The Botox injection procedure involves performing injections containing botulinum toxin. The injections block the neuromuscular transmission of nerve impulses, helping to relax facial muscles and preventing the formation of wrinkles. Botox is considered a quick procedure that takes no more than 10 minutes. General or local anesthesia is not required. Girls experience minimal pain. Pain may vary depending on the individual characteristics of the body. To determine what manipulations are required after injections, you should understand the important nuances of the Botox injection procedure.
What issues concern women?
When agreeing to Botox injections, every girl is concerned about many features that may arise after the procedure:
- presence of bruising, pain, swelling. The appearance of discomfort is considered normal; patients usually experience minimal discomfort. Sometimes redness and slight swelling are observed in the places where injections were given. Factors may depend on the girl's skin type. Most patients stop experiencing discomfort an hour after the procedure;
- manifestation of the result of Botox. If you follow the specialist’s recommendations, the first skin changes can be observed the very next day;
- side effects. Complications can arise after the procedure is performed incorrectly. To avoid sagging and swelling of the skin, you should ask your doctor about his education and work experience.
If a woman is concerned about possible side effects from Botox, she should consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon or esthetician before the procedure. The doctor will tell you how to avoid unpleasant consequences.
The history of Botox
The history of the emergence of Botox, as the most popular drug in cosmetology, began in 1895 with the identification of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which provoked muscle paralysis. However, only half a century later its properties were used for therapeutic purposes. This was done by ophthalmologists from San Francisco Alan Scott and Edward Shantz in the late 60s of the 20th century. First, experiments were carried out on monkeys, and then on a group of volunteers who suffered from strabismus and blepharospasm (uncontrolled blinking).
US President Donald Reagan received the first cosmetic effect from botulinum toxin injections in 1989. He was the first politician to try the effects of Botox on himself to preserve beauty.
In 1994, the drug Botox was officially registered in Russia. It passed all clinical trials, and from that time on its triumphal march as a minimally invasive procedure began.
Recommendations before the Botox procedure
The first consultation with a doctor involves providing comprehensive information about the characteristics of the body. The plastic surgeon will determine if the patient is a good candidate for Botox. Possible information that needs to be provided to the specialist:
- what medications, supplements, medications the patient takes;
- presence of allergies to any drugs;
- what diseases and medical contraindications are there;
- pregnancy or breastfeeding;
- number of previous Botox procedures.
The important point is to discuss every detail in great detail. The girl should be told which areas of her face concern her. Sometimes experts recommend resorting to other anti-aging therapies that can give the patient the best result. The patient is advised to have a frank conversation with the doctor to avoid misunderstandings.
Typically, plastic surgeons recommend that patients stop taking blood thinners a week before receiving injections. This could be aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, fish oil, or other medications that contain ginseng. Their exclusion will help minimize the occurrence of bruising and possible complications. Patients should also avoid drinking alcohol several days before the Botox procedure.
If a woman wants to get the expected result, it is necessary to ask every worrying question to the attending physician. For example, what the consequences may be, how to care for the skin after injections, the best option would be to draw up a list of such questions, then come with it to a consultation with a surgeon.
How do Botox injections work?
As you understand, botulinum toxin preparations contain a poison that affects the nerve impulses that are responsible for muscle function. Thanks to the blocking, the muscle relaxes and the skin smoothes out. As a result, wrinkles are eliminated. The drug acts locally - only on the muscle into which the injection was made.
Injections are recommended to solve the following aesthetic problems:
- smoothing out fine and deep wrinkles in the periobital area and the area between the eyebrows;
- elimination of gravitational wrinkles on the forehead and nasolabial triangle;
- improving the oval of the face, giving the skin a fresh and toned appearance.
The duration of the manipulation is 10-15 minutes, depending on the number of zones.
Recommendations during the Botox procedure
The patient must strictly follow the recommendations before and after the procedure. However, even during Botox, experts require compliance with certain wishes:
- Women must be present without makeup during the injection. There are times when girls neglect this rule. It should be noted that makeup will be removed during the operation: cleansed skin will be treated with an antiseptic, so such patients only delay the process of administering injections and pre-irritate the skin with cosmetics and makeup removers;
- the muscles must be relaxed during the operation. There are a lot of people who are afraid of injections. Botox injections are done with small needles, so there is nothing to be afraid of. Experts advise thinking about important matters or small things in order to relax;
- Apply ice to your face before, during and after surgery. Ice can reduce the risk of bruising and swelling.
After completing the injections, the patient is under the supervision of a plastic surgeon for about 30 minutes. Then the doctor prescribes recommendations for facial skin care.
