Do you have permanent wrinkles and lines on your face that deepen when you emote? Do you wish your skin was smoother? Common side effects of aging include forehead lines, smile lines, marionette lines, and crow’s feet. These lines initially only appear when emoting but eventually become permanent. With Botox injections at Nunnally Dermatology in Baton Rouge, LA, you can make these dynamic lines a thing of the past. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible treatment.
What Is Botox?
Botox is an injectable muscle relaxant that features the active ingredient A botulinum toxin type A. This neurotoxic protein is derived from certain types of bacteria and works by slowing the overactive muscles causing the dynamic lines. It drastically improves the appearance of the skin shortly after injection into the problem areas. In fact, it is so effective that most people only need one treatment session with this FDA-approved neurotoxin.
How Often Can You Get Botox Injections?
The final results of this treatment usually last between three and six months, and there is no need for follow-up treatments until the final results have started to fade. Typically, you can receive this injectable muscle relaxant every three to six months as necessary to maintain your ideal results. However, it is okay to receive a follow-up treatment two weeks after your first session if you have a severe case of muscle hyperactivity.
What to Expect During Botox Injections
Once we have determined during an initial evaluation that you qualify for Botox injections, we will schedule a treatment session for you. During your appointment, we will cleanse and sanitize your skin to ensure it is free from cosmetics, dirt, oil, and other potential irritants. Once your skin is clean, we will apply a topical anesthetic to ensure your complete comfort throughout the treatment process. Once your skin is fully prepared for treatment, we will administer the injections.
Usually, we make five injections per targeted area. However, you may only need a few injections if your lines are mild or you’re treating a smaller area. The injection process only takes a few minutes to complete, but the entire treatment process may take up to 30 minutes. Once your injection session is complete, you are free to return to your usual routine. There is no downtime following this non-invasive treatment.
The Benefits of Botox
Even if you have extremely deep forehead folds that do not respond to topical treatments, you can benefit from Botox injections. Crow’s feet can also be erased with an injectable muscle relaxant, making you look years younger.
In fact, this safe, effective treatment can be injected into virtually any overactive muscle. After treatment, your skin will feel tighter and smoother and look younger. For several months, you will no longer have to worry about your wrinkles deepening when you smile, squint, or frown.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Treatment
Is This Treatment Painful?
No, this non-surgical, non-invasive treatment is not painful at all. Unlike similar anti-aging treatments, there is no pain or discomfort associated with it. If you opt-out of a topical anesthetic, you will feel nothing more than a small amount of pressure, but this sensation fades as quickly as it is brought on.
How Should I Prepare for This Treatment?
Before your scheduled appointment, you should refrain from drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours. You should also avoid taking anything else that can thin your blood, like NSAIDs and fish oil supplements, before your scheduled appointment. Besides that, you don’t have to worry about any other restrictions. We will provide you with a more detailed explanation of what you can expect throughout the process during your initial consultation.
For example, we will advise you on whether you need to do anything else to prepare for your treatment. Some people need to take further preparation steps based on their unique health situation. For instance, if you have a history of oral herpes outbreaks, you should apply a topical antiviral for two weeks before your scheduled appointment.
What Post-Treatment Care Steps Will I Need to Take?
After your treatment session is over, it is advisable to not lie down for four hours. You should also try to not touch your face after your treatment. However, if you feel the need to apply makeup after your treatment, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly first and remove the makeup gently before you go to bed. Since you should not apply too much pressure to your treatment areas after your injections, sleep on your back. Additionally, you should avoid sweating.
For example, you should not engage in vigorous physical activity, sit in a steam room, or relax in a dry sauna. Furthermore, direct sunlight should be avoided during the first 24 hours following your treatment. Apply sunscreen after your treatment and continue to reapply it regularly throughout the day. Finally, do not consume anything that can thin the blood, such as NSAIDs and alcohol, during the first 24 hours following your treatment.
How Soon Will I See the Results of This Treatment?
Even though individual results vary, people can expect with reasonable confidence to see their initial results within three to five days of treatment. However, the treated areas will feel tighter immediately after the treatment. People can also expect with reasonable confidence to see their final results no more than two weeks after their injection sessions.
