Are you frustrated by expression lines that seem to have taken up permanent residence on your face? If so, you will be happy to know that there is a convenient, fast-acting solution. Today, our anti-aging experts at Worcester Dermatology in Worcester, MA would like to introduce you to Botox, an FDA-approved injectable muscle relaxant that has been used safely and effectively for decades.
How Soon Will Botox Start Working?
Botox starts working as soon as it is injected. Once it is under your skin, it spreads throughout the treatment area, settling in and binding to some of the motor receptors in the treatment area. However, it generally takes between 48 and 96 hours for you to start seeing the wrinkle-relaxing effects of this injectable muscle relaxant. All told, you may have to wait around seven to 10 days for your final results to become apparent.
How Many Treatment Sessions Will I Need?
You should only expect to need one treatment session to achieve your ideal results. However, in rare cases of extremely deep dynamic wrinkles, two treatment sessions may be required. In such cases, we recommend waiting a week or two to see how your results have progressed before coming in for a second session. This allows us to see what dose will be necessary to provide you with natural-looking results.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
Generally, you will be considered a good candidate for Botox injections if you are in fairly good health and concerned about the visible effects of muscle hyperactivity. People usually seek this treatment as adults to correct the signs of aging. However, minors can receive treatment with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
To verify that you are a candidate for this treatment, it is imperative that you attend an initial consultation. During this initial consultation, we will discuss your cosmetic concerns, evaluate your areas of concern, and verify that your concerns are caused by muscle hyperactivity. If they are, we will discuss your health history and current health to ensure you are currently healthy enough to receive this treatment.
Who Isn’t a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
You may not qualify for this injectable muscle relaxant treatment if you are allergic to bovine protein or have a history of keloid scarring. You also may be considered a poor candidate for this treatment if you are currently taking oral muscle relaxants. There are several preparation steps you need to take before your injection session, and not taking oral muscle relaxants is one of them.
Also, you should be advised that you will not qualify for this treatment if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. The FDA has not approved this treatment for pregnant or nursing women because the effects of this treatment on such women have not been tested. If you are trying to become pregnant, you may need to take a pregnancy test before we determine whether this treatment is appropriate for you.
What Preparation Steps Do I Need to Follow?
In addition to not taking oral muscle relaxants, it is very important that you stop taking any pharmaceutical designed to thin the blood. You should also stop taking any pharmaceuticals with a potential side effect of blood-thinning. For example, for a few days before your scheduled injection session, you should not take vitamin E supplements, fish oil supplements, MAOIs, or NSAIDs.
Also, you need to take steps to ensure that your skin is not irritated at the time of your appointment. If it is, we will need to reschedule your session. If you have regular acne outbreaks, use preventative medication to reduce your chance of an acne outbreak in the treatment area at the time of your appointment. You should also wear sunscreen to protect your treatment area from sunburn and make sure you’re hydrated and well-nourished.
What Can I Expect During the Treatment Process?
You can expect your treatment process to be incredibly convenient. The injections themselves only take a few minutes to administer, but your total appointment time will depend significantly on the size of the areas you’re targeting and the severity of your cosmetic concerns. The appropriate dose for your unique needs will be administered to five strategic points in each area of concern. Typically, we inject between two and 10 doses at each point.
Note, your entire session may take around 20 minutes because the areas of concern need to be inspected for irritation and cleaned thoroughly before the injections are administered. Also, some clients like a topical numbing cream applied to the treatment area, and it may take around 15 minutes for the anesthetic to take full effect.
Learn More Today
Botox starts working as soon as it is injected, but you may not start seeing the results for roughly two to four days. From there, it may be another three to eight days before the final results become apparent. Most of the time, a second treatment session is not required. If you think an injectable muscle relaxant treatment would improve your self-confidence, contact us now at Worcester Dermatology in Worcester, MA to book an appointment.