You will have mild red patches around the treatment area for a short period, but in most cases these should have disappeared within 30 minutes.
You should avoid applying makeup to the area in the hours following treatment to avoid the risk of infection. Apart from this and other considerations such as avoiding excessive exercise, you may continue as normal!
Side effects are mild in most cases or non existent. Some people are prone to a bruise from injectable treatments; if you are likely to bruise it is usually detectable before you leave and steps can be taken to minimise spread.
Some people may suffer from a mild headache after the treatment, this is very rare.
In my clinic I’ll go through a full consent form where all possible side effects are listed.
The chances of other uncommon effects such as dropping of the eyebrows or eyelids can be minimised by careful injection technique and aftercare.
When Will I See Results?
You will start to see results a few days after the treatment. The action takes time to take effect due to the nature of the muscle relaxing.
Lines will start to soften after a few days, and continue to do so for at least 2 weeks after your treatment.
You should continue to see the benefits appear for months after as your skin turnover cycle kicks in leaving your skin smoother for longer.
Your results will last in the region of 3-5 months. You will not stay ‘frozen’ for the complete time, as natural movement will gradually return, but it will be a number of months in most cases before full movement resumes.
Can Men Get Wrinkle Relaxing Injections?
Of course! Men can benefit more than women in many cases due to the strength of their facial muscles.
A lot of ‘regular’ guys get this treatment; it is not reserved for the vain! Men tend to be more expressive than women, and suffer more from overuse of muscles for example from grinding their teeth.
Botox can be used to reduce the severity of the muscle pull, giving a softer look and lessening the depth of lines. It is a fantastic treatment for teeth grinding pain also.
Can I Drink Alcohol After The Treatment?
Drinking alcohol in moderation will have no effect on your treatment result.
Ideally it should be avoided in the 48 hours surrounding your treatment due to its effect in thinning the blood. An alcohol intake around the time of your treatment will therefore increase the risk of bruising.
And of course it impairs your judgement and ability to consent so it’s an absolute no no before you attend the clinic!
How Long After The Treatment Should I Wait Before I Touch The Treated Area?
You should avoid touching the treated area for approximately one hour post treatment.
After this time a gentle touch with clean hands will do no harm as the tiny pin pricks should have closed over on your skin. You should be careful however not to press or lean on the treated area for several hours after leaving the clinic. This is because Botox is injected with precision into the target muscle, and any pressure from a hand, or even a hat/helmet could move the product. In theory this could result in a ‘ptosis’ ie a dropped eyelid/eyebrow or spread into another unwanted area. So take care!
Touching any recently injected area of skin where a tiny open wound exists puts you at increased risk of infection.
What Is The Best Age To Start?
There is no perfect answer to this question as everyone is different. Some people have very active facial expressions and so could suffer premature line formation in their early 20s. Some people have a more ‘deadpan’ natural look and won’t suffer from creases until their 40s!
Most people will start to have dynamic lines form in their mid to late 20s and this can be a great time to start preventive Botox, avoiding the formation of static lines.
If you wait until later in life when deeper wrinkles exist, these can still be eradicated in many cases with repeat Botox treatments… it’s never too late to start!
In order to avoid a polished looking forehead you can request natural looking Botox. In most cases it is nothing to do with the Botox treatment itself so do not fear the shine!
Who Should Avoid Botox Treatments?
Botox is not a treatment suitable for under 18s.
Care must be taken when performing forehead treatment for those who suffer from low eyebrows or excess eyelid skin, as too much Botox in the frontalis muscle can temporarily worsen the problem.
In most other instances there is no reason you can’t have the treatment. It is unlikely you’ll be allergic to the product or it’s excipients. There are medical conditions which would contraindicate treatment but these are rare. You should inform your Dr if you are receiving Roaccutane treatment for acne, as this can cause localised skin breakdown and increase sensitivity.
Other Than Expression Lines, What Can Botox Be Used For?
Botox can be used for wrinkle prevention in many areas of the face.
It can be used in the prevention of excessive sweating- it is injected close to muscle receptors aimed at releasing moisture from the perspiration glands, and blocks the release. This leaves you with fresh and dry underarms for 6 months or more at a time. There are no harmful side effects and no evidence to suggest sweating increases in other areas!
Botox can be used to effectively treat tooth grinding. The administration into the masseter muscle reduces the over action and relieves the associated pain and other symptoms. Please consult a dentist such as Dr Olivia to ensure correct diagnosis and management in grinding cases.
Botox can be used to slim the face and create a tapered jawline.
Is Botox Safe?
Botox is a very safe treatment when performed by a trained medical professional. It is a prescription only medication so should not be administered by a layperson.
Although the substance contained in Botox is essentially a toxin, it is a purified protein and is not harmful when placed intradermally or in the desired muscle.
Botox has many revolutionary medical indications and it is a wonderful product.
Many years of research studies have gone into developing a safe and sterile product.
There are rogue practitioners out there who may use counterfeit products so beware of this and do your research.