Botox ® for Wrinkle Reduction

What is Botox ®?

On the Upper Face: For a chemical brow lift , Botox ®, a purified protein, when used in small dilutions in a controlled fashion by a skilled physician with extensive experience of Botox injections, relaxes dynamic frown lines between the brow, on the forehead and the wrinkles around the eyes. Botox ® makes you look less worried, angry, or tired, and more relaxed, approachable, and confident.

For the Lower Face: Botox ® , when used in small dilutions in a controlled fashion by a skilled physician with extensive experience, can cause a chemical jowl lift and decrease a permanent mouth frown, a very undesirable effect.

Alternative cosmetic uses of Botox®

On The décolleté: Botox ®, when used in small dilutions in a controlled fashion by a skilled physician, can cause a modest chemical bust lift by decreasing the effect of chest muscles which pull the breasts down.

For the body: Botox ® injections also can be used to block chemical signals from nerves that stimulate sweat glands. See Botox underarms and Botox palms. For acne conditions: Botox when transdermed into the skin with a FDA approved machine, can decrease the secretion of sebum form the pilosebaceous unit, an important factor for acne conditions

Another off label indication for Botox is for chronic migraine. Botox is injected into fixed-sites in varying locations, including the forehead, temples and potentially extending into the neck muscles. According to Allergan, the manufacturer of Botox, Phase III clinical trials showed a significantly greater decrease in headache days among patients receiving Botox, compared with those receiving a placebo. There are numerous medical conditions for which Botox is used: see below

What is Botox ® made from?

Botox ® is a purified botulinum neurotoxin type A complex, produced from a culture of the A strain of bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum Type A. Although the Clostridium bacteria cause botulism, the Botox ® facial extract does not. Botox ® has been used safely for over 15 years in the treatment of muscle disorders of the eyes and voice box, headaches, spasticity of the stomach, spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, and other neuromuscular disorders, in addition to its cosmetic indications.

What kind of wrinkles does Botox treat?

To understand the various treatments of wrinkles, one must understand that there are different kinds of wrinkles, dynamic wrinkles and static wrinkles.

Dynamic wrinkles are those wrinkles and lines that appear when your face is animated.

Static wrinkles are those facial lines that are evident even when our face is at rest and are due to volume loss and are better treated with dermal fillers. These two types of wrinkles are what separate Botox from any of the injectable fillers.

Botox is for dynamic wrinkling. It is a muscle relaxing agent so it will soften the wrinkles and lines that occur from a dynamic facial movement, such as between the brows with frowning….or the crow' s feet from smiling… or around the mouth from excessive pursing of the lips.. With ageing, this repetitive motion the skin starts to show strain and deep folds and tiny wrinkles start to develop. Botox will also help prevent a mouth frown by relaxing the muscles that exert a downward pull to the mouth.

Why do we get Dynamic wrinkles?

When we were younger and our skin had abundant collagen, the only lines and wrinkles we had were dynamic. Our face was otherwise wrinkle-free when we weren't animated. All dynamic wrinkles, with age, will eventually lead to static wrinkles as collagen is depleted and constant motion "cracks" the skin. Dynamic Wrinkles are caused by facial expressions and repetitive facial movements. Each time we use a facial muscle, a groove forms beneath the surface of the skin, which is why we see lines form with each facial expression. As skin ages and loses its elasticity, the skin stops springing back to its line-free state, and these grooves become permanently etched on the face as fine lines and wrinkles.

How can Botox injections influence how people perceive you?

You only have one opportunity to make an impression. First impressions are significantly influenced by facial expression. Research has revealed overwhelming data indicating that more attractive individuals receive better judgments and treatment from others. More recently, a US doctor has revealed from his research the positive impact Botox can have on first impressions.

When should one start using Botox cosmetic?

With the millions of Botox injections that are performed annually, evidence and experience have shown that prolonged use of Botox over a period of 10 years does slow down the ageing process .If we can relax these facial expressions with Botox, then we can prevent the breaks in the skin, commonly known as wrinkles. If the skin is continually relaxed, collagen can build up in the area that is treated and the wrinkle will improve. Repeated Botox injections (every 4 to 5 months) will ensure a superior long term result as collagen is not depleted by the constant motion of our muscles

How does Botox help the ageing process?

Consumers are always interested in maintaining a youthful appearance, and as the global population's median age increases, this market is increasingly expanding. When we are younger, the brow and jaw line elevators are more prominent and the face appears constantly elevated.

As we age, the dynamics change and the depressors take over and combined with gravity, a gradual sagging of our brow and jawline takes place. If we can keep the dynamics between elevators and depressors neutral with strategically placed Botox injections every 4 to 6 months, then the sagging that occurs with ageing will be reduced.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that a modest elevation occurs in the range of 1 to 3 mms which in the face can be a make a real observable difference. Once the Botox® "kicks" in 10 days later, the face takes on a relaxed and refreshed look and one's face appears to glow.

