Botox
Conveniently Located to Serve the Dallas, Fort Worth, Collin, and Denton Counties.
What is Botox?
Botox® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) is an injectable medication designed to improve facial wrinkles. Botox® is a purified form of botulinum toxin and works by relaxing the muscles in the affected area. On a technical level, botulinum toxin blocks the release of a chemical neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that controls muscle contraction when a signal is sent from the nerve to the muscle. The muscles on the face are able to relax back to their at-rest position as a result. Since these muscles pull on the soft tissue and skin to create various facial expressions, relaxing the muscles results in a smoother appearance of the overlying skin.
What is Botox used to treat?
Botox® Cosmetic is commonly used for cosmetic purposes to treat wrinkles and fine lines of the forehead, glabella (between the eyebrows), lateral orbital areas (crow’s feet), and lateral nasal areas (bunny lines). In some cases, Botox® can also be used to improve wrinkling of the lower eyelids and chin areas. On the chin, Botox® can be used to improve dimpling or wrinkling of the chin causing an “orange peel” appearance. In select patients, Botox can also be used to improve a gummy smile, down-turned corners of the mouth, and vertical banding of muscles in the neck. Botox can also be injected into the sweat glands in areas like the armpits to treat excessive sweating, technically known as hyperhidrosis.
Many of the injection locations and techniques discussed here are advanced techniques that are not commonly performed by most injectors, but both Dr. Richardson and Dr. Cain are expert injectors and personally perform all of their own injections at Texas Facial Aesthetics. During your consultation, the doctors are happy to discuss all of your Botox treatment options with you in detail.
How is Botox different from filler?
Fillers are typically made of a gel-type substance that is injected underneath the skin to smooth wrinkles and folds, restore volume, or enhance the shape of facial features such as the cheeks or chin. Botox is injected as a liquid that acts on the muscles to prevent them from contracting with a level of force that causes wrinkling of the skin.
While fillers are primarily used to address moderate and harsh age lines in the mid and lower face, Botox is more commonly used to smooth away fine age lines, usually in the upper part of the face. Because Botox acts on the muscles, it can be used to address muscle-related health conditions, whereas fillers cannot.
What will my Botox consultation be like?
Before your Botox treatment session, your health will be thoroughly assessed during a consultation, and your face will be carefully examined.
You will describe your needs and aesthetic goals for the procedure, along with your complete medical history. This will include any medications you are currently taking, any current health conditions, any past procedures, and any allergies you may have.
The details of the procedure will be discussed, including aftercare, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. A treatment plan will then be prepared for your Botox session.
Will I look different after Botox? Will I still be able to make facial expressions or will I look “frozen”?
A good Botox treatment will be tailored to the patient in order to provide natural results and maintain the ability to make all facial expressions, while still relaxing the muscles enough to provide softening of the facial wrinkles. As facial aesthetic experts, Dr. Cain and Dr. Richardson use their extensive knowledge of facial anatomy to place the Botox injections into precise locations within the appropriate muscles in order to achieve the best results. In addition, the amount of Botox used in each area is carefully selected in order to give long-lasting and natural results for each individual patient.
Is Botox safe? What are the risks of Botox?
Botox is a minimally invasive treatment that has been used safely in cosmetic applications for several decades. The most common risks of Botox include the possibility of a small bruise at an injection site or a temporary headache after the treatment. If the Botox is injected or diffuses into a muscle other than the ones the doctor intended to treat, this can cause facial asymmetry, drooping eyelid, or vision changes among other possibilities. For this reason, the doctors’ injection technique is performed to prevent the diffusion of Botox outside of the injection sites, and patients are also advised to avoid lying face-down for at least 4 hours and to wait to participate in any strenuous activity until the next day. More severe potential risks such as extremity muscle weakness and difficulty breathing or swallowing are exceedingly rare and unlikely to be seen with the small doses of Botox used for cosmetic treatment of the face.
How are Botox injections performed? What happens during a Botox treatment?
At the start of the procedure, the skin is cleansed. Topical or local anesthesia is administered to the treatment areas in order to numb them, providing a comfortable and pain-free experience.
Botox is then injected with a very fine needle into the marked sites to help soften fine-lines and wrinkles. The procedure itself only takes a few minutes, and patients are able to return to work or school that same day.
Am I a good candidate for Botox?
Botox can be safely and reliably used in most patients 18 and older. Many patients who have not yet developed significant wrinkling in the facial skin receive Botox injections as a means of preventing the formation of these lines as they age. However, patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or who have certain neurologic medical conditions such as myasthenia gravis may not be appropriate candidates for Botox injections.
Ideal candidates for Botox treatment are in good overall health and do not have any active skin conditions in the targeted regions. The best candidates have realistic expectations in terms of their results.
Are Botox injections painful?
In general, Botox® injections are not very painful and are typically well-tolerated. Injections are performed with a very small needle, and the procedure usually only takes a couple of minutes.
“Awesome doctor and staff”
“Awesome Doctor and Staff. Dr. Matthew Richardson is a wonderful doctor. I have had Botox, cheek and lip fillers done for the first time. He did an amazing job and I looked completely natural after the procedures. He is very knowledgeable, kind, has a great bedside manner and truly cares about his patients. I am so glad I found him and would never go anywhere else. His entire team is so professional, friendly and caring. The office is beautiful as well.”
(REALSELF)
How long does it take to see results after Botox?
Botox® injections usually start to take effect 5-7 days after treatment, and will reach their maximum effect by around days 7-14 after injection.
What can I expect after Botox injections? Are there any restrictions after a Botox treatment?
Immediately following the treatment, some patients may notice very small “bumps” at the injection sites which typically resolve within minutes. Then, several days after the injection, patients will begin to see the effects of Botox as the muscle groups that were treated will no longer contract as strongly when activated, causing a softening of fine lines and wrinkles in these areas. In patients who had very deep lines, these may take a few weeks to reach their best appearance as the skin smooths out over time.
How long do results last after Botox?
On average, Botox results will last for 3-4 months in most patients. Over time, your body generates new nerve terminals that again allow the transmission of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and result in return of muscle function. This is why Botox® results will naturally wear off over time and must be re-injected to maintain the treatment results.
How much does a Botox treatment cost?
The cost for Botox injections will vary depending on which areas are treated, as well as how strong the muscles are in that area, which will vary between individuals. For many patients, treating a single area such as the “frown lines” in the glabella will require about 20 units on average. An average treatment for the three most-commonly treated areas of the upper face (forehead, glabella, and “crow’s feet” areas around the eyes) will require 50-60 units. The cost of Botox per unit will vary between injectors based on skill level and geographic location, but typically runs between $10-15 per unit.
*Individual Results may vary.
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How can I set up a botox Consultation?
Call or text Texas Facial Aesthetics at 469-362-6975 to set up a consultation with either Dr. Matthew Richardson or Dr. Jordan Cain. You can also email us at info@txfaces.com for more information.