What is Botox®?
Botox® is an injectable neuromodulator that works to treat certain types of lines and wrinkles known as “dynamic wrinkles.” These signs of aging are caused by the contractions of facial muscles. Botox® is also used to delay the onset of dynamic wrinkles, leading to an increase in preventative Botox® (sometimes called Baby Botox®), and people are now starting Botox® treatments in their mid-twenties and early thirties.
Botox® injections are an FDA-approved treatment for frown lines, lines on the forehead and crow’s feet. It’s also effective for other areas of the face, such as the nose, lower face, lips, and neck. Botox® softens the appearance of lines and wrinkles by blocking signals from the nerves to the muscles to disrupt the contractions.
Botox® is effective for people of all ages, from mid-twenties and older. It minimizes the appearance of existing lines, as well as weaken the muscles to prevent wrinkles from worsening as you age. Keep in mind that Botox® isn’t a miracle fix for all signs of aging. It won’t work on lines that are caused by other factors, such as sun damage.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Botox®
More and more people are relying on Botox® as their preferred anti-aging treatment for a number of reasons. However, in some cases, it might not be the ideal choice. Here are the pros and cons of Botox® to consider before opting for the injections.
Pros
- Botox® is the premier treatment for fine lines and wrinkles. It is considered more effective than almost any other option for reducing lines and wrinkles that are caused by muscle movement in the face.
- Botox® is a temporary treatment, and injections last about four to six months. You can try it out, and decide if it’s right for you. If you decide against further injections, your skin returns to the same appearance as prior to the injections, with only signs of the natural aging process.
- Botox® is safe. There are very few health risks associated with using the product.
- There is little to no downtime with Botox®. You can resume your normal activities immediately after the injections.
- You see immediate results. Some people see results right after the injections, but most people see results within a few days.
- Botox® injections require very little time. The first treatment takes 30 to 60 minutes, and follow-treatments take about 15 minutes.
- Repeated treatments offer longer-term benefits. Results last four to six months, and you’ll need follow-up injections about every four months. In addition to being an effective treatment for wrinkles, Botox® helps to reduce, sometimes even remove, lines caused by repetitive facial muscle movements.
Cons
- The costs of Botox® injections can add up. Depending on where you live, Botox® injections in a single treatment area may cost between $400 and $500, but it may be as high as $2000. Depending on the number of treatment areas and the frequency of your treatments, the costs can add up quite quickly.
- Botox® must be done by a professional. It can be tempting to try to find a lower cost option. In order to ensure that the treatment is safe and effective, choose a medical practitioner, trained aesthetician, or nurse injector for your Botox® treatments.
- Botox® may limit range of motion in your face. The treatment temporarily paralyzes facial muscles to soften wrinkles. This may prevent you from making certain facial expressions. You can reduce the risk of this effect by ensuring that the individual administering the injections is experienced and properly trained.
- The temporary nature of Botox® can be a disadvantage. You’ll need maintenance injections about every four months to maintain the anti-aging benefits.
- Although rare, side effects have been reported with Botox® injections. The most common are allergic reactions that may cause pain or discomfort.
- Botox® is not recommended for women who are trying to get pregnant, currently pregnant, or breastfeeding. There is no research as to the safety of Botox® injections in these situations.
- There is a chance of bruising at the site of the injection, and this can last for up to a week.
Botox® FAQs
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about Botox®.
Ask a question-
Is Botox® safe?
While Botox® remains one of the most popular minimally-invasive treatments, there are many people who have concerns. It is true that the active ingredient in Botox® is a toxin that temporarily paralyzes muscles. Complications from Botox® are rare, but it is possible that the Botox® can spread into other areas. This may result in drooping eyelids or an uneven smile. The results are not permanent and will wear off within 3 – 4 months.
The toxin, botulinum type A, has very little risk and few to no side effects when administered by a qualified professional. This makes choosing the right provider important. Choose someone who is qualified and has proven experience in successfully and effectively offering Botox® injections. Every provider that is listed on Anzolo Medical has been carefully checked to ensure that they meet the medical requirements as set by HI.
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What is Botox® used for?
Botox® works by temporarily paralyzing the underlying facial muscles. It is most often used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Botox® is also used for the treatment of migraines, muscular disorders, and excessive sweating. In some cases, it is also effective for certain bladder and bowel disorders, temporomandibular joint disorder, bruxism, vaginismus, and for reducing a gummy smile.
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What can I expect from my Botox® appointment?
If you have concerns about your Botox® appointment, this should help you to understand what you can expect at each stage of the process:
- The first step is a consultation with your provider. After a thorough examination and discussion about your concerns, the provider makes treatment recommendations to help you achieve your goals. This is an ideal time to ask any questions that you might have.
