Botox is an amazing way to smoothen the wrinkles and limit the signs of aging on the skin, but knowing when to start Botox is very important otherwise it can lead to your skin looking different, and not in a good way.
Let’s look at all you need to know about Botox and when you can begin the treatment process!
1. What is Botox?
Botox stands for the acronym Onobotulinumtoxin, done to help prevent aging and wrinkles. It can also be carried out for certain conditions like muscular tissues and excessive sweating.
You should be aware that the term Botox was derived from bacteria that is used to create a neurotoxin. When this is mixed with that appropriate amount of saline, it can be made suitable for treatment.
The application of Botox is simply carried out by injecting the Botox into the muscles, this would help to reduce wrinkles, curb anxiety, and delay the development of other wrinkles.
To be able to get the best treatment, a reliable professional should administer the Botox treatment. You should know that Botox can also be used to treat teeth whitening, excess sweating, and very serious migraine.
2. What is Preventive Botox?
Since the start of Botox treatment, there has been a recent development in cosmetic care known as preventive Botox.
This involves the safe and effective way of applying Botox to people in their 20s to prevent the early development of wrinkles, it helps to relax the muscles responsible for the production of wrinkles over time.
This is very important because when the patient approaches 40 years, there wouldn’t be any need for a series of Botox and deepening for many years. All that would be done is just a few years of the process.
3. Reasons Why You Need Preventive Botox
There are different reasons why one would need to have preventive Botox done:
- You’re in your 20s and would love to delay the development of wrinkles at an early stage.
- Botox helps to make facial muscles more relaxed.
- You wouldn’t have to worry about lines and wrinkles as you age.
- Preventive Botox is ideal for those who have seen signs of early wrinkles on their faces.
4. How Long Will Botox Treatment Take?
If you’ve been wondering how long a Botox treatment takes, you should know that it doesn’t take more than twenty minutes. This solely depends on whenever you have the time, you can decide to go for your appointment when you have free time.
It is very important that on the day of your appointment, you do not participate in any kind of vigorous activities that can stress you. Before you are given the injection, you will be mandated to sit in an upright position for at least four to five hours.
5. Benefits of Preventive Botox
The most predominant benefit of having a preventive Botox done is that you’ll look way younger than your age, it also comes with a smooth and seamless experience.
The treatment plan of Botox is another very important advantage of preventive Botox. Although Botox can be used to correct already existing conditions, the preventive treatment would need just a few injections every year.
6. Disadvantage of Preventive Botox
For every upside, there’s also a downside, this is also the case when it comes to preventive Botox. A disadvantage of Botox is the high chance of side effects after application.
In some cases, these side effects are temporary and do not limit the regular Botox injections. Some of the side effects include:
- Swelling
- Headache
- Bruising
- Infection at the injection site
- Drooling
- Dry eyes
- Crooked eyebrows
- Chest pain or pressure
- Painful urination
- Irregular heartbeats
You can also experience extreme side effects that would require the attention of a medical practitioner. They include the following:
- Vision problem
- Loss of bladder control
- Difficulty in breathing
- Hives
- Allergic reaction
- Muscle weakness
There would be no form of severe side effects if Botox is applied by a professional, you should make sure that you go to professionals for your Botox treatment.
7. Medical Conditions Where Botox is Applicable
Here are some of the medical conditions you can treat with Botox injections:
- Crossed Eye: Crossed eye or lazy eye is caused by an unevenness of the muscle responsible for moving the eye, this can be corrected by Botox injection.
- Neck Spasms: This is a very discomforting and painful condition where the neck muscles contract in a way that cannot be controlled. This can also be referred to as cervical dystonia where the neck twists and turns in a position that is not comfortable.
- Sweating: You should be aware that Botox treatment can be done for those who suffer from excessive sweating.
- Bladder Control: Botox injections can also be used to help control the bladder and decrease urinary incontinence.
- Migraine: Do you know that Botox injections can help treat those suffering from severe migraine? Now you know. It is a very effective way to stop consistent headaches.
8. When to Start Botox
You might have been thinking about the perfect age to start Botox. It is important to note that the best time to start Botox treatment is in your early twenties or mid-twenties. The main thing to look out for is starting the treatment before your body starts to develop lasting lines.
In some people, these lasting lines appear earlier, while in others, they appear late, this depends largely on the type of skin you have.
If you perform facial expressions that would enhance the development of these lines, you should get the Botox injections earlier.
You must go to a professional who will walk you through the treatment process and discuss the desired results with you.
