BOTOX: Facts You Should Know Before Getting It

 

Today everyone wants to look beautiful and young like celebrities, be it men or women. These A-lister celebrities use many cosmetic procedures to look their best, one of which is Botox that most people are aware of.

Botox is known as one of the most common facial rejuvenation procedures. It is most widely used cosmetic techniques to avoid external signs of aging like facial wrinkles, aging around the eyes, reduce fine lines and to fulfill all cosmetic needs people take Botox, it enhances a person’s appearance and emotional well-being. Many people opt to use Botox as a wrinkle eraser when they start to notice signs of aging on their faces.

According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, Botox injections are the most popular cosmetic procedure nationwide. In 2016, over 7 million people had Botox treatments.

The effects are temporary, lasting 3–12 months, depending on the type of treatment.

What is Botox,

Botox is a neurotoxin derived from Clostridium Botulinum, which is a bacterium. It’s naturally found in soil, lakes, and forests. Botox is used as an anti-aging treatment, as it is an easy way to lessen the appearance of wrinkles.

Botox injections can improve anything from severe forehead lines to frown lines, crow's feet, and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), neurotoxin brand names include Dysport, Xeomin, newly FDA-approved Jeuveau, and perhaps the most well- known of all 'Botox'.

It is an easy way to enhance your natural beauty, even doctors prescribe Botox. Botox is approved for patients who are 18 years and older and most experts agree that patients in their mid to late 20s and early 30s are at a good age for preventative Botox treatment. Botox treatments are an inexpensive cosmetic procedure, especially when compared to surgical procedures or luxury skin care products.

Botox has risen in popularity and has seen an increase of 40.6% in the number of procedures performed. Today many people want to take advantage of this cosmetic procedure. Botox is an aesthetic procedure that has been in existence for a long time. Botox has been used for cosmetic and medical purposes.

Cosmetic uses of Botox,

Botox is an injectable neuromodulator that works to relax nerve-muscle imbalance, explains Los Angeles–based dermatologist Harold Lancer. In other words: Wherever it is injected, Botox causes the underlying muscles to temporarily stop moving. When the muscles stop moving, the wrinkles stop forming.

However, the primary use of Botox is to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles.

People often request the injections in the following areas of the face:

wrinkles between the eyebrows, called frown lines, glabellar lines, or elevens

wrinkles around the eyes, known as crow’s feet

horizontal creases in the forehead

lines at the corners of the mouth

“cobblestone” skin on the chin

However, the FDA has only approved the injections for use around the eyes and on the forehead.

Research has not shown whether Botox could improve dark circles under the eyes.

Some people also try Botox to improve the appearance of their hair. There is little evidence that this works, however.

Other medical benefits of Botox,

Botulinum toxin or Botox is far more than simply a vanity product. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved it as a treatment for various health issues, including eyelid spasms, excessive sweating, some bladder disorders, and migraine. In fact there are currently more than 20 different medical conditions that botulinum toxin is being used to treat.

Botox injections can improve many other health conditions.

For example, many people who suffer from TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) or other types of muscle pain, get Botox injections to help them relax these muscles.

Botox injections are even used to treat chronic migraines and other chronic health issues.

Because Botox blocks nerve activity in your muscles, it can prevent unnecessary muscle use as well. People who suffer from severe underarm sweating, urinary incontinence, or even an overactive bladder can benefit from getting Botox injections. It is used for muscle spasm control, severe under-arm sweating.

Botox is a minimally invasive procedure – it doesn’t involve incisions or general anaesthesia. To reduce the pain or discomfort, a topical anaesthetic or ice is used to numb the treatment area.

Dr Parag Telang, Plastic Surgeon (DHA, HAAD) and Director of Designer Bodyz Centre, says “In order for any muscle to contract, the nerves release acetylcholine, a chemical messenger, at the junction where nerve endings meet muscle cells. Acetylcholine attaches to receptors on the muscle cells and causes the cells to contract, or shorten. Botox injections prevent the release of acetylcholine, which stops the muscle cells from contracting. Botulinum toxin treatment helps the muscles become less stiff. Botox cosmetic treatment works by temporarily blocking nerve signals and muscle contractions.” (Source: Femina.in)

Common Botox treatment areas are,

Prescribed Botox units for face,

Botox is typically priced per unit. Some areas require more units than others, and some also respond better to treatment than others. Depending on the area treated, Botox will last for 3-6 months.

Forehead (10-30 units)

The forehead is the most common Botox injection site, as it’s where many people first see the signs of aging. Horizontal wrinkles along the brow are easily treated with Botox injections.

Between Eyebrows (10-25 units)

The area between your eyebrows, also known as the glabella, or “11” lines, is also a popular treatment area. Smoothing out these vertical wrinkles corrects a tired or angry appearance for a more vibrant look.

Upper Eyebrow (2-5 units each side)

Botox injected into the upper eyebrow can mimic the effects of an eyebrow lift by relaxing the muscles that cause upper eyelids to droop.

Crow’s Feet (5-15 units each side)

Crow’s feet are the small, branching wrinkles that form at the corner of the eye when smiling. The skin in this area is much thinner than in other parts of the face, exacerbating the appearance of wrinkles.

Bunny Lines (5-10 unites each side)

Bunny lines, otherwise known as nasalis lines, are the rabbit-like wrinkles that appear on the side of your nose when you scrunch up your face, smile or laugh. These lines sometimes extend upwards to the lower eyelid.

