Botulinum toxin (BOTOX) has emerged as a common treatment for facial wrinkles. BOTOX works by weakening the muscles of facial expression which attach to the undersurface of the facial skin. The resting tone of these muscles is weakened by the toxin resulting in muscle relaxation. The skin overlying the muscle flattens out reducing, or eliminating, the appearance of the wrinkle. This is a common new approach to treating deeper facial wrinkles. Chemical peels and dermabrasion treat finer skin wrinkles and surface irregularities. Fillers and autologous fat injections work by filling in the wrinkle. These fillers are not as effective as BOTOX in removing certain wrinkles of the face. BOTOX physiologically weakens the muscles, removing the wrinkles naturally.

Can BOTOX be saved and used later?
BOTOX needs to be freshly prepared and can not be saved if the appointment is missed. Performing the injection in this way allows the most accurate placement of BOTOX so that the smallest dose can be used and the beneficial effect can be maximized. This minimizes the risk for unwanted side effects. A small amount of discomfort can occur when the needle pierces the skin and the toxin is injected. This discomfort is momentary. After the injection do not rub or massage the area and during the first six hours ice packs are applied to redness, swelling and ache.

BOTOX is utilized to enhance your appearance and does not take the place of standard facial plastic surgical procedures such as face lifting, blepharoplasty, and dermabrasion. BOTOX has the ability to improve areas that are not addressed by these operations and is an effective adjuvant to these procedures. When the beneficial effects start to wear off, a return of wrinkles will be noted. Frequently, they are not as deep. At that time, re-injection can be performed. It takes two or three injections a year to maintain the beneficial effect that can be achieved with the use of BOTOX.

Some wrinkles of the face are not amenable to correction with BOTOX. These would be the deep creases of the skin not caused by the muscles pulling on the skin. These types of wrinkles tend to be in areas of scarring from prior trauma or in sun damaged skin. The toxin works best in patients 30 to 60 years of age. Wrinkles in older patients tend not to be caused by muscle pull and are more likely etched in the skin as the result of sun damage over the years.