Botulinum toxin treatment takes three to five days after binding with communication channels between the nerves and muscles. This article discusses when botulinum toxin kicks in, including treatment procedures, how long it lasts, and side effects.
Aged skin develops signs like wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet. When collagen drops in the body, the skin shows wrinkles, fine lines, or crow’s feet at the constriction points. Temporal cosmetic procedures have become a norm for clients who wish to enhance their beauty. Male and female clients can use botulinum toxin treatments to enhance their looks. Unlike most cosmetic procedures, such as dermal fillers and skin rejuvenation, botulinum toxin treatment does not have immediate results. However, several factors determine when botulinum toxin injections kick in. Use this article to learn more about when the treatment kicks in.
What Is Botox?
According to Satriyasa(2019),botulinum toxin injection is a cosmetic product blocking nerve signals to smooth wrinkles, frown lines, or crow’s feet. Botulinum toxin injection is used in facial muscle areas like the chin, cheek, forehead, and jawline. Wrinkles, frown lines, or crow’s feet result from muscle movements; blocking the signals stops muscle movements. Qualified cosmetic doctors or aesthetic practitionersshould do botulinum toxin injections.
Procedure for Botulinum Toxin Injections
The botulinum toxin treatment procedures involve examining the area and mapping the injection point for procedures. A cosmetic doctor should sterilize the mapped area before injecting it with the botulinum toxin treatment of your choice. The procedure is not painful, although patients may initially feel discomfort. A cosmetic doctor uses anesthesia to make the procedure less painful.
Uses of Botox
Arora & Arora (2021) stated that botulinum toxin treatment could help with the following;
Soften a square jawline
Correct a gummy smile
Diminish neck bands
Smooths crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines, bunny lines, and lip lines
When Does Botulinum Toxin injectionKick in?
Stoer et al. (2021) stated that the effects of botulinum toxin injections do not have immediate results like other cosmetic procedures; patients can see results 3-4 days after treatment. According to Park &Ahn (2021), botulinum toxin treatment prevents signals from the nerve to the muscle, stopping muscle movement. Fonfria et al. (2021) stated that botulinum toxin injection binds with SNARE,a protein sending signals from nerves to muscles stopping communication. Although binding is immediate, it takes time for SNARE to shut down completely. A patientcan notice botulinum toxin injection results after a few days depending on the area treated and the depth of the problem. Changes are seen sooner in areas around the eye, but it will take longer on the forehead if the wrinkles and fine lines are deep.
How Long Does BotoxLast?
Nestor et al. (2020) botulinum toxin treatment can last three to five months, depending on the type used. Body metabolism, injection technique, amount injected, and area injected determine how long the anti-wrinkle treatment will last. Botulinum toxin wears off due to metabolism; for clients with a higher metabolism, the treatment lasts longer than those with a lower one. Patients can maintain results by doing touch-ups after a few months to maintain their appearance.
Side Effects and Complications of Botulinum Toxin
Juhász et al. (2021) stated that botulinum toxin injection is safe with minor side effects like bruising, flu-like symptoms, nausea, temporal facial weakness, headache, and redness. They last for a few days after treatment.Complications are rare when done by an experienced cosmetic doctor. Fonfria et al. (2018) showed that a patient could experience frozen facial expressions, botulism-like signs like difficulty breathing, slurred speech, and trouble swallowing due to the botulinum toxin injection spreading beyond the injection areas.
What Is the Cost of Botox?
The average cost of botulinum toxin injections depends on the type a patient buys.Cosmetic doctors’ charges depend on the location of their clinics and their experience. The number of injections and their complexity also determine the cost of botulinum toxin treatment. Medical insurance does not cover cosmetic procedures.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Botox?
Clients with thick skin, poor overall health, or ahistory of muscle weakness should not have botulinum toxin injections. Clients with good health and above 18 years can have the treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions about Botox
What Should You Do Before Botulinum Toxin Treatment
Before getting botulinum toxin treatment, clients should talk to a cosmetic doctor about the safety measures and aftercare.
