BOTOX®
A combination of factors can cause facial lines. It’s not just about the cellular changes that may occur, or reduction of collagen, or damage caused by free radicals from the sun and the environment. Repeated muscle contractions from frowning, squinting, or raising eyebrows cause skin to furrow and fold, gradually resulting in the formation of facial lines. BOTOX® Cosmetic works beneath the surface and temporarily reduces the underlying muscle activity that causes moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines in adults to help them look better.
The primary use of BOTOX® Cosmetic is reducing the appearance of facial wrinkles.
According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, BOTOX® injections are the most popular cosmetic procedure nationwide. In 2016, over 7 million people had BOTOX® treatments. The effects are temporary, lasting 3–12 months, depending on the type of treatment.
People often request the injections in the following areas of the face:
- wrinkles between the eyebrows, called frown lines, glabellar lines, or elevens
- wrinkles around the eyes, known as crow’s feet
- horizontal creases in the forehead
- lines at the corners of the mouth
- “cobblestone” skin on the chin
What are Neuromodulators?
BOTOX® injections are noted primarily for the ability to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. They're also used to treat conditions such as neck spasms (cervical dystonia), excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), an overactive bladder and lazy eye. BOTOX® injections may also help prevent chronic migraines. Botox® injections use a toxin called onobotulinumtoxinA to temporarily prevent a muscle from moving. This toxin is produced by the microbe that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning. BOTOX® was the first drug to use botulinum toxin. Other products now include abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport®), rimabotulinumtoxinB (Myobloc) and incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin®). Each is a little different, particularly when it comes to dosage units, so they aren't interchangeable.
These substances target the nervous system, disrupting the nerve signaling processes that stimulate muscle contraction. This is how the drug causes temporary muscle paralysis. In order for any muscle to contract, the nerves release a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the junction where nerve endings meet muscle cells. Acetylcholine attaches to receptors on the muscle cells and causes the cells to contract, or shorten. Toxin injections prevent the release of acetylcholine, which stops the muscle cells from contracting. In this way, the toxin helps the muscles to become less stiff.
OnabotulinumtoxinA injection (BOTOX®) is used to:
- relieve the symptoms of cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis; uncontrollable tightening of the neck muscles that may cause neck pain and abnormal head positions) in people 16 years of age and older
- relieve the symptoms of strabismus (an eye muscle problem that causes the eye to turn inward or outward) and blepharospasm (uncontrollable tightening of the eyelid muscles that may cause blinking, squinting, and abnormal eyelid movements) in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older
- prevent headaches in people older than 18 years of age with chronic migraine (severe, throbbing headaches that are sometimes accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to sound or light) who have 15 or more days each month with headaches lasting 4 hours a day or longer
- treat overactive bladder (a condition in which the bladder muscles contract uncontrollably and cause frequent urination, urgent need to urinate, and inability to control urination) in people 18 years of age and older when other medications do not work well enough or cannot be taken
- treat neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO; a bladder control condition caused by brain, spinal cord or nerve problem) in children 5 years of age and older when other medications did not help or could not be tolerated
- treat incontinence (leakage of urine) in people 18 years of age and older with overactive bladder (condition in which the bladder muscles have uncontrollable spasms) caused by nerve problems such as spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control), who cannot be treated with oral medication
- treat spasticity (muscle stiffness and tightness) of muscles in the arms and legs in adults and children 2 years of age and older
- treat severe underarm sweating in people 18 years of age and older who cannot be treated with products applied on the skin
What you can Expect?
Before the Procedure
Most people don't feel much discomfort during the procedure. But you may want your skin numbed beforehand, especially if your palms or soles are being treated for excessive sweating. Your doctor might use one or more of various methods available to numb the area, such as topical anesthesia, ice and vibration anesthesia, which uses massage to reduce discomfort.
During the Procedure
BOTOX® injections are usually performed in a doctor's office. Your doctor uses a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of botulinum toxin into your skin or muscles. The number of injections needed depends on many factors, including the extent of the area being treated.