November 19, 2008
Practical Botox Summary
Cosmetic procedures have become immensely popular throughout the US. The most sought is Botox - even more so than the traditional favorite, face lift - with California being the state with the highest number of Botox injections per capita.
The drug was first introduced in the late '80s and was originally used to treat eye or optical muscle disorders. Today, it's in play to eliminate or prevent facial wrinkles, particularly those caused by repeated expressions.
What Botox Actually Does
Every time you make a facial expression or move your facial muscles, those muscles release a chemical known as acetylcholine. Essentially, Botox is injected into the facial muscle and inhibits the release of acetylcholine, therefore paralyzing the muscle and stopping the contraction.
Effectiveness of Botox
On average, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles are reduced by about 80 percent in patients using Botox. The average person will typically see results within a week, and they will last up to about 3 to 5 months.
Step-By-Step Guide to Getting Botox Injections
For Botox, patients typically receive their injections right inside the privacy of their doctor's office. There is no anesthesia involved, though some practitioners may administer a dab of numbing cream designed to minimize the discomfort associated with each injection.
Your Botox treatment will start once your doctor begins to locate each injection point and marking them with a pen. After this, the physician will disinfect the treatment area and obtain the needed amount of the Botox drug to administer the treatment.
Following your doctor's preparation, he or she will then inject the Botox, or Botulinum Toxin Type A, into your skin. At this point, the toxins attach themselves to your muscles' nerve endings, eventually stopping the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles.
Length of Treatment
How long your treatment will take depends on the size of an area is being treated with Botox. Patients' treatments last an average of 10 to 15 minutes.
After Care for Botox Injections
Recovery is fairly simple after Botox - patients typically resume normal activities immediately after treatment. However, these individuals should stay out of the sun, so pack a sun hat or sunglasses with you to wear after your treatment is completed.
Cost of Botox
How much your Botox treatment will cost you depends on your doctor, the treatment area and the number of treatments that you purchase. For Botox, patients typically pay between $150 and $400 for each treatment session, with Californian coughing up a higher payment than most. These sessions are then repeated every 3 to 6 months at the patient's discretion. It is very unlikely that your health coverage will recompense you for this treatment.
How to Find a Botox Physician
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons - on the web at plasticsurgery.org - and the American Academy of Dermatology (aad.org) are two organizations that can assist your search for certified doctors in your area who offer Botox injections.