Goodman et al. (2020) suggested that patients should avoid taking thinning pills and alcohol a week and 48 hours before botulinum toxin injections. The study above also revealed that alcohol could worsen bruising, making blood clotting difficult.
Avoid sunbathing before botulinum toxin injections because sun burnt skin is difficult to treat.
What to Do After Botulinum Toxin Injections?
Clients should avoid sleeping on their faces after the treatment.
Singh &Nooreyezdan suggested that patients avoid touching or massaging the treated areas for at least 48 hours.
Is Botulinum Toxin Injection Painful?
Botulinum toxin treatment is not painful, but patients can initially experience discomfort. Anestheticsnumb the area of treatment to reduce pain.
How Often Can You go for Botulinum Toxin Treatment Touch-Up?
Botulinum toxin treatment wears off after a few months, and patients can begin noticing signs of aging, like wrinkles, because of metabolism. Patients can do touch-ups when the effects begin to fade.
Why Does Botulinum Toxin Treatment Take Long to Kick in?
According to Adler et al. (2022), patients can see the effect of botulinum toxin treatment after 3-5 days because it binds with SNARE to stop nerve and muscle communication.
Conclusion
Botulinum toxin treatment stops muscle movements by preventing communication between the nerves and the treated area. The effect of botulinum toxin treatment takes a few days to kick in because communication takes time to stop completely. The benefits of having botulinum toxin injections are; softening a square jawline, correcting a gummy smile, diminishing neck bands, and smoothing crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines, bunny lines, and lip lines. Anti-wrinkle treatments can last for three to five months, depending on the area injected,the metabolism rate, dosage, and injection technique. Botulinum toxinsinjections are safe with minor side effects.
References
Adler, M., Pellett, S., Sharma, S. K., Lebeda, F. J., Dembek, Z. F., & Mahan, M. A. (2022). Preclinical Evidence For The Role Of Botulinum Neurotoxin A (Bont/A) In The Treatment Of Peripheral Nerve Injury. Microorganisms, 10(5), 886.
Arora, G., & Arora, S. (2021). Where And How To Use Botulinum Toxin On The Face And Neck–Indications And Techniques. Cosmoderma, 1.
Fonfria, E., Maignel, J., Lezmi, S., Martin, V., Splevins, A., Shubber, S., … & Krupp, J. (2018). The Expanding Therapeutic Utility Of Botulinum Neurotoxins. Toxins, 10(5), 208.
Goodman, G. J., Liew, S., Callan, P., & Hart, S. (2020). Facial Aesthetic Injections In Clinical Practice: Pretreatment And Posttreatment Consensus Recommendations To Minimise Adverse Outcomes. Australasian Journal Of Dermatology, 61(3), 217-225.
Juhász, M., Hosking, A. M., &Mesinkovska, N. (2021). Botulinum Toxins In Medical And Cosmetic Dermatology. EMJ Dermatol, 20-00202.
Nestor, M. S., Arnold, D., & Fischer, D. (2020). The Mechanisms Of Action And Use Of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A In Aesthetics: Key Clinical Postulates II. Journal Of Cosmetic Dermatology, 19(11), 2785-2804.
Park, M. Y., &Ahn, K. Y. (2021). Scientific Review Of The Aesthetic Uses Of Botulinum Toxin Type A. Archives Of Craniofacial Surgery, 22(1), 1.
Satriyasa, B. K. (2019). Botulinum Toxin (Botox) A For Reducing The Appearance Of Facial Wrinkles: A Literature Review Of Clinical Use And Pharmacological Aspect. Clinical, Cosmetic And Investigational Dermatology, 12, 223.
Singh, K., &Nooreyezdan, S. (2020). Nonvascular Complications Of Injectable Fillers—Prevention And Management. Indian Journal Of Plastic Surgery, 53(03), 335-343.
Stoehr, J. R., Kearney, A. M., Massie, J. P., Ko, J. H., &Dumanian, G. A. (2021). Botulinum Toxin In The Treatment Of Vasopressor-Associated Symmetric Peripheral Gangrene. Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 9(5).
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