Botox Cosmetic
Serving San Francisco, San Jose, & Walnut Creek, California
Millions of Botox injections are performed each year. Botox is a safe and effective treatment to ease the tension in your face. Botox has been used safely and effectively since 2002 to smooth muscle-formed wrinkles and folds.
What it is
Botox is made of a sterile form of botulinin toxin that is injected under the skin. The toxin inhibits the release of acetylcholine, which triggers the muscles of your face to contract. The toxin basically paralyzes those muscles, preventing them from pinching the skin, which causes wrinkles to form.
Even though Botox is made from a chemical extracted from botulinin, it is safe. No live bacteria are injected into the skin and there is no chance of contracting botulism. Only small, localized doses of the toxin are administered during treatments, and the risks are relatively small and are not related to catching any type of disease.
How Botox works
Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Weil inserts small amounts of Botox around areas where muscle contraction causes wrinkles to form. Depending on the location and the extent of the wrinkles, the number of injections for each treatment may vary. Crow's feet might only take from two to five injections where as a furrowed brow might take eight to ten injections. The sessions usually take from ten to fifteen minutes of your time, and you can resume normal activities right away.
After Botox treatment
Like all medical treatment, Botox does have potential side effects such as:
- Minor pain
- Mild bruising
- Slight redness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Ptosis, or a slight paralysis of upper eyelid
It is important not to rub or massage the treated area to prevent the substance to migrate to other areas. Full results are seen after a just a few days, and last up to six months. To maintain your new, worry free appearance, re-injections on a regular schedule are recommended. Botox cosmetic injections should be given no more than once every three months.
Finding a qualified cosmetic physician that specializes in Botox injections minimizes risks, and ensures proper dosing. Botox is delivered to the physician in dry form and is reconstituted with saline solution.
If you worry about worry lines and crows feet, Botox might be just the cosmetic treatment you are looking for. To find out more about Botox cosmetic, please contact San Francisco Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr. Weil to set up an initial Botox consultation.
