Botox The Only Treatment Available In Its Class

Botox – The Only Treatment Available In Its Class

by

Dave Stringham

Botox is the #1 cosmetic procedure performed in this country. The reason for this is simple… it is the only treatment available in its class and it works.

Botox works by blocking the release of neurotransmitter (molecules that transmit signals between nerves and muscles) at the junction between the nerve and muscle. When this process is blocked by Botox, the muscle can not contract as a result of the nerve signal. Therefore, the muscle activity is minimized.

So what does this all mean and what does this have to do with looking younger? The answers is as follows. Wrinkles around the eyes and forehead result from muscle activity.

As the muscle under the skin contracts, the skin folds into a crease. Try it.. raise your eyebrows. The lines running across your forehead are forming because you are using your forehead muscle to lift your eyebrows. When we are young, the skin bounces back as if nothing happened.

As we age, the elasticity of the skin diminishes and after years of continuous muscle activity, the lines start to remain present even after you stop contracting the muscle (ie raising your eyebrows). This is the point when a dynamic (with movement) wrinkle moves into the realm of a static (is there even when your are not animating)wrinkle or crease.

Indications:

Botox has 2 basic roles in anti-aging and cosmetic surgery.

Treatment

1) It treats the wrinkle by relaxing the muscle. This is the most common reason people use it. If you dont like the lines between the eyebrows for example, then Botox with soften them. We also use it as purely as a cosmetic treatment. We can elevate the eyebrows (brow lift); elevate the corners of mouth etc.

Prevention

2) To prevent line from forming in the first place. If you are a little more pro-active with your anti-aging program, you would use Botox to prevent wrinkle formation. Think about it if you cant move the muscle, you can form a skin crease, and you wont form a wrinkle.

To me this is the most important benefit. Aging of the upper face, forehead, glabella (region between the eyes and eyebrows) and crows feet (laugh lines around the sides of the eyes), isthe most difficult to treat once the wrinkles transition from dynamic to static. Therefore, its best to prevent the lines from forming in the first place.

Even if patients did it 2x/ year, you are effectively decreasing the factors that lead to facial aging by over 50%. Because, 50% of the year, the muscles are not leading to wrinkle formation.

In fact, a study using identical twins showed this anti-aging benefit after 13 years of treatment in one twin and no treatment in the other.

Adverse Effects – There really has not been any serious side effects seen in patients who use it for cosmetic purposes.The typical potential adverse effects have been largely related to misplacement. This results in an asymmetry, potential sagging eyebrow or eyelid. These potential side effects are significantly avoided when an experienced person is performing the injections.

Duration – Now this brings me to the issue of duration. How long does Botox last? Typically, each treatment lasts 3-4 months. Many people wish it lasted longer. However, a shorter acting process is a good thing if for some reason you didnt get a good result! If you dont like the result… you dont have to wait long before it goes away on its own.

Quality – This brings us to the issue of injection quality. The fact is Botox injections are not totally trivial. Though it seems straight forward in concept.. it requires a real understanding of what makes a face look attractive and better (an aesthetic sense) in addition to sound a understanding of the muscular anatomy. There is a lot of interplay between the different facial muscles and understanding how to manipulate the dosages in each patient is important to get a customized and natural result. So you must do your investigation.

Price either high or low is not an indicator of a good injector either. However, at the very least good training and consistent results should be sought after.

Quantity-Botox is measured by units, not ccs or by area. The active component of Botox is what you are paying for. So when you get 25 Units of Botox injected, the dilution of the Botox is not important. Each injector uses different amounts during their standard treatment.

As a general consideration, the more you put, in the more frozen the muscles are and the longer the effects last. Many, patients dont like the “frozen” look. In some practices facial surgeons inject the least amount to get the desired effect. Remember, if you charge by the Unit, you get what you pay for. If you get flooded with Botox, not only will you not know what is the least amount it takes to get the desired effect, but you end up paying more than you should. The definition of the ideal amount is slight movement.. so it looks natural, but not so much movement that it causes wrinkles. This takes art and experience to strike this balance.

There are different components that you can treat in the upper face.

The 11s (glabella) these are the vertical wrinkles between the eyes. The crows feet (laugh lines on the corners of the eyes) The Forehead. The Eye Brows- An eyebrow lift is a more advanced treatment.

On average to effectively treat the entire upper face (Components 1-4) approximately 50 units of Botox is required.

Remember, Botox is not for everyone, but for those interested in treatment of wrinkles of the upper face and prevention, it is the best treatment currently available.

As we age, our skin changes. Over time, the natural volume of youthful skin begins to diminish as wrinkles and folds form. But, with Juvederm injectable gel, you don’t have to just sit back and let it happen! Recently approved by the FDA, Juvederm injectable gel is a “next-generation” dermal filler. The smooth consistency gel helps to instantly restore your skin’s volume and smooth away facial wrinkles and folds, like your “smile lines” or “parentheses” (nasolabial folds the creases that run from the bottom of your nose to the corners of your mouth).

Juvederm is a smooth consistency gel made of hyaluronic acid a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps to add volume and hydration. Your healthcare professional eases Juvederm injectable gel under the skin to provide a smooth, natural look and feel so everyone will notice (but no one will know) In fact, studies show superior results of Juvederm compared to a collagen-based dermal filler. And, almost 90% of all study volunteers who were treated with both Juvederm injectable gel and another dermal filler preferred Juvederm. In addition, Juvederm injectable gel is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective for persons of color.

With Juvederm the injection process takes only about 15 minutes and results are immediate. Plus, there’s minimal recovery or downtime. So you can step into your doctor’s office for treatment and step right back into your life.

Treatment with Zyderm and Zyplast implants consists of an initial consultation with a physician, a skin test (given four weeks prior to treatment) and a simple in-office procedure that can be completed quickly and conveniently, even during a lunch hour. Most patients return to their normal routine immediately following the procedure.

Zyderm and Zyplast implants remain the most widely used, safe, and effective choices for smoothing lines, wrinkles, scars, and for defining the lip border.

Dermatologists, plastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons use Zyderm and Zyplast implants in their practices daily.

Although the information will not take the place of a consultation with your doctor, it should answer some of the questions you may have about treatments with Zyderm and Zyplast.

Dave Stringham is the President of LookingYourBest.com an online resource for plastic surgery. He writes about

BOTOX injections

, facelift surgery, and

facial plastic surgeons

.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com