LINE OF EXPRESSION:
Line of expression or facial wrinkles develop due to various reasons-genetic build up, mimicry of parents ‘expressions’, sun damage, age , smoking, etc. Botox can help to relax them & give a younger look to the face.
Since time immemorial people are busy hiding their age, especially the significant determinant of age-wrinkles don’t just result from age or sun damage, they’re also created by the way we express ourselves. Dermatologists all them “lines of expression” – wrinkles that form over time from frowning, raisin eyebrows, scrunching noses, frowning or merely talking & smiling. Someone has rightly remarked that at 18, we are what nature gives us & at 40 we have the face that the life & character gives us. They define us & nobody wants to lose that individuality. Yet we also want them to soften the deeper ones. Here’s where we have morden cosmetic dermatology with the option of ‘BOTOX’. let’s see how it helps .
Botox is a non-surgical, physician administered aesthetic treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate wrinkles in people aged 18 to 65. During the treatment, low doses of botox are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. It’s an ongoing & temporary solution & must be administered repeatedly.
WHAT IS BOTOX ?
It is a formulation of botulinum toxin type A, which is derived from a bacterium called clostridium botulinum.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Normally the brain sends electric signals to the muscles to make them move. This message runs from the nerves to the muscles via a chemical messenger-acetylcholine. Botox blocks this messenger, thus the muscle movement stops or relaxes. The dermatologist will determine how much botox is required.
IS IT A NEW TRIAL?
No, it has been used for more than 20 years for millions of people.
WHEN CAN I START USING BOTOX?
This is an individual decision & there are no reputable long term scientific studies to help us, some dermatologists advocate very early use to prevent wrinkles from forming in the first place. Others think that we have to wait till the first lines appear. My opinion is that it should be used when actual lines are visible.
ARE THE INJECTIONS PAINFUL?
Generally we use a topical anesthetic cream to numb the area for some time. Otherwise also, when injected, it doesn’t cause irritation or inflammation. Occasionally it might feel like a mild sting. But it’s quite comfortable within minutes.
WHEN DOES THE EFFECTS APPEAR?
The effects are usually noticed in the first 72 hours, but it may take up to 10 days to show the effects.
WHERE IS IT USED?
Botox is mainly used to relax frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet & scrunch lines less commonly, though, it can be used to raise the eyebrows, to make the eyes appear a little wider or in the chin area or at the corners of the mouth if certain muscle groups pull down there. It’s sometimes used in the neck, & a few drops in the upper lip can soften the lip lines.
HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS LAST?
Most patients find that the effects last approx. 4 months for the first time, in the subsequent sessions, effects may last a bit longer. The overall effect depends on the strength of your muscles as well. It’s important to understand that botox treatments are an ongoing & temporary solution for facial wrinkles & must be repeatedly administered throughout the year.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
For the facial wrinkles, only small doses are used, no serious side-effects have been reported. Rarely a slight drooping of an eyelid may occur. If this happens, it revolves back in 2-8 weeks.In very, very rare cases, a resistance to botox may develop.
Slight bruising with the injections is quite common & normal, as there are quite a lot of tiny blood vessels over the face. Bruises are generally small & last from 3-10 days. They may be concealed with a make up.
If the botox is injected into the neck, the neck muscles themselves or those of the voice box could weaken, resulting in temporary weakening in speaking.
WHO SHOULD NOT RECEIVE BOTOX?
Pregnant women, nursing mothers, or patients of myasthenia gravis or other muscle weakness. These people shouldn’t go for the injections.
PRECAUTIONS BEFORE THE INJECTIONS?
You must avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, vitamin E, supplements, and alcohol the night before & blood thinning herbal preparations like St. John’s wort & Ginkgo biloba. But make sure you consult your doctor before as certain medications may not be stopped.
WHAT ARE THE APPROXIMATE CHARGES?
Though the cost varies widely, it depends on the city & the centre as well. Costs also vary depending on the number of areas on the face & neck being treated. The range is around Rs. 250- 500 per unit is used. Treating multiple sites in the same sitting increases the cost.
AFTER TREATMENT CARE
Stay upright & don’t exercise for 4-5 hours, don’t do yoga for 24 hours. It helps to frown or scrunch the muscles that wew just treated several times an hour or two, because the botox binds better to the active muscles.
This was the details about the treatment of wrinkles with botox. It’s a miracle injection for the happy young face. But don’t try to lose the lines that identify you & keep smiling, it helps too.