9. Expectations During Botox Treatment
Your expectations during Botox treatment should be your healthcare provider making use of needles to inject the right amount of Botox in the place required. In some cases, the injection would be administered on different spots. Keep in mind that:
- You’re most likely to feel a sting during the injection but it won’t last long. A professional healthcare provider would make sure to apply a numbing cream on your skin before the injection.
- In a situation where you are receiving Botox for bladder problems, you might be injected with anesthesia.
- The treatment procedure doesn’t take the whole day and you’re most likely to go home the same day after the injection.
- You should make sure that you do not rub or put any form of pressure on the treatment area for at least twelve hours.
- Any form of vigorous activity should be avoided for about twenty-four hours.
Once the Botox treatment is done, it should take at least 10 to 14 days for the final results to be visible.
10. Side Effects of Botox
Botox treatment is known to be one of the most seamless treatments where the patient recovers fast. However, there are possibilities for side effects.
You should know that in most cases, these side effects are dependent on the number of injections received and also on the expertise of your healthcare provider.
10.1. Headaches
Having headaches after your Botox treatment is a very common side effect. This usually happens when the treatment causes your muscles to contract before they’re paralyzed.
This side effect doesn’t last for too long as it goes away after a few days, you can get some medications like ibuprofen to help ease the discomfort.
10.2. Dry Skin
The spots where the injection was administered can experience dry and flaky skin.
It is known that this happens because of the ability of the Botox injections to decrease the body’s ability to produce sweat. When the body does not produce enough sweat, it can lead to dry and flaky skin.
10.3. Injection Site Reaction
Many changes are visible after the injection in Botox treatment, you can experience pain, changes in skin colour, and even bruises.
Some people experience this when the blood vessel is mistakenly punctured by the injection. Although there is no need to panic when experiencing injection site reactions, they will go away after some time. Injection site reactions can sometimes lead to bacterial infection.
This can be possible when there is a pathway for bacteria to go into the muscle through a cut on the skin. To avoid this, make sure that the area where the injection would be administered is clean, your healthcare provider should make sure of this.
10.4. Difficulty in Breathing
Botox treatment can destabilize the muscles that are in charge of breathing and swallowing in the neck, throat, and mouth. It can be extremely dangerous for people who have prior breathing problems.
However, this is not a very common side effect but can come up weeks after the treatment has been made. It is advisable to go to the emergency ward if you notice difficulty in breathing.
10.5. Forehead Side Effects
When Botox is applied on the forehead, it can lead to some kind of side effects like:
10.5.1. Blepharoptosis
This is a very common side effect also known as a droopy eyelid, it is very common in people who undergo forehead Botox treatment, and it mostly happens to just one eye. There’s no need to fear as it will go back to normal after a few weeks.
10.5.2. Mephisto Sign
This is also a forehead side effect of Botox injection where a part of the eyebrow is somewhat higher than the main eyebrow. It mostly gives off the facial expression of a surprised or skeptical person, this is not a permanent side effect as it would go away after a while.
10.6. Heart Problem
Although this is a very rare side effect. It should be noted that there is every tendency that Botox treatment can affect the rhythm of your heart and even lead to possible heart attacks.
This can occur when there is already an existing heart condition. It is important to let your doctor know about your heart condition before receiving any form of Botox treatment.
11. Spreading of Botox Toxin
Cosmetic Botox treatment can escalate way beyond the areas of treatment which can lead to serious issues. It becomes really dangerous especially when it spreads to areas that are not approved by the FDA.
The toxins in Botox can spread all over your body and cause difficulty in breathing or muscle spasms, this can occur weeks after the treatment has been made.
12. How to Manage Botox Side Effects
These side effects can be managed in the following ways:
1. You can apply ice on the areas where there are bruises on the injection site, this would help reduce the bleeding underneath the skin.
2. If you are experiencing a dry or itchy eye after Botox treatment, you can make use of an eye ointment or a lubricating eye drop. You can also use eye patches and contact lenses in case of allergies.
3. You can make use of pain relief medications when you feel pain in the injected area.
13. Cost of Botox Treatment
The cost of Botox treatment depends greatly on the type of treatment, the number of injections, and even the geographical area where the treatment is done.
The cost can be from $100 to $1000, depending on your provider. You should know that health insurance does not in a way cover the cost of Botox treatment especially in cases of cosmetic reasons.
14. In the End
If you are pondering about getting Botox treatment, the right time to start is in your early 40s. You must get your treatment from a licensed professional to avoid any form of complications.
Also, undergoing a thorough examination before the treatment is advised so that you face little to no complications later.
Last Updated on by Gourvi Gupta