What is Botox COSMETIC?

Weve all seen the pictures in celebrity magazines of famous people with Botoxed faces- but are those pictures accurate? What does Botox really do, and what are the results really like?
What Is Botox?
Botox is a very diluted injection of the toxin associated with the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The FDA has approved the use of these injections to treat a variety of facial wrinkles and creases.
The injection works by blocking signals that triggers muscular contraction in the muscles under and around the wrinkle you are targeting. This prevents the muscles from contracting, which in turn prevents the wrinkles from deepening and eventually relaxes the wrinkles, giving them a softer appearance.
Where Can You Use Botox?
Botox can be used on a number of places on the face. The most common areas are crows feet, lines on the forehead (scowl lines, etc.), and lines around the corners of the mouth caused by frowning. You cannot use Botox to reverse wrinkles caused by something other than muscular contraction- such as wrinkles caused by gravity.
What Are The Results Really Like?
Botox is injected into the selected muscles using a very fine needle. The procedure doesnt require anesthesia, and can be performed within a few minutes. Its common for patients to get Botox treatments while on their lunch break because there is no down time afterwards.
It can take up to seven days for the injection to take effect, and it usually lasts about six months. Patients may see that the wrinkle relaxes gradually over those seven days. As the injection wears off, the wrinkles will begin to reform and the patient will need to repeat the treatment.
Well-done Botox treatments should not result in the frozen face look that some celebrities have. Also keep in mind that many people with that look have paired Botox with other procedures, so the loss of their facial expressions may not be due to the (incorrectly administered) Botox alone.
Your surgeon will help you decide the right amount of Botox to use on each wrinkle you want to relax, helping you avoid any visible side effects of the procedure. When the correct dose is administered by a trained professional, you will achieve the reduced-wrinkle look youre after without sacrificing your natural facial expressions.
For more information, check out our Botox page.
If you want to schedule a consultation or Botox appointment at our office in Northern Virginia, call us at (703) 574-2588 or click here.
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