BOTOX Injections – are you a candidate?

Common cosmetic uses for BOTOX treatments:

• Frown lines
• Forehead creases
• Eye wrinkles, such as crow’s feet
• Upper lip lines
• Neck bands
• Fine lines

Medical uses for BOTOX treatments

• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)  in the face, underarms, hands and feet
• Migraines
• Muscles spasms
• Certain types of chronic pain
• Jaw tension
• Bladder Dysfunction

How long does a treatment take?

For a single area treatment, it can be as little as 10 minutes; for several areas – usually less than an hour. There’s no downtime and you can carry on with your normal routine immediately after the treatment.

Are the results immediate?

You can expect to see complete results within a few days to two weeks. BOTOX works on the muscle causing the wrinkle, not on the wrinkle itself. Once the muscle is no longer able to contract, the wrinkle will be begin to soften and disappear.

How long does BOTOX last?

Results can vary from one person to another, but typically, results last up to four months. Once the BOTOX begins to be eliminated, the muscle will begin to work in its normal manner and wrinkles will reappear. If you discontinue treatments, wrinkles and fine lines will slowly begin to reappear.  The longer treatment is maintained, the softer reappearing wrinkles will be.

Who has BOTOX been approved for?

BOTOX injections are currently approved for men and women over the age of 18, but under 65. For most BOTOX is a safe procedure, but a few patients may experience some side effects that include bruising around the injection site, an allergic reaction or temporary paralysis of the muscles. A physician or nurse experienced with BOTOX injections should determine before the procedure if you are a good candidate.

Who Should Not Have BOTOX?

You should not have BOTOX injections if you:

• Have any diseases that affect your nerves or muscles
• Have a skin infection near the treatment site
• Are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant
• Are breastfeeding
• Have a neurological disorder
• Are under 18 or over 65 years of age
• Have had a BOTOX treatment in the past three months

BOTOX is the ideal solution for men and women who want a more youthful appearance without going under the surgeon’s knife. Although treatments aren’t permanent, the injections decrease the look of wrinkles, giving the area a fuller, smoother look.

You have the most amazing eyes…

Been awhile since you’ve heard that? Some of us are born with gorgeous full lashes to adorn our eyes, while others were less blessed. And as time marches on, our eyelashes may thin out, leaving a less than desirable effect. A beautifully made-up face or youthful complexion can have less of an impact with eyes that appear smaller because of short or sparse lashes. Well, help is here in the form of LATISSE. The only FDA- -approved prescription for inadequate or short eyelashes, LATISSE helps grow longer, fuller AND darker eyelashes.

How does LATISSE work?

Available by prescription only, LATISSE treats:

• Hypotrichosis (not enough eyelashes), and
• Short, minimal or inadequate eyelashes.

LATISSE is applied once a day topically to the base of the upper eyelashes, stimulating lash growth AND increasing the number of eyelashes that grow.

What can I expect?

• Eyelashes actually grow—dramatically longer, fuller, darker lashes
• Mascara can still be worn (but you may not need it)
• Results within 4-16 weeks

Maintenance?

As long as use of LATISSE is continued, your eyelashes will stay full. Once you discontinue use, they will return to their original state within several weeks. Should you miss a few applications, just return to your regular application schedule—there should be no noticeable change.

Allergan, the manufacturer of BOTOX and Juvederm, among other cosmetic skin care treatments, and a pharmaceutical leader with expertise in eye care products, is the developer of LATISSE.

Side-effects?

LATISSE should only be applied to the upper lashes, not the lower lashes. Some people may experience darker skin on their eyelids. Care needs to be taken when applying the product, as hair will grow wherever the product touches the skin.

Can anyone use LATISSE?

LATISSE is not for everyone. People who are not candidates for LATISSE use include those:

• Allergic to one of its ingredients,
• With a previous diagnosis of eye pressure problems,
• Currently on medication for eye pressure problems, and
• With risk factors for glaucoma, including a family history of glaucoma.

Injections – more an art than a science

We’ve all seen it – on TV shows, in tabloid magazines at the grocery store or in the newspaper. Just like bad cosmetic surgery results, we’ve seen the signs of bad BOTOX or filler injections by an inexperienced or too enthusiastic injector- whether it’s that startled deer in the headlights look, the inability to show any expression or that odd cat-like look around the eyes…. Despite this, the line-up for these treatments isn’t waning.

How do you avoid bad injectable results?

Subtle results from either BOTOX or derma filler injectables means finding a good injector. BOTOX is a pretty safe treatment and is highly regulated.

The Art of the injection

What are less regulated are the hordes of people who are setting themselves up as injectors. Many of these have only taken a weekend crash course before they begin providing injections. No surprise that there are bad outcomes on occasion. A good injector is like an artist – he or she will assess your face thoroughly before beginning injections. And less is usually more – for the best results and to maintain mobility while still removing wrinkles, an experienced injector will do many small injections.

The search for a good injector

Do your research before going under the needle. If you know friends who have had treatments and you like the results, find out where they are going. A reputable clinic will provide a consultation beforehand. Ask questions during the consultation – the top injectors will have training from Allergan, the manufacturer of both BOTOX and Juvederm.