Botox FAQ

What is a wrinkle, and what creates it?
Wrinkles are tiny ridges or furrows on the surface of the skin. They are caused by the gradual loss of elasticity in the skin. When this happens, the amount of elastin has decreased.  As a result, the elastic properties of collagen in the skin are also decreased.
Wrinkles will develop into deep creases because of continuous use of facial expressions over an extended period of time. Frequent exposure to sunshine and smoking has been shown to contribute to the early onset of wrinkles, even in teenagers.

How is BOTOX© Therapy administered?
A few drops of BOTOX© are injected with a tiny needle into the muscle that has a wrinkle. When BOTOX© is injected, it blocks the nerve impulse from reaching the muscle. As a result, the muscle weakens and the skin overlaying the muscle relaxes. Over a short time, the wrinkle in the skin gradually softens and disappears.

Does a BOTOX© injection hurt?
When BOTOX© is injected, there is an initial sting for a few seconds. Once the injection is complete any discomfort subsides.

Where is BOTOX© injected?
The most common areas of injection include the frown lines between the brows, horizontal forehead lines, and crow’s feet near the eyes.

Does BOTOX© affect facial expressions or create numbness?
The effect of BOTOX© is only in the immediate area of the injection, and muscles not related to facial expressions are unaffected.  Occasional numbness may occur but if it does, it resolves without any treatment within a short period of time.

How long does BOTOX© Therapy last?
The effects of BOTOX© have been observed to last three to five months after treatment. A touch-up may be necessary in 1-2 weeks, if the desired effect needs to be fine-tuned. Because BOTOX© is not permanent, another treatment is required after about 4 months. After several treatments, the effects may begin to last longer, which lengthens the time in between treatment to six to eight months after treatment.