Botox ^®

Botox^® is an increasingly popular and safe non-invasive cosmetic treatment!

Botox^® is used for the temporary removal of facial wrinkles caused by overactive muscles of expression. Some of us show more expressions on our faces, and these expressive movements cause unwanted lines on our faces. The lines can make us seem angry when we are not and the lines make our faces appear older than what we really are.

The repetition of these expressive movements can cause deep folds over time. Botox^® is effective in the treatment of the frown lines between the eyes, laughter lines or crow's feet around the eyes, forehead lines and others. Botox^® helps to restore a more youthfull appearance to the face by smoothing out these lines.

Botox^® treatment entails a painless procedure of injecting a small amount of purified protein into the targeted muscle. The procedure takes only a few minutes with excellent results visible within 5 days.

Science Behind the Treatment

Botox^® relaxes targeted muscles by preventing the nerve to the muscle sending messages of contraction to the muscles. Without the message for contraction the skin above the targeted muscle smoothes out and the overlying lines on the skin, returning a younger look. The surrounding muscles are not affected and contract in the normal way. Botox^® treatment is thus a safe and affordable cosmetic alternative to surgery for combating the effects of aging.

How Long Has It Been Available?

Botox^® was approved in 2002 for the cosmetic treatment of facial wrinkles and has since then gained popularity world wide for its renewing effect on the skin.

Effectivenes of the Treatment

Almost 3.3 million treatments have been recorded by the end of 2005 around the world. It is also now available in South Africa and used with an equally high success rate. In clinical trials where 263 patients were randomly selected to receive either BOTOX^® or placebo, 90% of men and woman reported improvement in the lines between their brows.

Who Is Eligible?

Botox^® treatment is for people from the age of 18 to 65 who wish to reduce the appearance of facial and other lines without a complicated surgical procedure. It is not only useful in the treatment of wrinkles, but can also delay the need for surgery. Specific areas where treatment benefits suitable candidates include:

• The vertical frown line between the eyebrows
• Horizontal lines across the forehead
• Fine lines appearing at the corners of the eyes, also known as crow's feet or laughter lines
• Wrinkles in the neck area
• Horizontal frown line appearing over the nose bridge
• Gummy Smile where a patient shows their gums when smiling
• Drooping corners of the mouth
• Bunny lines around the nose
• Lines on chest and declote
• Change angle of nose tip
• Overdeveloped jaw muscles
• Hyperhydrosis (Excess sweating of underarm, hands and feet)
• Migraine Headaches

Pregnant and lactating women should avoid the treatment. Botox^® cannot reverse the premature wrinkling of the face caused by over exposure to sunlight.

What Are The Outcomes?

Effects from the treatment can last from 3-4 months (and sometimes longer), but varies according to a person's skin type, age, exposure to pollutants, and other factors. Intervals between treatments become longer after subsequent treatments. There is no risk of wrinkles worsening when a person stops the treatment. The lines will gradually revert to pre-treatment levels and in some cases less than pre-treatment levels.

What are the side effects?

Botox^® injections are reasonably safe, but mild side effects may occur in a small percentage of patients:

• Slight temporary bruising at the injection site
• Temporary Headache
• Redness that will disappear after less than 30 minutes.
• Temporary facial paralysis or drooping eyes have been reported in a few cases.

What are the costs?

Botox^® cosmetic treatment costs start at as little as R400. The price depends on the targeted areas. The number of injections required depends on the level of wrinkling and the area of treatment.

How long does treatment take?

The entire Botox^® treatment takes less than 15 minutes and is usually performed by a specially trained medical practitioner. The doctor is able to identify the exact areas where injections are required. It is a relatively painless procedure that requires no anaesthesia. You can resume your daily activities directly afterwards.

How often is the treatment repeated?

The Botox^® injections relax the targeted muscles for 3-4 months where after the muscles gradually regain their functionality. To maintain the smoothing effect, you need to repeat the treatments as the effects wear off, on average every three to four months. The long term effect of repeated treatments is that wrinkles will gradually take longer before they return as the targeted muscles are relaxed most of the time.

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