WHAT IS BOTOX?

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription injection used to improve the look of moderate-to-severe frown lines between the brows in people 18 to 65 years of age. The effects of this procedure are well established and temporary.

Botox is administered as a simple, nonsurgical treatment injected directly into the muscles between the brows. It works by blocking nerve impulses to the injected muscles, reducing muscle activity that causes lines and wrinkles to form.

BOTOX FAQS

HOW DOES BOTOX WORK?

Botox is injected into muscles and used to improve the look of the “11s,” the moderate-to-severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines). It works by blocking nerve impulses to the injected muscles, reducing muscle activity that causes lines and wrinkles to form.

WHEN WILL I SEE RESULTS FROM A BOTOX TREATMENT?

You may see a marked improvement within days. Lines will continue to improve for up to 30 days and results can last for up to 4 months. Individual results may vary.

HOW LONG DOES BOTOX LAST?

Visible results have been shown to last up to 4 months. Your own results may vary – we’ll go over what you can expect and when to schedule your next appointment.

WILL I STILL BE ABLE TO MAKE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS?

Although the results are visible, a treatment with Botox will not radically change your facial appearance or make you look as if you’ve “had work done.” The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is temporarily reduced, so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.

IS TREATMENT WITH BOTOX PAINFUL?

Discomfort is usually minimal and brief. Prior to injection, we may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Most patients are in and out of our office without downtime following Botox treatment

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE FROWN LINES BETWEEN MY BROWS IF I CHOOSE NOT TO CONTINUE TREATMENTS?

If you do not continue treatments, the moderate-to-severe frown lines between your brows will gradually return to the way they looked before treatment.

ARE THERE ANY NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS?

Side effects associated with the injection include dry mouth, tiredness, headache, neck pain, localized pain, infection, eye problems (such as double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of your eyelids, and dry eyes) inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising. An allergic reaction to Botox may include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

These are not all the possible side effects of Botox. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE BOTOX?

Do not take Botox if you:

  • are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® or BOTOX® Cosmetic. See the Medication Guide for a list of ingredients.
  • had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin products such as Myobloc® or Dysport®
  • have a skin infection at the planned injection site
  • have a disease that affects your muscles and nerves (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease], myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome)
  • have swallowing, bleeding, or breathing problems (such as asthma or emphysema)
  • have had surgery on your face
  • have plans to have surgery
  • have weakness of your forehead muscles, such as trouble raising your eyebrows
  • have drooping eyelids
  • have experienced any other change in the way your face normally looks
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • are breast-feeding or plan to breastfeed.

POST-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Do NOT massage or apply pressure on the treated area for 6-8 hours after treatment since Botox may migrate to areas of undesirable effectiveness.

Do NOT lie down for 6 hours after treatment. Also DO NOT lean forward, shower, or cook over a hot stove.

You MUST keep your head UPRIGHT for at least 6 hours after injection.

Try to exercise your treated muscles for about 2 hours after treatment (e.g. practice frowning, raising your eyebrows or squinting). This helps to work the Botox into your muscles. It will NOT negatively impact your treatment if you don’t do this.

Cold compresses may be used 10 minutes on/10 minutes off to reduce swelling 2-3x per day during the first two days, as needed.

Avoid yoga and rigorous exercise activities, extensive sun/heat exposure, and alcoholic beverages for the first 24 hours after treatment. These may cause temporary redness, swelling, and/or itching at the injection sites.

Avoid facials and saunas for 24 hours after treatment as these will increase your blood pressure and thus the chance of minor and temporary bruising.

It is recommended that you wait 12 hours after the treatment before applying make-up.

If you get a headache (a common symptom), we recommend you avoid aspirin or aspirin-containing products. You may opt instead to use Motrin, Tylenol, and/or cool compresses. If headaches continue or worsen, contact your physician.

Avoid taking Advil, Vitamin E, Ginger, Ginkgo biloba, Ginseng, and Garlic for 2 weeks, as these may increase the risk of bruising.

Note that any bumps or marks will go away within a few hours. If you do develop a bruise, it will resolve as normal in about a week. There is occasionally some mild pain, swelling, itching, or redness at the injection site, similar to most other injections. Redness may last for 1-2 days, rarely longer.

Initially, we may want to see you 2-4 weeks afterwards for a checkup and potential “touch up.” If you allow Botox to completely wear off before doing so, it will difficult for us to fine-tune optimal results.

If you have any questions about our services, please contact us today at (626) 593-5993.