BOTOX® is a cosmetic injectable that targets wrinkles and fine lines that occur with aging and facial expressions. Perhaps the most popular product of its kind, it has been widely used for cosmetic concerns. The treatments are a type of intramuscular injection, meaning the ingredients are injected directly into the muscles of certain facial areas so you can treat the specific problems that show up. The forehead and between the brows are two of the most common spots to treat.
What is BOTOX®?
The active ingredient in BOTOX®—the botulinum toxin—is not a new invention. Also called botulinum type A, the ingredient has been utilized in cosmetic and medical procedures for over 80 years. The toxin is made from a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. By the 1990s, it was marketed commercially. By 2002, it became approved by the FDA as a cosmetic agent. Five years later, Botox was the most common cosmetic treatment in all parts of the globe. The U.S. alone performed more than 4.6 million procedures in that year.
So How Does it Work?
Botox is injected into the facial muscles of problem areas like the forehead. The treatment is different from dermal fillers, which are products that work to add volume and fullness beneath the skin rather than affecting the muscles. BOTOX®, on the other hand, relaxes the muscles. The relaxed muscles are unable to contract, making the wrinkles and lines diminish. This is how Botox works, allowing people to look younger with less lines.
BOTOX® treats the types of lines called “active wrinkles.” These represent the creases that begin to show, after a certain age, during facial expressions (smiles, frowns, laughs, etc.). But recently, scientists have discovered evidence of a new way to use Botox — as a preventative measure to help those wrinkles from forming in the first place. Now, people younger than the average age for Botox are benefiting from the treatment by preventing those lines and future wrinkles.
These “active wrinkles” cause crow’s feet, frown lines, forehead wrinkles, and neck creases. Fortunately, these can all be treated by Botox’s safe, in-office procedure. The results are noticeable and effective, lasting three to four months. If you repeat treatments, the noticeable affects can last even longer. For most people, this is the best way to maintain the results. Botox is not permanent. Muscle contraction of the targeted facial areas will return, as well as the wrinkles and lines.
If you have any questions about Botox, call our office at (405) 759-7546 today. We’re happy to help!
Before & After BOTOX® :
