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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.
Excessive sweating
Sweating is necessary to control body temperature
during times of exercise and warm/hot surroundings.
Sweating is regulated by the sympathetic nervous
system. In 0.6 to 1.0% of the population, this
system works at a very high level causing sweating
to occur at inappropriate times in specific areas of
the body. This condition is known as hyperhidrosis
which is a bothersome problem that results in
awkward social situations for those that are
affected. Studies have shown that sales people with
sweaty palms are at a distinct disadvantage.
Although hyperhidrosis is generally not considered a
cosmetic problem, many patients will come to the
cosmetic dermatologist for treatment of this
embarrassing disorder. Unfortunately, topical and
oral medications, iontophoresis, and surgery have
not proven to be desirable options for most
patients. In fact, surgery can result in
compensatory excess sweating in other parts of the
body. Today, Botox can treat excessive sweating with
good results. We utilize the Starch Iodine Test to
identify the location of the hyperactive sweat
glands prior to each treatment, resulting in the
most effective treatment available. |
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