You can get botulinum toxin in a hospital or clinic. Aqualified cosmetic doctor or aesthetic practitioner should perform the treatments. Some clinics specialise in cosmetics. Avoid getting botulinum toxin in areas that do not have a hospital setting. This article will explain where to get quality botulinum toxin treatment.
Botulinum toxin treatments have immediate results with no downtime. Cosmetic clients use such products to lessen signs of ageing. The skin develops signs of ageing in the skin area where you make repeated contractions due to loss of collagen. Collagen helps the skin to maintain skin structure.Like any other cosmetic procedure, botulinum toxin has its side effects and complications. Getting botulinum toxin treatments at the right place and with the right personnel will help you get quality results, minimise side effects, and reduce the chances of complications.
What is Botox?
According to Satriyasa (2019),botulinum toxin is a muscle relaxer. It is commonly known as Botox. Botox is injected into the facial muscles. After injection, movements of the treated muscles are limited. Botulinum toxin helps treat wrinkles, fine lines, frown lines, and crow’s feet.
Benefits of Botox
- Diminish neck bands
- Improve the appearance of skin dimpling on the chin
- Correct gummy smile
- Soften a square jawline
- Lift the corners of the mouth
- Smooth crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines, lip lines, and bunny lines
Where to Get Botox
A well-trained cosmetic doctor or aesthetic personnel should do the botulinum toxin procedure. You should go for the treatment in a hospital or clinic with well-trained and qualified personnel, such as a cosmetic doctor or aesthetic practitioner. Some clinics specialise in cosmetic procedures only. Before going for botulinum toxin treatments, you must assess the environment and at least get to know the person doing the process. Don’t let offers distort you from choosing botulinum toxin treatments because you might get a complication that might not recover. You should avoid doing botulinum toxin in areas like cosmetic stalls in malls.
The Botox Procedure
A qualified cosmetic doctor or practitioner will explain the procedure for botulinum toxin, its side effects, possible complications, precautions, and safety measures. Sometimes a cosmetic doctor will not perform the botulinum toxin process on clients with unrealistic expectations.
The cosmetic doctor will examine the area to be treated and map the injection points; this will help determine your final look. The cosmetic doctor will inject the mapped area with a botulinum toxin of your choice. The botulinum toxin results will vary depending on the cosmetic doctor and the type of toxin used. The process is not painful, but you can initially feel some discomfort. A numbing cream can be used if you are uncomfortable with injections. Applying ice on the treated area is not recommended because the procedure is sterile; the ice might introduce bacteria to the treated area.
The botulinum toxin procedure is not immediate, but you can see results after three to five days. Botulinum toxin results take time because the nerve signals are relaxed. Botulinum toxin binds with SNARE immediately, but it takes time to shut down the signals completely.According to Carré et al. (2022), the botulinum toxin binds with SNARE, a protein that sends signals from the nerves to the muscle stopping the communication.
How Long Does Botox Last?
Botulinum toxin results can last for three to five months, depending on the area injected, your metabolism, the quality of the product, the depth of wrinkles, how often you exercise, and how often you have botulinum toxin touch-ups. Botulinum toxin wears off faster in clients with a higher metabolism and those who exercise more. The quality of botulinum toxin depends on storage; heat, agitation and time will determine the quality. Botulinum toxin lasts longer in clients who do regular touch-ups.
Side Effects and Complications of Botox
During your consultation, the cosmetic doctor will explain the side effects of the treatment you can expect. According toWitmanowski&Błochowiak (2020),the botulinum toxin treatment is safe with minor side effects like headache, nausea, bruising, flu-like symptoms, and redness. These side effects will last a few days; if they last more than two weeks, you should consult your cosmetic doctor.
Botulinum toxin complications are rare but can occur, especially when the product spreads beyond treated points, causing botulism-like signs and symptoms. The complications include difficulty in swallowing and breathingand slurred speech. You can avoid this complication by not touching, rubbing, or sleeping on your face for a few days after the injection.
Frequently Asked Questions about Botox
What are the Dos and Don’ts after Botox?
- Do not use ice on the treated area. Botulinum toxin is a sterile procedure; the ice might introduce bacteria to the treated area. Also, do not touch, rub, massage, or sleep on your face for at least a week after the botulinum toxin injection.
- Keep your head upright after the botulinum toxin injection for at least four hours.
- Do not make any extreme facial expressions for at least 12 hours after the botulinum toxin injection.
Can I Take Alcohol After Botox?
Taking alcohol after botulinum toxin injections cannot affect the results, but it will slow recovery. Alcohol is a vasodilator and blood thinner; this will worsen bruises and take a long time to heal.According to Ausen et al. (2022), thinners make blood clot hard.You should take alcohol at least 48 hours after the botulinum toxin.
How Does Botox Work?
Botulinum toxin works by limiting muscle movements in the treated area. Wrinkles, frown lines, fine lines, and crow’s feet result from muscle movements.
Conclusion
You can get botulinum toxin treatments in a hospital or a clinic with a qualified cosmetic doctor or aesthetic personnel. You can also look for clinics that specialise in cosmetic procedures. Avoid places like mall stalls that do cosmetic procedures; these places might not be safe. When looking for a place to do botulinum toxin, your safety should be the determinant, not the price. Getting a botulinum toxin touch-up helps maintain the results since the botulinum toxin wears off due to body metabolism. Other factors likethe area injected, the quality of the botulinum toxin, and the depth of wrinkles also determine how long the botulinum toxin will last.
References
Carré, D., Martin, V., Kouidri, Y., Morin, R., Norlund, M., Gomes, A., … & Lezmi, S. (2022). The distribution of neuromuscular junctions depends on muscle pennation, when botulinum neurotoxin receptors and SNAREs expression are uniform in the rat. Toxicon, 212, 34-41.
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.
Witmanowski, H., & Błochowiak, K. (2020). The whole truth about botulinum toxin – a review. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii, 37(6), 853–861.
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