Beauty injections: consequences of the work of unqualified professionals
Beauty injections are undoubtedly very popular among girls who want to look young and well-groomed. Therefore, when there is high demand, there is a lot of supply. Unfortunately, not always of high quality. In recent years, the number of procedures performed at home by unqualified cosmetologists has increased. The result of such injections, as they say, is obvious. Mild consequences: itching, redness of the face, drooping or swelling of the eyelids, hematomas, increased body temperature. Usually this side effect goes away within 3-5 days, but in some cases, due to the individual reaction of the body, it can persist for up to 2 weeks.
The safety of the procedure is determined by the following conditions:
- specialist qualifications and experience. In good clinics, Dysport injections are performed by plastic surgeons and cosmetologists;
- place of drug administration;
- dosage;
- patient's lifestyle.
Tips after the Botox procedure
This stage is considered the most important. The woman will take care of her facial skin after the injections. The correctness or incorrectness of the manipulations will depend on the quality of the Botox result:
- During the day after the operation, any touching of the facial skin, rubbing, or massaging is excluded. Following this advice will prevent Botox from spreading to other parts of the face;
- Active physical activity is excluded for several days after surgery. Otherwise, the blood will intensively rush to the skin, which will cause bruises;
- Avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages for several days after Botox. Also, do not use other procedures for facial skin, for example, peeling, micro-resurfacing;
- stop taking the above blood thinning medications.
By following the rules, you can avoid unpleasant side effects, achieve the desired result, and see yourself several years younger. You should actively discuss the nuances of the procedure that interest you with the plastic surgeon, and in case of discomfort or complications, immediately contact a specialist.
Beauty injections: types of drugs and differences
“Beauty injections”, which we used to call Botox, are in fact only the commercial name of the drug from the company Allergan (California, USA). Today the drug is produced under different names - among them, Botox, Dysport, Xeomin and others. Are there any differences between them? Yes, there is a difference in the origin and composition of the drugs.
- Botox. Made in USA. It contains sodium chloride as a solvent. Botox has been on the market for over 30 years. It is used both for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. For example, for the treatment of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
- Dysport. Produced in France. Contains lactose. It has a higher degree of penetration, so the effect lasts longer. The drug is also successfully used to treat excessive sweating.
- Xeomin. Produced in Germany. Sterile botulinum toxin containing sucrose. 10 years ago Xeomin made a splash in cosmetology. It was considered the safest drug, but also showed weaknesses - an insignificant and short-term effect of smoothing wrinkles.
The last two drugs - Dysport and Xeomin are considered the most modern, as they were developed relatively recently. But it is impossible to say with certainty which drug works best. If we talk about the influence, then Botox acts more harshly, Dysport and Xeomin act more softly. Botox is a more popular drug with many years of use. Dysport and Xeomin are “new” and are more often recommended to young patients.
What benefits can you get from Botox?
It is worth noting that Botox is intended for both women and men. Regardless of the patient's gender, each person receives the following benefits:
- smoothing out all facial wrinkles on the skin. After Botox wears off, the skin will remain youthful and elastic for a long time;
- the procedure allows you to avoid complex plastic surgeries, while achieving effective facial rejuvenation;
- used as a correction of neurological disorders;
- injections can help against excessive sweating.
Botox injections can be administered at almost any age. The best option would be the age of 30-40 years. During this period, the skin remains elastic, and maximum expression wrinkles appear. The age of 50-60 years is considered difficult, so a thorough consultation with a plastic surgeon is necessary. Ages over 60 years are less suitable for Botox: wrinkles are deeper and difficult to smooth out.
You can learn more about plastic surgeries that help rejuvenate the face from the sections “Eyelid surgery” and “Lipofilling”
What are beauty injections (Botox injections)?
You can say that the appearance of wrinkles can be slowed down naturally. For example, learning to control facial expressions. However, this is not always the solution, especially if the girl is prone to active facial expressions - she laughs sincerely, frowns, or draws the eyebrows together. In this case, Botox injections are the best solution to preserve youth.
Botox injections are often called “beauty injections.” They are aimed at total skin rejuvenation, correction of wrinkles and activation of the skin’s own resources through injections. The essence of the procedure is the introduction of unique drugs whose main active ingredient is botulinum toxin type A, a protein neurotoxin.
Beauty injections, first of all, correct cosmetic defects: pronounced facial and age wrinkles, dermal creases on the face. The procedure especially shows bright results when smoothing out wrinkles on the forehead, area between the eyebrows, around the eyes and lips.
One wrinkle between the eyebrows
The area between the eyebrows is one of the most problematic on the face. If somewhere wrinkles can even decorate, then the space between the eyebrows is the opposite. He gives the impression of an angry, closed, sad, thoughtful person. All this definitely does not encourage the people around you to communicate.