- The second step is the Botox® appointment. You will complete a consent form. Expect your first appointment to take about 30 minutes. Follow-up treatments may take slightly less time. Your provider explains the procedure and what to expect. Botox® is injected in the targeted muscles with a fine needle.
- Immediately after the treatment, you can expect to have a small amount of swelling and redness which will disappear after ten minutes. It is possible that you may have a slight headache afterwards, although most people experience very little in the way of pain or side effects.
- One day after Botox® treatment, you probably won’t have any symptoms, but there is a chance that you may have some minor bruising or a mild headache. You may not yet see the effects of the treatment.
- A week after your treatment, you’re likely to see the results of the injections. The skin appears smoother and plumper.
- Three months after your treatment, muscle movement starts to gradually return to normal. This is the time to schedule your follow-up appointment for additional Botox injections.
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How long will it take to see results?
The full effects of Botox® are not immediate. Botulinum type A takes some time to relax the muscles. You should start to see results around two to three days after treatment, but the full effects will take up to one week. Look for full results after about two weeks.
Keep in mind that you may still see some fine lines. The appearance of these lines will decrease as the facial muscles remain relaxed and immobile over three months. This is what makes long-term Botox® use so effective. The longer the muscles remain immobile, the fewer lines you may have.
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Do Botox® injections hurt?
The pain from Botox® is minimal. The needles are very small. After the treatment, you may have small red bumps on your face that will last for 15 to 20 minutes. There is a small risk of bruising around each injection site that may last up to one week. You can minimize the risk of bruising by avoiding anything that thins your blood, unless it’s medically necessary. This includes aspirin, ibuprofen (and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), fish oil, vitamin E supplements, and alcohol.
If you are worried about the discomfort of Botox injections, you can request a topical anesthetic cream to numb the area before the injections.
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How long does Botox® last?
Botox® lasts for 4 and 6 months. As the muscle movement gradually returns, you will notice the lines and wrinkles starting to reappear. At this point, you will need a follow-up treatment. With continued Botox injections, the lines and wrinkles are less severe. If you stop Botox® treatments, the effects will wear off completely, and muscles will go back to their normal movements.
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How much should I expect to pay?
The total cost of treatment with Botox® varies from person to person. It depends on how many units are needed to treat the area. Additional considerations are the size of the area and strength of the muscles that need to be relaxed. In [STATE], the cost ranges from $10 and $25 per unit. Frown lines between the eyebrows are often treated with Botox® injections. Most people require about 25 units of Botox® to soften these lines, but it may 10 to 30 units.
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When should you start getting Botox®?
Many patients start using Botox® around the age of 30 when lines and wrinkles start to become more noticeable. Others start Botox® injections around age 25 as a preventive treatment.
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Patient Testimonials
Read real reviews from the Anzolo community
I’m giving this place two stars because I think that their customer service on the phone is poor. . The girl that answered my phone this afternoon was not helpful and not very polite. It definitely made me look at other facilities. I would hate to take time off work for a consultation and be treated with the same mannerisms on location as I was on the phone. Peoples time is valuable and precious it’s not an entitlement to get somebody service.
Andrea K on David Yew, MD via Google Reviews
Dr Yew and his staff are awesome. I found Dr Yew via Yelp and was Amazed by all the 5 star reviews. Yelp recently changed how they display reviews and is currently only showing a small portion of the many reviews that Dr Yew actually has. If you want to see more than a hundred other 5 star reviews that Dr Yew has received, scroll down to the bottom of the Yelp page and click on "other reviews not currently recommended" in light gray. Dr Yew's patients have endless positive things to say. I've been seeing Dr Yew for over 3 years now I couldn't agree more with all of the other positive reviews.
For starters, his office is in a super convenient location next to Ala Moana shopping center with easy parking. He's even open on Saturdays which is amazing for those of us who work M-F 9 to 5. I have tried both calling and emailing to make appointments and his staff is always super attentive and get back to me right away to schedule an appointment. They've been able to fit me in on incredibly short notice the last two Saturdays I went.
Dr Yew provides initial consults for free and he is incredibly honest and thorough. I never once felt like he was trying to sell me anything or pressure me to get extra procedures. I really felt like he cared about me as an individual and I was amazed how long he spent answering all of my questions at my first appointment. Even at my second appointment he was just as thorough and ensured that all of my questions were answered. He is all about setting realistic expectations and giving you a natural look. With all of the time and attention to detail that Dr Yew provides, I was expecting that he would charge more but his prices are incredibly reasonable. He also works to make sure you can get every manufacturer rebate and discount possible.