It takes a while to see the initial results because the medication has to spread throughout the treatment area and settle into the motor neurons in the treated muscles. You must wait to see the final results of your treatment because it takes a while for your muscles to slow down and relax to the point that the wrinkles are smoothed out.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
You may be a good candidate for this treatment if you want to erase dynamic lines, wrinkles, and folds without undergoing an invasive procedure. However, it is important to be fairly healthy, so we will determine whether you qualify for this treatment after we discuss your health history and current health status.
You may not qualify for this treatment if you have such health concerns as uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, liver failure, CAD, or pancreatitis. Furthermore, you should postpone this treatment if you are currently pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant.
Can Men Benefit From This Treatment?
Yes, men can absolutely benefit from this treatment. The FDA has approved this injectable neurotoxin for the safe, effective treatment of overactive muscles in both women and men. Furthermore, women and men alike suffer from wrinkled skin caused by wrinkled, overactive muscles.
Will My Results Look Natural?
Yes, the results of your treatment will look completely natural. Although this medication settles into some of the motor neurons in the treated areas, it does not settle into all of the motor neurons. This means you will be able to emote naturally. You just won’t have overactive muscles that contract when you don’t want them to anymore.
Furthermore, the muscles aren’t physically manipulated like they are when you undergo an invasive anti-aging procedure. This means you will look just like yourself, only years younger.
How Long Should I Expect This Treatment to Take?
To reiterate, Botox injections take only a few minutes, but the entire treatment process takes approximately half of an hour. This is much faster than other types of anti-aging treatments that provide similar skin-smoothing results. The length of your treatment will depend on such factors as the severity of your wrinkles, the number of areas you are trying to treat, and whether you opt for a topical anesthetic before your injections.
How Safe Is This Treatment?
This treatment is completely safe if you qualify and follow all preparation instructions. It has been FDA-approved for several years for the treatment of many medical and cosmetic concerns. Moreover, you don’t need to worry about side effects if you avoid taking blood thinners before your treatment.
How Long Will the Results Last?
As stated previously, the results of this treatment usually last between three and six months. Several factors affect the longevity of the results, including the severity of the wrinkles, the dosage used, and your metabolism. Usually, dynamic wrinkles are deepest when they are caused by larger, stronger muscles. Unfortunately, the stronger your muscles are, the more quickly the results of this treatment will fade.
Similarly, the smaller the dosage used, the sooner the final results of this treatment will start to fade. Finally, the results of this treatment will fade faster if you have an exceptionally high metabolism. In other words, older sedentary females would usually enjoy results that last longer than younger males with a physically demanding job.
Can This Treatment Be Combined With Other Anti-Aging Techniques?
Yes, Botox injections can be combined with other anti-aging treatments. In fact, Dr. Nunnally often performs hyaluronic acid injections in combination with Botox to help the results of Botox last longer. Hyaluronic acid (HA) injections extend the longevity of Botox results by improving the health and elasticity of your skin.
The healthier and more elastic your skin is, the more resistant it is to wrinkling. This holds true even when the wrinkles are caused by the wrinkling of the underlying muscles. Moreover, HA injections are ideal in cases where wrinkles are caused by volume loss rather than overactive muscles. If you have volume loss-related lines, wrinkles, or folds, you may be an excellent candidate for Juvederm or Restylane.
What Else Can I Do to Extend the Longevity of My Results?
Besides combining Botox with a hyaluronic acid injection, like Juvederm or Restylane, you can extend the longevity of your results by not participating in vigorous physical activity during the first 24 hours following your treatment. It is not only advisable to avoid such activity because it causes sweating.
It is also advisable to avoid vigorous activity because it increases your metabolism significantly. Your metabolism may become so elevated that your body metabolizes the neurotoxic protein before it has a chance to settle into your muscles.
Eliminate Your Unwanted Dynamic Lines Today
While dynamic lines are a natural side effect of the aging process, you don’t have to live with them. Botox injections can eliminate fine lines and moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds caused by overactive muscles, leaving you with smoother, younger-looking skin. Contact us today at Nunnally Dermatology in Baton Rouge, LA to schedule your initial consultation and find out if this neurotoxic protein is right for you.
