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For many people, the decision to have Botox for the first time is taken after significant consideration. Botox and filler injectables are becoming more and more popular even though people are still often not comfortable speaking about it or admitting to having it done.
As an old hand at injectables, I thought I’d write a guide to help anyone considering making their first appointment, helping sort the fact from the fiction!
What is Botox - the basics
Botox is the brand name of botulinum toxin type A by its manufacturer, Allergan. It is a poison that causes muscle paralysis by blocking the transmission of signals from the nerves to the muscles. This stops the activity of the muscles resulting in giving a smooth surface skin.
Botox has been around for over 100 years and was approved by the FDA for the treatment of upper face wrinkles back in 2002, so it’s not the new kid on the aesthetic block! In short, it’s pretty safe, it’s been tested and it’s been in the market for a long time. As a side note, often the horror stories from Botox or fillers stem from one of two things, firstly inferior product (Botox and fillers, as in the product themselves are not cheap, if someone’s offering cut price injectables, they are offering substandard, inferior product) and secondly injectors with insufficient experience / qualifications.
Where can you treat with botox?
Upper part of the face to give a lift to the brow line
‘Number 11’ frown lines
Forehead lines
Bunny lines, either side of the nose
‘Stone’ chin - depressions on the chin
Vertical lines around the mouth
Downturned mouth
On the neck, reducing prominent platysma bands
Underarms to combat excessive sweating
How long does Botox last for:
This depends on your metabolism, mine lasts around four to five months, ,my friend who is a gym bunny needs hers topping up every three months
What is the treatment like?
The face is thoroughly cleansed first and an alcohol wipe is used to disinfect the skin to minimise the risk of infection at the injection site. You may then be marked up with white pencil to aid the practitioner. You will then be asked to make a series of facial expressions: frowning, smiling, look surprised etc whilst the practitioner injects. For me, Botox injections don’t hurt at all, they scratch a little around my eyes but aren’t painful (fillers on the other hand.. Offfff, but that’s another post). I’m usually done within ten minutes - it’s very fast!
The result are not instantaneous, the Botox takes time to adhere to the muscle (you may be given a series of facial exercise to help this). My Botox usually takes about 5 days to kick in, it starts by feeling a little tight across my forehead, my eyes feel more open and then BANG, i wake up one morning and look like I’ve had about 3 days sleep!
Who should I go to for my botox?
A doctor or an aesthetic nurse, you want to be safe, research the practitioner, make sure they are trained, experienced and professional, see some of their previous work. I’m going to be controversial here but I would rather go and see an aesthetic nurse with a decade of experience under her belt than go see a Doctor who has recently been on a weekend training course - and this does happen by the way, doctors see the lucrative potential of injectables, do a training course and start doing them. There are many, many awesome injectable doctors and there are many, many awesome nurse injectors.
(I go to Victoria at EF MEDISPA Kensington, she has a fabulous touch, understands my face and I always look like myself but more rested in her very capable hands, she does my fillers too)
The Risks:
Botox in generally safe, however allergic reactions can occur and if administered by inexperienced people, excessive freezing and drooping can occur. You can also get some bruising or swelling around the injection site. As your are breaking the skin there is also a risk of infection but this can be minimised with adequate preparation.