At our Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery location in Portage, MI, we offer BOTOX®, the world’s most popular cosmetic injectable, that’s been smoothing expression lines for over 20 years and helping patients maintain a well-rested and youthful-looking appearance. This injectable provides an effective anti-aging solution for men and women who want to reverse the most common signs of aging and do so naturally.
What Is BOTOX®?
BOTOX® is an anti-aging injectable originally created to treat eye spasms. It was soon discovered that not only could this injectable treat and alleviate the symptoms of eye spasms, but it could also smooth lines and wrinkles as a result. Thus, it quickly grew in popularity and has become the most popular cosmetic injectable worldwide.
How It Works
This anti-aging injectable contains an active ingredient that is a highly purified protein called botulinum toxin. This neurotoxic protein is produced by bacteria but undergoes an advanced purification process, making it an effective and safe solution for treating various expression lines that result from repetitive muscular movements on the upper half of the face.
During the treatment process, this anti-aging injectable is administered below the skin’s surface directly into the muscle responsible for your expression lines. In the days following treatment, the active ingredient begins to block communication between the nerve signals, brain, and muscles, thereby relaxing the muscles and allowing the skin to rest. As it does, you’ll see lines begin to fade, and you will look well-rested and more youthful.
What Are the Treatment Benefits?
There’s a reason that this injectable has become the most popular cosmetic treatment not just in the United States but worldwide. It can help men and women of different ages achieve their ideal appearance through a minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment process. Other treatment benefits include:
- The results are long-lasting
- Results appear quickly and look natural
- Treatments only take a few minutes to complete
- The treatment process is comfortable
- It can treat and reduce the appearance of the most common expression lines
What Areas Can It Treat?
BOTOX® is FDA-approved to treat three different areas of the face. It can smooth crow’s feet at the outer corners of the eyes, smooth forehead lines that result from repetitive eyebrow-raising, and can also smooth frown lines that form vertical indentations between the eyebrows. We can also use this injectable to treat the different signs of aging around the mouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Expect From a Treatment?
The injection process is quick and virtually painless. The liquid administered into the muscles is very thin and only requires a small needle for injections. Most patients experience little to no discomfort during treatment, but those concerned about the treatment or the use of the needle can be treated with a pre-treatment numbing solution. Treatments take less than 30 minutes, and you can resume normal daily activities once your treatment is over.
When Will I See the Treatment Results?
BOTOX® results appear within the first week of treatment. For some, results appear within three to four days; for others, they take a full week. The best results are most visible 30 days post-treatment.
How Long Will My Results Last?
After your initial injection, the active ingredients will begin relaxing your muscles. Once they do, you can expect your results to last four to six months. The total duration of your results ultimately depends on how quickly your body metabolizes the injectable ingredients.
When it does, you will see your lines reappear, but regular follow-up treatment every three to four months will extend your results and allow you to enjoy smoother, wrinkle-free skin indefinitely. The longer patients use this injectable to treat wrinkles, the less frequently they require treatments. The active ingredient essentially trains the muscles to rest, and over time, they become used to being relaxed.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
The best candidates for BOTOX® are patients unhappy with how expression lies have changed their appearance. It’s important to note that this injectable only delivers temporary results. A commitment to follow-up treatments is important for those who want to maintain wrinkle-free skin long-term.
Pregnant and nursing women are advised to avoid treatment for safety precautions. Once your primary care physician clears you for treatment post-pregnancy and nursing, you can confidently schedule treatments. Additionally, patients who are allergic to the ingredients in this injectable will not be eligible for treatment. An initial consultation is the best way to determine whether BOTOX® is right for you.
Can I Schedule Treatments Before a Special Event?
Patients who want smoother and younger-looking skin should not schedule treatment right before a special event, as injection marks may be visible immediately following treatment. We can give details about when to schedule your treatments, so your skin is picture-perfect for your big day.
Can This Injectable Improve Sagging Skin?
BOTOX® will not improve skin health nor can it improve skin elasticity. However, we offer other treatments and injectables that can. This anti-aging injectable strictly improves the appearance of expression lines. Dermal fillers can help restore volume to your skin, and our anti-aging facial treatments can improve your skin elasticity and promote optimal skin health, so you achieve the best results.
Is There Downtime?
There’s no downtime after this treatment. You must follow some aftercare instructions, which we will provide during your treatment. For instance, you must avoid laying down for at least four hours after your appointment to avoid product migration.
Can I Combine Treatments?
Patients who want to combine BOTOX® with dermal fillers can do so to achieve the most comprehensive results. This injectable will treat lines resulting from repetitive muscular movement, while dermal fillers will add volume to the area to soften the overall appearance. These two injectables can help you achieve your ideal appearance when used together.
Smooth Away Your Expression Lines
If your expression lines have affected your confidence in your appearance, we can develop a customized BOTOX® treatment plan to change that. We can evaluate your specific areas of concern and help you naturally achieve smoother and younger-looking skin.
