BOTOX® injections are a great way to eliminate or reduce wrinkles and frown lines. The areas frequently treated are:
These lines can make you appear older, tired, and angry. It is also useful in some migraine patients to help reduce headaches. With the active outdoor lifestyle we lead in the Bay Area, squinting in the sun can make wrinkles worse. BOTOX® Cosmetic can help.
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a non-surgical skin care treatment I do in my office. It takes only minutes to perform the injection, and usually brings results within 72 hours. BOTOX® Cosmetic is botulinum toxin. It paralyzes specific facial muscles, immobilizing the muscle for three to five months. As a result of the muscle not moving, the skin lying on top of the muscle relaxes and wrinkles fade. The effect is a rested and more youthful appearance. Over several months as the muscle action gradually returns and lines reappear, a simple follow up skin care treatment is all that is necessary to regain the desired result.
"You look smoother, younger, the perpetual frown is gone, and, if you’re lucky, there will be a slight lift to your brows, which helps open up the area around your eyes. But you won’t look like you’ve had anything done. You will look like you, and you will have the full range of expression.” - O.S., BelmontView More Testimonials*Individual results may vary
Allergan brand is the official “BOTOX®“. We have BOTOX® Cosmetic special days, where there is a discount. Call the office to see when these are. The special is good on that day only. There is also a frequent flier program for BOTOX® Cosmetic called Alle (It used to be called Brilliant Distinctions). It is worth signing up for, as you earn points which translate into money off your next treatment (no mail-in rebates). My assistant can help sign you up.
For more information, visit www.botox.com.
Dysport®, also known by Reloxin, is a competitor to BOTOX® Cosmetic. Its effect is the same. I like Dysport® as well, and for some patients it may work better. I think fresh botulinum toxin is more effective, and Dysport® comes in a multi use vial, so call the office to find a Dysport® day. The cost is about the same as BOTOX® Cosmetic. They also have a frequent flier program called Galderma rewards, which helps lower the cost with rebates.
For more information, visit www.dysportusa.com.
This is the newest competitor on the market to Botox. It is mixed with a peptide, which they state helps the botulinum toxin reach the muscle receptor better to cause better uptake, so they state it gives 6-9 months of smoother lines. (The orientation stated it lasts about twice as long as Botox- so if your Botox lasts 3 months, this should last 6). It has the same Botulinum Toxin Type A as Dysport and Botox. It does cost more, so the question is whether it lasts longer. As it is newer to market, we won’t know if that is true for a bit. The unit measure is different than Botox. It is made in the USA, it is vegan, and it’s new. There is no program like Galderma/Alle for customers.
www.daxify.com
Xeomin® is a newer competitor. I do not use it. There was a study which compared efficacy of the three brands, and it did not test as effective.
The most common areas to use Botox are the forehead, glabella (the “11” between the brows), and the crows feet. Whare are some other areas?
Botox has been advocated not just for teeth grinding. There are studies showing it helps with headaches, depression, psoriasis, and keloid scars. You can read about it in my blogs HERE.
It is important you go to a plastic surgeon well versed in administering BOTOX® injections for a natural, smooth result. Otherwise droopy eyelids, a “frozen” face, or severe bruising may occur. I perform the botulinum toxin injections myself “doctor administered BOTOX®” . I also have a nurse injector, Meghan, who has trained personally with me. Though some advocate an open vial of BOTOX® Cosmetic is good for a week, from personal experience I believe fresh BOTOX® Cosmetic is more effective. If you are doing two areas (which is 48 units at my office) you can have a BOTOX® injection on any clinic day. Some places that do BOTOX® Cosmetic daily use old botulinum toxin, which is not as effective- I believe it takes longer to kick in and does not last as long. I offer a discount for multiple areas and have other promotional specials.
Botox is great for wrinkles. I am asked a lot by young women when they should start doing Botox. There is a dialogue on social media, that starting early “prevents” wrinkles from forming. It is true that not moving the muscle will help keep wrinkles from forming, BUT I think for most young women it is a waste of money. Most people do not start forming wrinkles at rest until they are in their early to mid 30s. Doing Botox prior to that will not make the wrinkles better when you hit your 30s.
The exception to this is for the deep “11” lines between the eyebrows. If you squint and are forming these, I do feel Botox helps this area from deepening.
Botox is great for lines which you have at rest. (When you aren’t smiling or lifting your forehead). Until you have those, I do not advocate for it.
Forehead lines usually form as you age due to the changes of the eyebrow and eyelid as you compensate. Crows feet wrinkles are usually faint. Botox in this area wears off after 2-3 months.
So my advice?
If you are in a wedding /reunion/being videoed and want to open up your eyes a bit, avoid smiling lines in photos, and avoid squinting lines, do Botox opportunistically. Otherwise, save your money til you need it.