Every year, over 4 million Americans receive Botox injections, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. These injectables can help minimize certain signs of aging safely and effectively. Their popularity has made Botox a household name. But what is Botox, and how does it provide its results? At Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center, we can tell you more about Botox injections.
What Is Botox? Getting the Scoop on Botulinum Toxin Treatment
Botulinum toxin treatment uses, as its name suggests, the toxin that comes from the botulinum bacterium to offer its results. This neuromodulation toxin works by temporarily interrupting the signals that your brain sends to the muscles at the treatment area, preventing them from contracting. This gives the area a smoother appearance because it helps decrease dynamic wrinkles.
If you stand in front of a mirror and smile or frown, you can see that the movement creates creases and lines on your face. Before your mid-20s, your skin could rely on the collagen and elastin that your body naturally makes to help the skin bounce back into place.
Once you get close to your 30s, however, collagen and elastin production decrease, so your skin can have a much harder time falling back into place. Thus, you begin developing dynamic wrinkles. The most common ones, and the ones that Botox injections can target, are:
- Crow’s feet
- Forehead wrinkles
- Glabellar lines
- Bunny lines
- Lipstick lines
- Marionette lines
- Chin dimpling
Once the Botox injections take effect, the muscles no longer tense up, and the wrinkles are not as visible. For some people, they can even disappear, though not permanently. The best candidates for Botox injections are people who are over 18 and who have wrinkles or fine lines. You also need to be in good overall health and have realistic expectations.
If you have a skin infection at the treatment area, have a condition that causes muscle weakness, or are allergic to the components of Botox, you are likely not a good candidate for the procedure.
Benefits of Botox Treatment: Why It Can Be the Right Choice
Neuromodulation injections like Botox are quick. That is why many people schedule a session during their lunch break. You also don’t have to worry about a long recovery time or having to forgo participating in your daily activities.
Botox treatment is an option that can also help prevent new wrinkles from forming at the injection sites. This is because it can train your muscles to be softer. For this reason, more people under the age of 30 are choosing to get the injections. Botox results are also quick. In just a few days, you can start seeing the lines and wrinkles fade.
Botox Injections: Maximizing Results With the Right Preparation
If you have decided to get Botox injections, what’s next? You can begin by contacting us for a consultation. A consultation allows us to see what your goals are and to get a sense of your medical history. Let us know if you’ve tried cosmetic injectables before and what kind of experience you had. We also need to know if you take any medications to ensure that none of them will interfere with the Botox injections.
If we think you’re a good candidate for the procedure, we will give you some tips on how to prepare. There isn’t much you have to do, but make sure to avoid alcohol and blood thinners in the days leading up to the appointment. You also want to avoid any procedures that make your skin more sensitive, like chemical peels, before getting Botox.
On the day of your appointment, come to our clinic with no makeup and without wearing lotions or creams on the treatment area. We will clean your face and can provide numbing cream before beginning the injections. The length of the entire process can be just ten minutes, but if you want to get Botox in many areas, it can take a bit longer. We can always give you a time estimate during the consultation. But how long does Botox last, and how long does it take to work?
Botox Results: How Long Does Botox Take to Work?
After the injections, you can apply an ice pack to the treatment area if you need to, but make sure not to rub, scratch, or massage the injection sites for at least four hours so that you don’t dislodge the Botox.
How long does Botox take to work? Many people see results within three days of the injections, but it can take up to a week. It takes a few days because the toxin has to reach the cellular level of the muscles before it can have the desired effect. Muscle thickness can impact the timeline, too, as can the location of the injections.
And now that you have the results you want, how long does Botox last? It can depend on each individual and the treatment area, but the average duration of Botox injections is three to four months. After that, you will start seeing the wrinkles and fine lines creeping back in.
Smooth Out Wrinkles With Botox
Botox injections can offer the fast results you need if you no longer want to stress over crow’s feet or frown lines. By taking just a few minutes out of your day to get injections, you can give yourself a chance to get a smoother and more youthful appearance. When you turn to us at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, you can get the quality cosmetic results you deserve. Call us or contact us online today.