Wrinkles and lines can be both stubborn and frustrating. There may come a time when at-home treatments aren’t enough to effectively manage them anymore. That’s where Botox comes in. At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida, located in Hollywood, FL, we offer various cosmetic injectables to give our patients an alternative to surgery. If you’re interested in a minimally-invasive treatment, we’d be happy to answer your questions.
How Quickly Does Botox Start Working?
Many patients only have to wait 24 to 48 hours before they start to notice the Botox taking effect. Other patients may have to wait up to five days, depending on how their skin responds to treatment. In either case, the treatment should be at its full strength between 10 to 14 days after your injection.
Appointments Are Fast
The only thing that makes fast results better is when you’re able to get fast results with quick and easy treatment. After your consultation, if we determine this treatment is a good fit for you, the treatment itself can usually be finished in 10 to 15 minutes. That’s less time than a lunch break!
In this modern world of stuffed schedules, free time is precious. That’s one reason this treatment is so valuable for patients. They don’t have to worry about sacrificing an entire day for their treatment, and they don’t have to worry about downtime either.
Enjoy Lasting Results
The treatment’s full effect should last at least three months, with many patients enjoying results for six months. That means patients could go an entire half year before they feel a need to touch up their results. That said, your timeline may vary slightly depending on your needs, your skin’s health, and your aesthetic goals.
After your first treatment, you should get a better idea of how your skin responds to treatment. With that information in mind, we can set up a treatment schedule with you that fits your needs. We may also be able to give you a more individualized timeline after evaluating your skin.
How Does This Treatment Work?
Right under the surface of your skin, you have an intricate network of muscles. These are responsible for helping you make facial expressions. Nerves will carry messages to these muscles, which the muscles respond to by contracting in various ways. Every time you smile, frown, furrow your brow, or squint, your facial muscles are at work helping you non-verbally communicate to the people around you.
The problem is, all this movement can both exaggerate and develop wrinkles over time. To limit this movement, Botox is used to block incoming nerve signals to the treated muscles. With no orders to act on, the muscles are able to relax. That means the skin overlying these muscles can smooth over.
Regular Treatment Perks
Regular appointments can help you get the most out of your results, and could even help your results last longer. Some patients who start off getting regular treatments are eventually able to space their treatments out a little more without compromising on results.
The reason this can happen is tied to the way the injection helps your muscles relax. If specific muscles are treated regularly, it may help them adapt and respond more readily to treatment as they grow more “used to” their relaxed state.
How Safe Is This Treatment?
Clostridium botulinum type A is the neurotoxin used to make Botox. That may sound a bit intimidating, but this neurotoxin is put through a thorough purification and refinement process before it’s ready for use. This injectable has been studied and tested extensively, and decades of use have made it a well-trusted name. In addition to cosmetic uses, it has also been used to help improve medical conditions such as migraines, muscle spasms, and hyperhidrosis.
Overall, this is considered a safe treatment. We have both the education and experience to safely handle various injectables, but we’re also happy to address any concerns or questions you have.
A Range of Options
We also offer Dysport and Xeomin, which are neuromodulators made from the same purified botulinum toxin that Botox is. All three of these treatments offer slightly different benefits, and all three are considered safe and effective for their specialties.
When you come to visit us, we would be happy to talk through these three options and their subtle differences. Knowing your skin health and the areas you’d like to treat will help us know whether or not one of these injectables may be the best fit for you.
Trust in Professionals
While the professional use of Botox is considered safe, it’s crucial that you seek out professional and qualified care. Some people are tempted to try to treat themselves, but in the US you must be properly licensed in order to legally buy this treatment. There’s a significant risk you could buy an unsafe product if you’re trying to buy it on your own.
In addition, skill, expertise, and training are involved in administering cosmetic injectables. While we have the tools and knowledge needed to safely administer treatment, someone with insufficient experience could be putting their health or face at risk by attempting treatment on their own. It’s just not worth it to try to cut corners. It’s very unlikely to save you money in the long run, especially if you accidentally damage your face.
Who Can Receive Treatment?
Patients With Forehead Wrinkles
Are you dealing with horizontal lines across your forehead? These lines can be difficult to cover with makeup and tend to get deeper as time goes on. The good news is that forehead lines are an extremely popular area to treat. Relaxing the forehead can do wonders when it comes to minimizing these wrinkles.
Patients With Laugh Lines
When you laugh or squint, you may notice fine lines at the corners of your eyes. If they disappear when you relax your face, they’re considered laugh lines. Lines that permanently stay at the corners of your eyes are often called crow’s feet. Crow’s feet can curve up, down, or out from the eye. Regardless of their severity, a bit of gentle treatment can help reduce the appearance of these lines.
Patients With Frown Lines
A single vertical line between your eyebrows is called a frown line. Some patients develop two lines instead, known as “11 lines.” Patients with frown lines and 11 lines often feel like their resting expression looks more serious and stern than they’d like it to. When these lines are smoothed out, it can help patients have a more relaxed appearance and helps to make the upper face look more light and youthful.
Patients of Any Gender
Many cosmetic treatments are primarily marketed for women, but women aren’t the only ones who want to feel their best. No matter your gender, this is a great way to boost your confidence and look as young as you feel inside.
A Wide Range of Ages
A consultation is an important tool we use to help determine if a treatment is going to be a good fit for the patient. That said, if you’re over 18 years old and in good health, you could be a good candidate. Younger patients who are concerned about developing wrinkles and want to age gracefully may opt to preventatively treat certain areas of their face.
Treatment won’t stop wrinkles forever, but it can help delay them and reduce their severity. Of course, waiting is perfectly fine too. This treatment can be very helpful in smoothing out and improving the appearance of the skin, whether you have fine lines or more severe wrinkles you want to address.
Something To Consider
As you consider your treatment options, keep in mind that this treatment is for dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are the ones caused by movement, which is why relaxing muscles help reduce their appearance. If your wrinkles are due to skin laxity and volume loss, or if you’re struggling with the effects of sun damage, you may want to consider one of our dermal filler injections.
How Do Dermal Fillers Work?
Dermal fillers don’t block nerve signals to your muscles, but they can be used to “fill in” various wrinkles. They can also restore lost volume in the face, which can help fight back against skin laxity and restore a more youthful complexion. Since many fillers are able to boost the patient’s collagen levels, this has the added benefit of helping improve skin texture and encouraging long-lasting results.
Fillers and neuromodulators may work differently, but they’re both very helpful approaches. It all depends on what each individual patient needs. In fact, some patients benefit from combining these two treatments for a “liquid facelift.”
Ready for Your Consultation?
Gathering information online can certainly be helpful, but a consultation can be even more informative. During your evaluation, we’ll be able to address your remaining questions and any concerns you have in our welcoming Hollywood, FL, office. Reach out to us at Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida today and get your consultation set up!
