Botox
WHAT IS BOTOX AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
BotoxÂŽ is a nerve agent which, injected into the muscle, weakens it temporarily. Of all the non invasive treatments, Botox is the least invasive of them all. As a matter of fact, Botox does not technically change the patients physical traits at all, since it does neither add volume (like fillers for example) nor subtract volume (lipolysis).
These Injections are used to simply create a fresher and more youthful appearance by causing a temporary weakening of the treated facial muscles.
To be more precise, Botox alters the facial dynamics, the expressions, some wanted, some unwanted, in a way as to prevent muscles from wrinkling the skin, or even lifting some parts of a patients face by weakening the opposing muscle that lowers it.
Some examples for treatable facial muscles are
⢠on the forehead (frown lines),
⢠vertically or horizontally in between the eyes (brow furrows or glabellar) and/or
⢠the crowâs feet or laughter lines around the eyes.
⢠to correct a âgummyâ looking smile.
⢠on âbunny lineâ wrinkles either side of the nose
⢠In the chin to correct âchin-ulliteâ bumpy chin
⢠in the masseter muscles to slim the face, and help with teeth grinding
⢠in the platysmal bands
THE PROCEDURE
The procedure is safe, not painful and is quick to perform at around 30-45min including the consultation and photo documentation. The injected amounts are very small. We use the thinnest needles poosible, which are âsuper fineâ needles used for Insulin injections.
The procedure consists of multiple subcutaneous injections of Botox in the desired regions. These injections are not painful. Usually the procedure itself takes a few minutes, preparations can however take up to 30 min in order for the injector to properly examine, observe and mark the patients facial muscle dynamics.
We will ask you to move the relevant areas of your face ( â that you wish to soften and rejuvenate), note any natural asymmetry, and take photographs for your own private record sheets. A bespoke treatment of BotoxÂŽ will be administered, as every patient is different and not everyone wishes to have the same end result.
FIRST TIME âCALIBRATIONâ PROCEDURE
What sets us apart is that we consider the first Botox treatment as a âcalibrationâ procedure. We will start with reasonable amounts of Botox per injection, note them down, and then call our patients in after approximately one week for further treatment. We do this simply because each patient responds slightly different to BOTOX quantities. This phenomenon is well known in anaesthesia, but we think it is quite essential in the creation of a bespoke treatment plan for each patient which can then be repeated for quite some time.
By using this method, we dramatically reduce chances of over treatment but also under treatment simply because we invest a little bit more time into the initial calibration phase instead of guessing the needed amount of substance.
THE SUBSTANCE
There are different types of Botulinum A toxin on the market, that have different brand names (eg Dysport/Azzalure and Xeomin/Bocouture..) We use the original BotoxÂŽ from Allergan. However, the competing products are technically the same chemical compound and just as safe and good as the original.
WHO PERFORMS THE INJECTIONS?
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BOTOXÂŽ Injection procedures are considered medical techniques that should be carried out in a controlled medical environment and administered by a qualified and experienced medical professional. We only use experienced, qualified doctors to perform our treatments, so you can be absolutely sure of a highly professional, discreet and safe service.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO START WORKING AND HOW LONG DOES THE EFFECTS LAST FOR?
BOTOXÂŽ should never wear off in a few weeks. If it does, youâre likely not getting the right dosage or product, or the injection technique isnât correct. The response to the injections is not immediate, and it will usually take several days for the muscles to respond, with efficacy peaking at around 2-3 weeks. The effects are temporary and place the muscles into hibernation for approximately 3-6 months, depending on the dosage, the area you wish to treat and how many times you have had it previously. From our experience, a 3-4 month treatment interval is ideal.
IâM WORRIED THAT I LOOK EXPRESSIONLESS AND HAVE A âFROZEN LOOKâ?!
The expressionless look many people observe is usually not the result of just Botox, but rather of multiple interventions, quite possibly also exaggerated interventions. Botox itself can contribute to such a frozen look, but it usually does not cause it per se.
However, over dosage of Botox can certainly cause a massive decrease in facial expression. We always âCalibrateâ our patients treatments in order to prevent exactly this. On the other hand, some patients prefer a massive decrease in facial expressions in certain regions. We do our best to give our patients what they wish for.
WHEN CAN I START USING BOTOX
Botox treatments can start as soon as 20 years of age and upwards there is no limit. The efficacy of the treatments depends entirely on how deep the wrinkles are and how much elasticity the patients skin has. We recommend Botox as a preventive measure. This is known as âBaby Botoxâ because the injected amounts can be much smaller. The advantage of starting early with treatments is that wrinkles are treated before they can appear, resulting in perfect skin later on.
IS BOTOXÂŽ THE SAME AS âFILLERSâ?
As before mentioned, Botox is a neurotoxin which weakens the injected muscle. It is injected in tiny droplets and does not âFILLâ. Fillers on the other hand, are substances based on Hyaluronic Acid, which are used to alter the shape of the face. In simpler terms, think of Botox as something that reduces the amount of stretch your skin can make whereas Fillers are there to fill up shapes on your face.
