BOTOX: TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION?
Posted October 24, 2017
Botox damages or permanently weakens the muscles.
Botox is FDA approved as a cosmetic treatment to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and facial lines. Botox works by temporarily blocking receptors on the muscle thereby preventing it from contracting. It does not damage or weaken the muscle or the receptors in any way. Once treatment is stopped the muscles will eventually return to their pre-treatment state.
Botox will correct all lines.
Botox can soften lines indirectly by blocking the muscle action that causes the wrinkle. The most common areas for treatment are the forehead, around the eyes, between the eyebrows, and the nose. It will not treat lines along the side of the mouth, jowling along the chin, or laxity in the neck that are strictly due to aging; nor does it address lines that develop from excessive sun damage.
Botox can treat migraines.
In some cases, Botox is used to treat migraines by injecting into either the scalp, muscles in the forehead or muscles in the back of the neck. Patients will need a neurology evaluation prior to treatment to determine if they qualify for treatment and if insurance coverage is available. Cosmetically, it will help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines for 3-4 months. This is a treatment, it is not a cure.
Preventative Botox is used to stop wrinkles before they begin.
Currently, there is a push for preventative Botox in our culture. The thought is that by using Botox early you can curb the facial expressions that would later cause the development of unwanted lines. At this time there is no scientific data to support this claim. However, there are volumes of clinical data showing the effectiveness of Botox to greatly soften and eradicate lines once they have developed.
If you have plastic surgery you will never need Botox.
Cosmetic procedures can be done to address loose skin and tissues on the face. These procedures will soften but may not entirely remove all lines and wrinkles. Botox may be used in conjunction with cosmetic procedures to optimize treatment as it is used to relax the underlying muscles. Botox may still be used by your plastic surgeon post-surgical treatment to achieve your desired result.
Botox has immediate effects.
Botox typically begins working in the first 3-7 days and can take up to 14 days for it to settle and provide final results. Patients may be evaluated at the 14-day mark to determine if desired treatment results were reached or if further injections are needed.
