Botox is more than just an injectable. It’s become a treatment that many people rely on to help them feel more confident about their appearance and ward off the signs of aging. At Orlando Dermatology Inc. in Orlando, FL, we are proud to offer this popular cosmetic injectable that can smooth lines and wrinkles, combat aging, and help you look and feel your best every time you look in the mirror.
What Is Botox?
You’ve heard about it and seen the results, but you may still have questions about this injectable and how it works. Botox is a neurotoxin, but don’t let the toxin part scare you. You may try to do everything possible to live a toxin-free life, which is a good thing, but we want to assure you that this is a much different kind of toxin. It’s a highly purified protein that helps smooth facial lines and wrinkles by relaxing the muscles.
How It Works
This cosmetic injectable focuses on relaxing the muscles that are responsible for your wrinkles. Injections are administered into the muscles to release the active ingredients. These ingredients work to slowly relax the muscles and that they no longer contract. Without repetitive contractions, the skin can rest, and lines and wrinkles fade. In some cases, depending on your skin condition at the time of treatment, your lines and wrinkles may disappear entirely, albeit temporarily.
Repeat injections are necessary to maintain those wrinkle-free results long-term. Once you start a routine with Botox, you need to commit to a treatment plan that includes follow-up treatments every three to four months if you want to maintain a wrinkle-free appearance. As soon as you start noticing the gradual reappearance of your wrinkles, all you have to do is schedule a follow-up treatment, and you’ll once again be wrinkle-free.
What It Treats
Botox is designed to treat dynamic wrinkles on the upper half of the face. There are two primary types of wrinkles, wrinkles that form from repetitive muscular movements and wrinkles that form from volume loss. Both result from aging and a general loss of skin elasticity. As you age, your body produces less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. When your skin lacks the collagen and elastin to stay firm and resist wrinkles, aging gets a foothold.
This injectable treats the dynamic wrinkles that form from the repetitive expressions you make throughout the day. Dermal fillers are different from neurotoxins in that while they do address wrinkles, they don’t affect the muscle but instead fill in areas that have developed wrinkles due to volume loss, not muscular movements. As a cosmetic injectable, Botox can treat areas on the upper half of the face, including:
- Crow’s feet
- Frown lines
- Forehead lines
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Results Immediate?
Unlike dermal fillers, which deliver immediate results, Botox results takes a little longer to appear. Some patients begin to see an improvement in their problem areas within two days of treatment, but you can expect the best results to unfold within the first week of your treatment. You’ll notice that you won’t be able to make exaggerated expressions, which is a sign that your muscles are responding to the treatment and have begun to relax.
How Long Does It Last?
For most patients, this injectable delivers wrinkle-free results the last anywhere from three to four months. For those who are slow metabolizers, meaning it takes their body extra time to metabolize the ingredients in the injectable, results can last up to six months. However, on average, results will typically last three to four months, after which a follow-up appointment is necessary to help keep those muscles relaxed and maintain your wrinkle-free face.
How Many Areas Can I Treat at Once?
When you add this injectable to your anti-aging routine, you can treat one or more areas of your face. If you only want to treat your frown lines, you can do so, and you will see results. Or, you can treat frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet, or just one of these areas. It’s up to you. At your initial consultation, we can customize a treatment plan to treat one more areas of your face so that you can achieve your goals and do it all in one appointment.
What if I Need To Stop Treatment?
One of the benefits of this treatment is that the results are temporary. That means, if for any reason you need to stop treatment temporarily, you can easily do so. You won’t experience any adverse reactions if you stop treatment. Instead, your skin will just return to its pre-injection state.
This is typically something pregnant and nursing women must consider since they are advised to stop treatment during pregnancy and while nursing. As soon as your doctor clears you to continue treatment, you can schedule an injection appointment and once again experience all of the benefits of wrinkle-free living.
Will I Look Natural?
Not only is this treatment versatile, but it’s completely customizable. Some areas in the face require more units than others, but there’s no standard dosage. We can customize this treatment to meet your aesthetic needs. If you only want a tiny bit of Botox, you can discuss it with your injector. The goal is to make you look like an improved version of yourself, not a different person.
Keep that in mind when you’re considering this cosmetic injectable because it’s easy to fall victim to the notion that you will look fake or plastic after a treatment. During your consultation, be sure to express any concerns to your injector. Also, communicate how you imagine your desired outcome to look. Our injectors will take every step to ensure that you achieve the results you’re hoping for and that those results exceed your expectations.
Live the Wrinkle-Free Life
Botox is possibly the most popular cosmetic injectable in the beauty world, and for a good reason. If you dream of living wrinkle-free every time you look in the mirror, we can help make that dream come true in a quick and virtually painless treatment. Once you experience this injectable for yourself, you’ll find out why everyone loves it. Botox is more than just an injectable; it’s a way of life.