Cosmetic Botox

Cosmetic Botox treatment provides a popular, more affordable alternative to facelift surgery. Botox injections improve appearance by blocking nerve signals to relax facial muscles and smooth out lines and wrinkles. Results last a few months, and then treatment can be repeated.

You may think a wrinkled appearance only affects older people as the skin loses elasticity. However, the problem can develop when you’re in your 30s or even younger, and without treatment, it will get worse over time.

As well as rejuvenating your appearance, cosmetic Botox can also boost your self-esteem.

The Journal of Psychiatric Research says Botox can enhance mood in cases of depression – simply by restricting the capacity for frowning. It turns out that facial muscles regulate mood as well as express it.

Is Botox Safe?

Cosmetic Botox treatment is a safe procedure because it uses small, targeted doses.

Botox is produced from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium to form purified botulinum toxin type A. Botulinum toxin is life-threatening only in larger amounts.

Botox dosages are extremely small, which prevents damage from toxins while still producing the desired cosmetic result.

Cosmetic applications of Botox maybe even safer than Botox used for medical purposes, because the dosages are typically much smaller.

This is borne out by Botox case studies that revealed:

  • Only 36 cases of complications after Botox cosmetic treatment were reported to the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 1989 to 2003.
  • An underlying medical condition may have played a large part in 30 of these cases.

Is Botox Treatment Invasive?

Cosmetic procedures fall into two different categories: invasive and non-invasive.

Invasive surgical treatments such as facelifts have declined in recent years in favor of non-invasive options like Botox – the most popular nonsurgical aesthetic procedure in the U.S.

Benefits of non-invasive procedures include:

  • Lower cost.
  • No scarring.
  • Less risk of infection.

Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for 2000 to 2016 show:

  • A six percent drop in invasive cosmetic procedures.
  • A 180 percent increase in non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.

The Cosmetic Botox Procedure

Botox was a medical treatment before it became an aesthetic procedure. It was first used to treat crossed eyes. The FDA approved Botox as a cosmetic treatment in 2002.

Cosmetic Botox applications go under brand names such as Botox Cosmetic, Xeomin, and Dysport.

Botox injections are a routine procedure with minimal preparation and little if any downtime. Treatment takes 10 to 30 minutes and requires no incisions or general anesthetic.

Local anesthetic may be applied to numb the treatment area before injections with a thin needle into specific muscles.

The full benefits of the cosmetic Botox procedure are usually visible within a week.

Most people can resume everyday activities immediately after Botox treatment. However, you should avoid applying pressure to the area, including rubbing. This could dissipate the effects of treatment by spreading the Botox to other areas.

Your new appearance can be maintained with regular Botox injections every three or four months.

Cosmetic Botox Cost

Pricing of cosmetic Botox treatment is generally from $100 to $600, depending on various considerations including the number of injections you need.

Botox injections for aesthetic purposes – as opposed to a medical treatment – are not covered by health insurance.

Does Cosmetic Botox Have Any Side Effects?

The purified botulinum toxin A used in cosmetic treatments is an effective therapeutic protein with a good safety record and no risk of botulism food poisoning.

Most side effects from cosmetic Botox injections are temporary and mild. These include:

  • Slight reddening or other discoloration of the skin.
  • Drooping eyebrow or eyelid.
  • Discomfort in the injected area.
  • Swelling or bruising.

The risk of adverse side effects increases if your injections aren’t carried out according to FDA standards or are administered by an inexperienced doctor.

Is Cosmetic Botox Right for Me?

Men and women alike from the age of 18 and in good general health can benefit from cosmetic Botox treatment to address issues such as:

  • Forehead wrinkles – horizontal creases above the eyebrows.
  • Frown lines – folds between the eyebrows.
  • Crow’s feet – lines around the eye.
  • Prominent neck cords – the two ridges of muscle that run vertically in the neck.
  • Bunny lines –fine lines either side of the nose.
  • Vertical lines around the mouth – often called lip lines, smokers’ lines, or lipstick lines.
  • Marionette lines – vertical lines from the corners of the mouth to either side of the chin or jawline.

Circumstances or conditions that indicate Botox isn’t a suitable treatment include:

  • Pregnancy.
  • Breastfeeding.
  • Facial skin infection.
  • Weak facial muscles.
  • Severely sagging skin.
  • Sun damage.

Finding a Cosmetic Botox Provider

If you’re considering cosmetic Botox treatment for the first time, there are many providers to choose from – it’s the world’s most popular aesthetic procedure.

Botox injections may be straightforward from the patient’s perspective but they call for clinical expertise. So you need to find a qualified cosmetic Botox practitioner.

A dental practice may not immediately spring to mind when you’re thinking about getting aesthetic Botox treatment. However, some dentists do offer this service.

Why Choose a Dentist for Cosmetic Botox?

Dentists are well placed to offer cosmetic Botox treatment. They’re primary healthcare providers with clinical specialism in facial anatomy.

Dental offices have been approved to carry out nonsurgical aesthetic procedures like Botox and facial fillers for more than a decade.

Advantages of finding a dentist for your cosmetic Botox treatment include:

  • Specialist skills. Dentists are medical professionals who have undertaken extensive training and gained in-depth knowledge of the anatomy of the maxillofacial area – from the forehead to the chin.
  • Botox expertise. Dentists who wish to perform Botox treatments get additional training on the procedure.
  • Less risk. In the unlikely event of a complication from a cosmetic Botox procedure, a qualified Botox dentist will be well equipped to deal with the problem.
  • Comfortable procedure. Dentists routinely inject patients’ gums, so they know how to administer stress-free Botox injections.

Contact Coeur d’Alene Dental Center if you’d like to know more about the benefits of cosmetic Botox treatment from a qualified Botox dentist.