The 411 on Botox

As you approach your mid thirties or older, it is common to see fine lines or wrinkles around your eyes, forehead, and in between your eyebrows, especially if you are very into an emotional discussion or situation.  While they might disappear when you relax your face, they are essentially the beginning of more permanent set-in wrinkles that more mature skin tends to have.  While they are a normal part of aging and occur from repetitive facial expressions, if you receive Botox treatments, you do not have to live with wrinkles!

Botox is a purified protein that is produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria.  There have been no significant side effects connected with its utilization by dermatologists.  It is a natural and tremendously harmless (yet short term) way of eliminating wrinkles and fine lines on the face and neck. 

A few drops of Botox are injected with a very thin needle into the muscle that is instigating the wrinkle.  Botox takes about a week or so for the full effects to take place.  The Botox prevents the muscles from contracting and relaxing, which ultimately deteriorates the muscles and softens the skin… and the wrinkles often vanish!  The results last for about three months, so repeat treatments will be crucial.  Not only can Botox diminish wrinkles around the eyes, mouth, forehead, and eyebrows, it can also be injected into precise muscles of the forehead to elevate the eyebrows to produce a stunning arch and give the eyes a larger appearance.

The most frequent sites for the use of Botox are the frown lines between the eyes, the creases of the forehead, and the crow’s feet on the sides of the eyes.  Botox is also used to remedy lines around the mouth and necklines.  Your skin will not feel any differently, nor will you feel pain or numbness after receiving Botox.  The effects are eminent only in the particular muscles that have been injected with Botox, and the rest of the body will remain unaffected.

Botox has been safely used for more than a decade for the management and relief of spasms of the eye.  Many patients have noticed diminishment of wrinkles around the eye after Botox treatments.  Dermatologists then broadened the use of Botox particularly for the relaxation of wrinkles.  In addition, patients who received Botox and who also suffered from migraines noted that their migraines subsided and results often lasted for up to a year, even after the Botox effect on wrinkles had ended.

Botox has also been proven to help control involuntary, excessive sweating of the underarms, hands, and feet.  One should note that there is typically some slight short-term loss of strength of the treated extremity, usually lasting two to three weeks, however the reduction of sweating can last up to six months after receiving the Botox treatment. 

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Susan H. Weinkle, M.D. to determine if Botox treatments might be right for you, please call our office (941) 794-5432.  We look forward to seeing you soon!