How does Botox work?
Botox is injected into the small facial muscles through a tiny needle. Botox blocks impulses from the nerve to the tiny facial muscles that are related to expression lines. Botox relaxes the muscles so they do not contract. After treatment, the overlying skin remains smooth and unwrinkled while the untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, allowing normal facial expression to be unaffected. Botox cannot “Freeze” your facial expression.

Who is a candidate for Botox treatment?
The best candidates for Botox treatment are men and women who are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in their expectations. Most are 30 or older, but you may decide to have this procedure at a younger age in order to prevent premature wrinkles to appear. All skin types may undergo Botox treatments. Patients who are pregnant or have neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis should not undergo the therapy.

What can I expect?
Dramatic responses are often seen within a few days with reduction or complete elimination of wrinkles with no down time associated with other conventional therapies. Results are in most cases temporary and may need to be repeated and last for 3-6 months or longer depending on the individual. But overtime the duration of the effect increase. So, you may require less frequent treatment in the future to maintain the result you have come to like.

What are the safety & side effects of Botox treatment?
Botox injection is one of the safest available treatments for reduction of wrinkles. Botox has been used safely and successfully in ophthalmology for over 12 years and for wrinkle therapy for almost 10 years. It has been approved by the FDA for neurological disorders. Botox has rapidly become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures. Each year, thousands of patients receive Botox treatments to reverse the visible signs of aging. In the amounts used for wrinkle therapy, the only possible side effects are rare and temporary and localized to the area of injection. Although a bruise is possible, it is seen in less than 5% of our patients and it wanes away in a few days.

How long is the recovery time from Botox treatment?
None. You can return to work the same day and resume most of your regular activities.

Does Botox treatment hurt?
Botox is injected with a very fine needle. The needle is so small that 95% of patients do not require any anesthetic cream. Once the injection is complete, there is usually no discomfort. For reduction of excessive sweating of the palms or soles, nerve blocks are usually performed.

What are the pre Botox treatment instructions?
Avoid blood thinners such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naprosyn and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for one week before Botox injection as these medications increase the risk of a slight bruise.

What are the post Botox treatment instructions?
Its better to use the treated muscles for a few hours after the procedure as this permits the medication to bind better to its receptor, otherwise, no other instructions.