The eyebrow wrinkle appears from the work of the muscles that frown the eyebrow. In Latin they are called corrugators (musculus corrugaror). They form vertical wrinkles, there may be one or two. And one more muscle, the so-called proud muscle, procerus (musculus procerus, lat.). It forms a horizontal crease on the bridge of the nose; it is rarely single, more often it is several parallel lines, smoothly turning into “rabbit” wrinkles (on the nose). When eyebrow wrinkles quickly disappear after frowning, there is nothing to worry about. You just need to observe and preferably try to control your facial expressions.
It often happens that it is impossible to control, it is not for nothing that such facial expressions are called involuntary. In this case, at the first sign that a wrinkle does not want to go away from an already calm face, it is worth doing prophylaxis. This can be self-massage for the first time, but the most effective is botulinum toxin injections (Botox, Dysport, etc.)
Regardless of whether there is one wrinkle between the eyebrows or two, the cosmetologist works with this area according to the same scheme; only the dose of the drug and the procedure technique may differ.
The wrinkles between the eyebrows that patients treat are often not just static (creased), but also extend deeper than the skin level. It is not easy to work with such wrinkles, because it is not possible to guarantee that they will completely disappear after the procedure. In addition to the fact that correction is expected not only with Botox, but combined - Botox + filler, the correction zone also has its own nuances and only very experienced doctors should work with it. In view of all of the above, it becomes clear that it is definitely not worth delaying the moment of contacting a cosmetologist with this problem.
When patients come for prophylaxis for mild wrinkles, the result is almost 100%. Moreover, after Botox injections, a person feels a block in this area, cannot frown, and this feeling remains even when the effect of the drug disappears completely. That is, for 2-3 months, or even more, self-control appears and in the future wrinkles between the eyebrows appear more slowly, and all this time the face looks positive and friendly.
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Recommendations after injection
In addition to avoiding tanning for the first week after the procedure, there are other prohibitions that are important to strictly adhere to. These include:
- physical exercise;
- taking painkillers and antibacterial agents;
- alcohol consumption;
- warming the face, taking hot baths, visiting a solarium.
Experts recommend starting procedures at age 30. Following the recommendations will extend the life of the drug and preserve youth for as long as possible.
Why is Botox harmful?
Side effects that are not dangerous to health, such as slight swelling, pain at the injection site and slight bruising, burning, headache and nausea, develop in the first days after the injection and disappear no later than seven days. It has been noted that the harm of Botox increases when used several times. Immediately after the injection, the face looks attractive, but within a week, severe complications may develop, such as ptosis of the eyelids, drooping corners of the mouth, and sagging facial tissues. There is a tingling sensation at the site of the skin puncture, and hematomas are detected.
In some cases, botulinum toxin leads to unpleasant consequences that cause significant harm to the body. Side effects are divided into short-term and long-term. The first type of complications does not harm health and goes away on its own; long-term complications develop after the disintegration of Botox, causing harm to the body.
In most cases, patient reviews indicate the development of type 1 side effects. Despite the fact that they are mild, do not cause discomfort and pass quite quickly, they still require attention and fixation. When repeating the procedure, the specialist will be able to take this information into account, which will prevent the development of more serious complications.
If precautions and doctor's recommendations are neglected, Botox causes harm to the body. For example, after injections it is forbidden to remain in a horizontal position for some time, otherwise a number of complications may develop. If Botox was injected near the eyes, problems with opening the eyes later arise due to drooping eyelids. The danger of the negative effect is that it persists throughout the period of botulinum toxin removal - at least three months.
Before and After - forehead and eyebrows
Cosmetological correction 2
Injections of Botox and Dysport into the forehead area are almost the only way to avoid wrinkles in this area. In addition to self-control, of course. Many people have very rich facial expressions in this zone. Showing your emotions - outrage, surprise or joy - is normal. It’s a shame when telltale age-addling lines begin to form in places where the skin was once perfectly smooth.
In this case, wrinkles were corrected with Botox and we assessed the result after 2 weeks. It can be seen that the eyebrows remained mobile and at the same time wrinkles on the forehead stopped forming. The area between the eyebrows is also quite active, and without blocking it, correction of the forehead is impossible, so the forehead and between the eyebrows were treated with the drug in combination.
The procedure is comfortable even without local anesthesia and takes 2-3 minutes. After the procedure, active facial expressions are required for 30 minutes and a vertical body position for 4 hours. The effect lasts 3-4 months, the procedure is repeated after 6 months on average.
Cosmetologist's work:
- wrinkle correction
- comfortable procedure
- vertical 4 o'clock
- procedure 30 minutes
- Effect 3-4 months
- repeat after 6 months.
