What is botulinum toxin?
Botulinum toxin injection is a derivative of a purified protein that comes from the culture of a bacteria called "Clostridium Botulinum". Its use in aesthetic medicine is actually a coincidence. The primary medical use was to combat strabismus, facial spasms, and eyelid tics. These patients were found to have fewer wrinkles around the treated eye than on the other side. This noticed effect launched injections of this toxin (Botox) in the world of aesthetic medicine to reduce wrinkles.
Botulinum toxin acts only on dynamic wrinkles or wrinkles of muscular origin. The injection relaxes the targeted muscles of the face by acting on the junction between the nerve and the muscle. The muscles naturally relax and wrinkles fade, this is how the botulinum toxin corrects the effects of time on the skin.
The indicators of botulinum toxin on the face
Expression lines are the first to appear on the face. They arise from the movements of the face when we manifest our emotions.
In young people, the skin regains its smooth appearance after each muscle contraction. But from the thirties, the skin becomes less elastic. It then ends up growing and keeping permanent breaks (wrinkles) linked to facial expressions.
What are the main areas that are treated in the upper third of the face?
The main areas treated are in the upper third of the face:
- The horizontal wrinkles of the forehead, of worry or astonishment, stand out when we open our eyes in surprise.
- The wrinkle of the line between the two eyebrows appears when you frown to think.
- Crow's feet form at the corner of the eyes when we smile or laugh.
Other areas that can be treated:
- The gingival smile is caused by the hyperactivity of the levator muscles of the upper lip. The injection of botulinum toxin naturally corrects the smile.
- Fine vertical wrinkles on the lips: they appear by speaking and advancing the lips.
- Folds on either side of the mouth toward the chin can be alleviated when they are due to repetition. (But not sagging cheek skin).
- The folds of the nose.
- A large jaw creates a masculine look for women. If this is due to an excess of thickness of the masseter muscle, the injection of botulinum toxin can reduce its thickness and give a more oval shape and a softer and feminine appearance to the face.
Intervention in practice
The professional will observe the expressions and mobility of the skin on the face and invite the patient to make facial expressions in order to properly define the areas to be treated.
After removing make-up and disinfecting the face, the professional inject botulinum toxin into the dermis with a very fine needle in small volume in all areas where one wishes to reduce the contraction of the facial expressions. The toxin will cause a decrease in the force of contraction of these muscles with the consequence of the reduction of wrinkles after one to two weeks.
What are the benefits of botulinum toxin?
Botulinum toxin is the most effective and risk-free treatment to reduce expression lines. This treatment prevents the aging of young skin and makes mature skin more toned.
Patients are getting younger and younger to use botulinum toxin. Knowing that if we start the treatment of wrinkles as soon as they appear around the age of 25-30, we can hope for an overall rejuvenation of the face for 10 to 20 years.
If you start shots from the age of 40, you can prevent aging and regain a rejuvenated face.
In the case of a very deep wrinkle, the professional can combine the injection of botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid in a comprehensive treatment of the face. Schematically, the botulinum toxin will relax the overly contracted muscles and thus limit expression lines while the hyaluronic acid will fill the hollow.
Tips for a successful treatment
BEFORE : To reduce the risk of bruising, avoid taking any medication that promotes bleeding the week before the injection.
You can be treated on tanned skin.
You can have makeup on.
DURING: The session is almost painless and only lasts 15 to 30 minutes depending on the number of areas treated.
AFTER: At the end of the session, you will not show any visible transformation. You can resume your activities as soon as the treatment is finished.
No massaging or pressing on the muscles of the treated areas for 24 to 48 hours to avoid the diffusion of the product to other muscles not targeted.
SUITES: A few rare transient side effects may occur: headaches, redness, slight swelling, or sometimes small bruises at the bite points.
The expected results
The results are visible from the third day and are optimal two weeks after the session. The effect of the product lasts six months.
The skin becomes smooth and the wrinkles fade away. The face becomes relaxed while maintaining its natural mobility.
If necessary, a follow-up visit will generally be scheduled 2 to 3 weeks after treatment.
The effect obtained has a duration of effect of 4 to 6 months, it is enough to renew the sessions to preserve its results. A new botulinum toxin injection session may be offered around the 4th or even the 6th-month post-injection.
After several sessions, the doses specific to each patient will be noted. Botox will make the muscles, which create the wrinkle, gradually lose the habit of contracting .
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