Dimpled Chin (2-6 units)

A puckered or dimpled chin can worsen with age as the muscles in the chin area become more overactive. The natural age-related loss of collagen increases this dimpled appearance. Botox smooths the chin area for a more youthful look.

Smile Lines (3-6 units each side)

Lines that form at the corners of the mouth can sometimes extend downwards towards the jaw, or even cause the corners of the mouth to droop. Botox injections at this site can help you maintain a happier, more lively appearance.

Neck Bands (25-50 units)

Both horizontal and vertical wrinkles appear in the neck area with age. Botox works by preventing neck muscles from sagging, and can also improve the jawline for a look that mimics the results of a neck lift.

Non-Surgical Nose Job (2-4 units)

Botox applied to the base of the nose can raise the nasal tip. This works by weakening the muscles which pull the tip of the nose down as you smile or talk. Sometimes known as liquid rhinoplasty, this technique can be combined with dermal fillers for a re-contouring of the nose.

Botox Lip Flip (10 units)

Otherwise known as a Botox lip lift, this technique may also be done with Botox alone or combined with lip fillers. Botox provides a fuller lip pout by mildly rolling the upper lip outward. Fine lines around the upper lip are minimized as a pleasant side effect of this procedure.

Gummy Smile Treatment (2-4 units)

Excessive elevating of the upper lip when smiling is known as a gummy smile, as the gums above the front teeth become exposed. Injecting Botox can weaken the retractor muscles that cause this effect.

Risks and side effects,

Botox is a protein made from Botulinum toxin, which the bacterium Clostridium botulinum produces. ‘This is the same toxin that causes botulism’, (Botulism is a rare but serious condition caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves. Botulism may cause life-threatening symptoms - Mayo Clinic)

There are limits to the amount of Botox that can be injected during one session and to the frequency at which Botox can be injected. Botox is extremely toxic if you are exposed to too much of it. If the concentration is too high, it could result in botulism.

Too much Botox can actually make you look older. Overuse could result in atrophy of your muscles, especially the ones around your eyes, so don’t overdo it, or the results will be the opposite of what you want.

This is why it’s so important that you get Botox treatments from a trained professional.

It’s also important to note that Botox won’t work for all wrinkles. If your face is wrinkled due to sun damage or an unhealthy lifestyle, Botox can’t help you. You need to do your part to prevent sun damage, eat healthily, and take care of your skin to prevent these types of wrinkles. Botox is meant for wrinkles that you are genetically predisposed to.

The botulinum toxin contained in Botox can spread to other body areas beyond where it was injected. It is seen that Botox causes serious life-threatening side effects in some people receiving botulinum toxin injections, even for cosmetic purposes.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these side effects (up to several hours or several weeks after an injection):

unusual or severe muscle weakness (especially in a body area that was not injected with the medication);

loss of bladder control;

hoarse voice, trouble talking or swallowing;

drooping eyelids or eyebrows;

vision changes, eye pain, severely dry or irritated eyes (your eyes may also be more sensitive to light);

chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, irregular heartbeats;

pain or burning when you urinate, trouble emptying your bladder;

sore throat, cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath; or

eyelid swelling, crusting or drainage from your eyes, problems with vision.

painful or difficult urination;

headache, neck pain, back pain, pain in your arms or legs;

cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat;

trouble swallowing;

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

increased sweating in areas other than the underarms; or

bruising, bleeding, pain, redness, or swelling where the injection was given.

NOTE - You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

                                                                                                       WARNINGS

You should not use Botox if you have an infection in the area where the medicine will be injected. This medicine should not be used to treat overactive bladder or incontinence if you have a current bladder infection or if you are unable to urinate (unless you routinely use a catheter).

Botulinum toxin kills its victims by causing respiratory failure. It is a neurotoxin - it enters nerves and destroys vital proteins. This stops communication between nerves and muscles. Only the growth of new nerve endings can restore muscle function, and that can take months.

"Botox weakens the muscles if used regularly, over a prolonged period, without interruption, eventually the muscle will atrophy from lack of use," says the legendary dermatological surgeon Patricia Wexler, MD.

You must know that, on the LD50 toxicity scale, which measures how much of a substance you would need to kill half the people it is given to, Botox measures just 0.000001 mg/kg. In other words you need around 0.00007mg to kill a 70kg man. Or to put it another way, a lethal dose would weigh less than one cubic millimetre of air, which means high doses of Botox can cause severe health problems.

Call your doctor at once if you have a hoarse voice, drooping eyelids, vision problems, severe eye irritation, severe muscle weakness, loss of bladder control, or trouble breathing, talking, or swallowing.

Postmarketing reports indicate that the effects of BOTOX and all botulinum toxin products may spread from the area of injection to produce symptoms consistent with botulinum toxin effects. These may include asthenia, generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, dysarthria, urinary incontinence, and breathing difficulties. These symptoms have been reported hours to weeks after injection. Swallowing and breathing difficulties can be life threatening and there have been reports of death.

The risk of symptoms is probably greatest in children treated for spasticity (Spasticity is a muscle control disorder that involves tight or stiff muscles and an inability to control those muscles - NationWide Children's Hospital), but symptoms can also occur in adults treated for spasticity and other conditions, particularly in those patients who have an underlying condition that would predispose them to these symptoms. In unapproved uses, including spasticity in children, and in approved indications, cases of spread of effect have been reported at doses comparable to those used to treat cervical dystonia and spasticity and at lower doses.