BOTOX

Throughout history, people have looked for ways to achieve a younger, more vibrant look by improving their facial appearance.

Now, a revolutionary procedure is used to eliminate or reduce : worry & frown lines, "crow’s feet," laugh lines, and other wrinkles, sometimes called "dynamic wrinkles.

This new procedure using Botulinum Toxin or Botox^®, has been developed to treat the effects of aging by removing wrinkles. This procedure, sometimes referred to as cosmetic denervation, has been widely used and is considered safe and effective.

The procedure works by physiologically weakening facial muscles beneath the skin that are related to expression lines. The contractions of those muscles result in wrinkles. Botox® works by blocking the impulses from the nerve to the facial muscles thereby relaxing them. The result is that the pull of the underlying facial muscles relax causing the skin to flatten. This results in a smooth, unwrinkled look.

PRIOR TO TREATMENT
You may be advised to avoid the use of alcoholic beverages, anti-inflammatory medications and aspirin one week prior to treatment.

THE PROCEDURE
A sedative or local anesthetic is not necessary, because the pain associated with the procedure is minimal. A small amount of discomfort is felt when the needle is inserted and the liquid injected. This sensation lasts approximately 5 seconds.

Botox^® is injected into various locations on the face. The needle is extremely small and only a tiny amount of liquid is injected at one time.

FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURE
Because there is no sedative or anesthetic used, you can probably return to normal activities immediately after the procedure. Dr. Gilmer may recommend that you not lie down for 3 or 4 hours following treatment. Some facial exercises may also be recommended. The treatment takes three to five days to take effect and lasts from four to six months.

When the toxin begins to wear off, the wrinkles begin to reappear; however, usually they are not as deep as the original ones. It takes and average of two or three injections each year to maintain the smooth youthful appearance that is desired. Clinical studies suggest that, after several rounds of treatment, you may require injections less often.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
There are no serious side effects associated with this treatment. You may experience a small amount of bruising around the treated areas; however, this is temporary.

On rare occasions, the needle may puncture a blood vessel which can result in a black and blue bruise around the treated area. This disappears in a few days. Another side effect that occurs only rarely is a slight drooping of the eyebrow or upper eyelid. Fortunately, when this occurs, it corrects itself in two to three weeks. There are no other visible signs of the treatment. Prior to treatment, we will discuss with you the side effects connected with the procedure.

THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR THE PROCEDURE
The best candidates for the procedure are persons between the ages of 30 and 60. In many cases, wrinkles in people over 60 are not caused by muscle pull but rather by sun damage; however, each person is different and must be evaluated.

Some wrinkles of the face are not caused by the muscles pulling on the skin and therefore do not respond to this treatment. These include wrinkles caused by the structure of the skin which are the result of trauma, scarring, or sun damage. The procedure works best on the wrinkles appearing in the upper one-third of the face, because its use on the lower two-thirds might cause distortion of a person’s smile or facial expression.

WHAT RESULTS CAN BE EXPECTED?
This procedure will smooth wrinkles that are caused by frown and worry lines, "crow’s feet", and laugh lines; however, it is not designed to take the place of the standard facelift or other facial surgical procedures. It is often used in conjunction with other procedures.

Botox^® injections may not be suitable for persons with pre-existing medical conditions or allergies. We will take a complete medical history to determine if you are a good candidate for the treatment.

If you are interested in learning more about the Botox^® treatment, please contact our office and we will be happy to answer your questions.

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