BTX (Botox ®) Treatments
BTX treatments are a non-surgical way to lessen or remove wrinkles, facial creases, folds, and lines. BTX stands for botulinum toxin, better known by the trade names Botox ® and Myobloc®. Botulinum toxin is a sterile protein made from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. It was first used in the 1960s to treat neurological disorders.
How BTX works
Some facial expressions, such as frowning or squinting, can create lines and wrinkles. To make these expressions, you contract certain facial muscles. BTX weakens or paralyzes those muscles. The result is that the wrinkles, creases, lines, etc. are smoothed out and new ones are prevented.
Treatment
A BTX treatment means you’ll be given injections of BTX. Using a tiny needle, your doctor will inject BTX directly into your facial muscles. The entire procedure normally takes just a few minutes. Then you can return home, go back to work, or whatever. You may notice some redness, bruising, swelling, irritation or numbness at the injection sites, but all that will disappear within a few hours.
The effect of the injections may not be apparent for several days. BTX treatment is temporary. The results typically last for three to six months. After that time, the facial muscles will have regained their full movement, and you may want further treatments.
Safety
Years of experience testify to the safety of BTX treatments; no side effects or systemic complications have been encountered. However, you do need to tell your doctor exactly what medications and vitamin supplements you take because some may increase the possibility of bruising or bleeding during the injection. Further, pregnant or nursing women should not have BTX injections because we don’t know what effect they may have on a fetus or on breast milk.