About his injection technique - I am a pharmacist and have given thousands of flu shots over my career, so I tend to watch other health care professionals techniques closely. I like that Dr Yew draws up the Botox right in front of you so you can see what you are getting. I was also very impressed by his injection technique and learned a thing or two from him. I was expecting a painful injection experience reminiscent of a dentist appointment where I normally sit there tensing up in the chair. Instead, Dr Yew gave me meditation balls to hold and walked me through guided focused breathing exercises much like a yoga instructor. I actually finished my appointment feeling even more relaxed than when I came in. You can tell that he has given thousands of injections in his career. He is extremely efficient and knows exactly where to place the Botox to give you the most natural look. In the last two times I've gone, I've had zero bruising and the small amount of redness post-injection subsided within 20 minutes.
Dr Yew's skill and bedside manner is unparalleled and the customer service that his entire staff provides cant be beat. I would highly recommend Dr Yew to anyone.
Jee Sun Y. on David Yew, MD via Google Reviews
We all know that getting older sometimes can be challenging for some of us egocentric ladies.. Because I refuse to "go down without a fight" I have joined the ranks of the best of um by doing a little sumptin, sumptin here and there to keep my outward beauty in tackt, making sure it matches my inward beauty ;0) . I have been getting "the juice" since 2011 first starting in a high-falutin expensive world renowned Dr.'s office in Santa Barbara while visiting my son in college. I have continued my "juicing practices" ever since and making sure I test many different places here in Hawaii as well as around the West Coast. Now every fabulous lady who adheres to the same beauty standards knows that this is all about maintenance and to keep up you must go several times a year for your "treatments" otherwise you turn back into the old haggard lady with the wart on her nose, wrinkled to all high heavens, stirring the cauldron on the fire wearing mumu, dancing to the voices in our heads. So... back to my point of this post.. I have been to tons of Dr's offices since 2011 here in Hawaii and hands down I will say that Aesthetics Hawaii was genesis to hire Rita Abreu! Not only did Rita pick my sagging face back off the ground but she fixed my concerns that I thought were unfixable in one session! She taught me with minimal effort (on her part) that I could look and ultimately feel 15 years younger in a matter of minutes. No joke! I paid less than I expected, was treated in 1/2 the time of my other Dr's office visits and with 10 times more attention to detail! Aesthetics Hawaii you better give that girl a raise! Since going in to see them last year I had returned 2 more times for my maintenance and I will only go back to Aesthetics Hawaii for all of my beauty needs! I love the Aloha that all the staff exudes and I can't thank them enough for always "squeezing me in" while on a tight deadline to get to the airport (I live Maui). I call and I am fit right in. They even stayed late one night to accommodate me without my knowledge until after I left. They didn't make me feel guilty as other Dr's offices would and that says so much about the culture of the practice. Again, I can't say enough about their service and the abilities of Rita Abreu! Mahalo for helping me feel and look my best Aesthetics Hawaii! Mahalo!
#ritaabreu #aestheticshawaii #lookingfabulous #feelingfabulous
Tera Paleka on David Yew, MD via Google Reviews
Dr. Yew totally got my concerns. He thoroughly went over the ways he could help. I love the results of the Botox (elevens and forehead). I would recommend...
Amy W. on David Yew, MD via Yelp
Botox® Additional Treatments
Although Botox® is widely known for reducing fine lines and wrinkles, there are a number of other cosmetic and medical conditions that are treated with Botox®.
Migraines
Botox® is used for treating chronic migraines that are caused in part by muscle tension. If you struggle with headaches at least 15 days per month, Botox® is an FDA-approved treatment that relaxes the trigger muscles, effectively reducing the severity and duration of the headaches.
To receive treatment for your migraines, you will first need a diagnosis from a neurologist who may perform the Botox® injections. The injections can also be administered by a facial plastic surgeon or any specialist with knowledge of craniofacial anatomy.
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that causes excessive sweating. This condition can be treated by injecting Botox® into overactive sweat glands. Botox® works by disrupting the nerve signals that activate sweat glands. Its most effective in the armpit area. Treatment typically requires 20 to 25 injections for up to 50 units of Botox®.
Individual injections are quite comfortable. You may only feel a slight prick in your skin. Because 20 to 25 injections are needed, though, it is common to numb the area before the treatment. The effects of Botox® for hyperhidrosis last 3 to 6 months. Some men and women find that Botox® helps with their excessive sweating for longer.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Injecting Botox® directly into the muscles of the jaw may help relieve symptoms of TMJ, teeth grinding, and a clenched jaw (bruxism). The treatment helps to prevent damage to the teeth. Botox® is often effective in reducing headaches that are caused by clenching.
The effects of the Botox® for TMJ and other jaw disorders last 3 and 6 months. During this time, the muscles learn to relax. This may mean that follow-up treatments may not be needed, or that fewer units of Botox® are needed for subsequent treatments.