BOTOX® is a versatile product with a wide array of medical and cosmetic purposes. Derived from a purified version of the botulinum toxin, BOTOX® can provide natural-looking anti-aging results, helping people delay more invasive surgical procedures. How does BOTOX® work, and where can you have this treatment performed to refresh your look?
BOTOX® vs. Dynamic Wrinkles
Your face is exceptionally mobile due to tiny muscle contractions, which allow you to make facial expressions. When you do things like squinting against bright light and raising your eyebrows in surprise, you cause the skin on top of the muscles to fold.
A lifetime of these habitual movements etches lines into your face, which we call dynamic wrinkles. Crow’s feet, horizontal wrinkles on your nose, forehead furrows, perioral lines, and the “11 lines” that emerge between your eyebrows are examples of these. You’ll spot them if you look in the mirror while making various facial expressions. Then, to watch those dynamic wrinkles fade away, merely relax your face to its natural resting position.
BOTOX® helps minimize these hallmarks of aging by temporarily blocking the nerve signals that cause muscles to contract. For the average three to four months while your muscles minimize the effects of these facial expressions, you’ll enjoy a smoother, wrinkle-free appearance.
Is BOTOX® Safe?
You may be nervous about the idea of having a toxin injected into your muscles. However, you should rest assured the injections carry minimal risk when a trained injector like Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt performs the procedure. BOTOX® is safe because the product never enters your bloodstream, and the dosage we use for cosmetic treatments is a minuscule fraction of the amount it would take to be toxic.
The FDA first approved BOTOX® for cosmetic use in 2002, after rigorous clinical trials proved it to be safe and effective at temporarily improving the look of moderate to deep frown lines between the eyebrows.
In 2013, the FDA granted BOTOX® further approval for treating crow’s feet, and in 2017, BOTOX® earned clearance for its third cosmetic indication, forehead furrows. Today, BOTOX® is still the only cosmetic injectable to have gained FDA approval for treating all three types of wrinkles.
Besides its anti-aging properties, BOTOX® can also address many health concerns, such as migraine headaches, excessive sweating, urinary incontinence, and involuntary muscle contractions.
BOTOX® Results and Recovery
Many of our patients who come in for a BOTOX® consultation ask if they should worry about having a “frozen” face after their treatment. In reality, you’ll still be your usual expressive self following BOTOX® injections. Dr. Schmidt takes care to inject this product in precise quantities where you need it most, based on your unique facial anatomy and aesthetic goals.
After one brief, in-office treatment, you can resume your daily routine, including going back to work. BOTOX® takes effect gradually and typically lasts three to four months. If you love your newly refreshed look, you can maintain it with occasional touch-up treatments. Once you get into a routine of having BOTOX® injections a few times per year, your wrinkles will look less pronounced over time because BOTOX® trains your muscles to stay relaxed.
Schedule Your BOTOX® Consultation Today
As a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and head and neck surgeon, Dr. Schmidt prioritizes excellence in cosmetic, reconstructive, and non-surgical facial procedures. If you are ready to learn more about BOTOX® in Denver, contact us today. Dr. Schmidt and our team look forward to meeting you soon!
