Before and After
BOTOX® Cosmetic Minneapolis
Injectables are the number one cosmetic procedure in the United States. Injectables are used as anti-wrinkle treatment for crow’s feet, frown lines, and furrows in the forehead. It’s also used to treat a variety of conditions, including ocular muscle spasms, problems with eye coordination, severe armpit perspiration and migraine headaches.
WHAT IS BOTOX® COSMETIC ?
BOTOX® Cosmetic was approved by the FDA for cosmetic use in 2002 for treating facial wrinkles in the forehead, between the eyes, and in the "crows feet" areas (upper third of the face). Botulinum toxin, or BOTOX® Cosmetic works by weakening the muscles of facial expressions. Once the resting tone of the treated muscles are weakened, the pull of the muscles relaxes and the overlying skin flattens. This approach is different than the other local treatments for the aging face. Silicone, Collagen, Autologous Fat Transfer, Alloderm, Softform, etc. all work by filling in wrinkles or depressions. These fillers are frequently not as effective as BOTOX® Cosmetic in treating wrinkles in the upper third of the face. By physiologically weakening the muscles, wrinkles are lessened naturally.
WHAT IS DYSPORT?
Dysport injectable treatment for wrinkles is made from the same neurotoxin (botulinum toxin type A) as BOTOX® Cosmetic. Dysport (formally Reloxin) received the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a wrinkle treatment in the spring of 2009, but it has been smoothing out facial folds and lines in Europe, South America, and elsewhere for several years. Like BOTOX® Cosmetic, this injectable was originally developed in the 1990s to treat neuromuscular disorders.
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Injection of this material into the small muscles between the brows, in the forehead, and at the corners of the eyes causes those specific muscles to halt their function (be paralyzed),thereby improving the appearance of the wrinkles. This paralysis is temporary, and reinjection is necessary within three to ten months. Options for alternative treatments include injection of either collagen or free fat, or the surgical excision of the muscles, usually through a brow lift.
HOW IS IT USED?
Injectables are freshly prepared on the day of injection. Once prepared, the medication needs to be used within 12 hours, as the potency diminishes with time. Because of the short shelf life and the cost, these are not available every day in our office. In order for the treatment to be cost effective, more than one patient must be treated on the same day. Using a very tiny needle, small amounts of the injectable are injected into the muscles to be paralyzed. Depending on the areas being treated, 5-15 needle pricks (or more) may be required. Discomfort is minimal and lasts only a few seconds.
SIDE EFFECTS
Occasionally, the needle may puncture a small blood vessel during the injection and a black and blue area may develop. Such an area can last 5-10 days and may require make-up to cover. If any of the drug reaches a facial muscle not being treated, partial weakness of that muscle may last for several months. (For this reason, you are requested not to massage the injected areas for 12 hours following the injection.) If an untreated area experiences muscle weakness, the only "treatment" is to wait for the effect of the toxin to wear off in several months. There are no recognized permanent side effects of either BOTOX® Cosmetic or Dysport. Complications are rare but may include paralysis of a nearby muscle, resulting in its temporary loss of function (e.g., a drooping eyelid). Both have been used safely in the treatment of muscular facial spasms for approximately 15 years.
BOTOX® COSMETIC IN COMBINATION WITH FACIAL SURGERY
BOTOX® Cosmetic injected in conjunction with nearby facial surgery has caused unwanted facial weakness in at least one patient. For this reason, we will inject BOTOX® Cosmetic only as an isolated facial procedure or treatment.
NOTES: The specific risks and the suitability of this procedure for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation. All procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are rare.