In other words, an anti ageing effect is achieved because Botox relaxes the downward pressure that the depressor muscles exert on the facial tissues. This results in the elevator muscles of the face becoming more dominant, raising the brow and jawline and preventing the downturned mouth or mouth frown.

Is Botox safe?

Botox Facial injections have become an essential ingredient in facial wellness, erasing frown lines and relaxing worried brows. Botox Facial is safe and effective and has been approved for cosmetic use by the FDA. Botox Facial has become the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure and has been used for more than 10 years in aesthetic practice and more than 20 years in neurology and ophthalmology. There are many publications supporting its use. It has a long and impressive safety record.

Botox Facial should be injected at a physician's office by an experienced and trained medical doctor with an intimate knowledge and understanding of the muscular anatomy of the face as well as the aesthetic implications of proper placement. The final outcome of a Botox procedure is very dependent on the experience of the injector. In addition Botox side effects will be minimized if done by a practitioner who has done over a thousand procedures and who injects Botox cosmetic daily.

• Botox has been proven safe if administered by a trained medical professional
• Botox has been used worldwide in millions of patients since 1989

What To Expect after a Botox treatment?

Usually you will have a mosquito-bite looking area for 20-60 minutes which resolves without a trace. Very occasionally, little red areas at areas of injection appear but resolve within a couple of days. Try not to fall asleep or relax in a recumbent position for at least 4 hours after a Botox procedure as this may rarely lead to some diffusion or spreading of the Botox Facial to adjacent areas and causing problems

Your regular skin care regimen can be resumed immediately following a treatment, and makeup may be applied if desired.

After having had Botox injections, exercise should be avoided for twenty four hours.

Try to avoid aspirin containing products or high-dosage vitamin E supplements for 48 hours before the Botox procedure unless medically necessary. Avoidance of these for 10 days prior to the procedure is recommended to avoid bruising.

How long will it last?

Within 4 days of the treatment you should start to see an improvement in your lines and the final result only " kicks in" 14 days later. The result can last up to 4 months but varies from patient to patient and the initial amount of Botox given. Baby Botox is Botox given in 3 areas but in half the quantities of a usual procedure. This kind of Botox will only last 6 to 8 weeks and is useful in actors who need facial expression.

With repeated Botox treatments, the result of Botox injections can last for longer periods.

Some patients have a hyperactive brow and are constantly raising their brows. In these patients a shorter effect can be expected as the Botox is quickly "worked" out.

Can all skin types be safely treated with Botox Facial?

Yes, all skin types can be safely treated with Botox Facial.

Alternative uses of Botox to treat medical and surgical conditions.

Botox is used to treat the following conditions amongst others:

• Hemifacial spasm
• Blepharospasm(Uncontrollable blinking)can result in the eyelids remaining completely closed all the time,causing functional blindness
• Spasmodic torticollis( Twisted neck; a forceful turning of the head to one side,a painful condition)
• Spasmodic Dysphonia(spasm of the vocal cords) resulting in interruption of speech
• Relief of spastic conditions of the hands in children with Cerebral Palsy and in Stroke patients so as to aid personal grooming
• Tremor of Parkinsons Disease and Multiple sclerosis
• Incapacitating pain due to Chronic low Whiplash
• Incapacitating pain due to back and neck pain
• Myofascial pain syndrome(Fibromyalgia)
• Chronic Tension headache
• Overactive bladder which results in frequent urination ,inability to retain urine and thus frequent "leaks"
• Clubfoot in babies a condition in which the heel and toes turn inward. Botox injections lengthens tendons by relaxing them,(previously treated by tendon lengthening surgery.) The club feet are then repositioned and stabilised in casts. This avoids the necessity of an operation to correct the defect.
• Stops drooling by blocking the salivary glands in stroke patients
• Relieves spasm of anal fissures, a painful condition
• Helps relieve prostatism in men, a common condition of ageing
• Relieves the spasm of Achalasia and osophageal sphincter problems that involve difficulty swallowing
• Clinical trials are underway for treatment of Obesity which involve injecting the stomach muscles which result in distention of the stomach wall and satiety(feeling of fullness)

Are Botox treatments available at all Skin Renewal branches ?

Botox Treatments are available in Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria and Cape Town at the Rivonia, Parkhurst, Sandton, Fourways, Irene, Cape Quarter, Claremont and Willowbridge branches

Skin Renewal Tip:

For those who would rather steer clear of going under the knife to shave a few years off their appearance, this new aesthetic procedure using Botox works without visible wounding the skin and is quickly gaining popularity…The Liquid Facelift.

The Liquid Facelift is a facial contouring procedure that involves the use of strategically placed Botox and dermal fillers around the face. This "injectable facelift" can create a younger, plumper look and address concerns like lines, wrinkles, volume loss and sagging. This Liquid Facelift has been making a noticeable impact in aesthetic medicine during the past few years. It is typically more subtle than surgery and an increasing number of individuals are trying liquid facelift procedures before traditional face lift procedures.