Botox
Botox is the number 1 minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that is performed in the US today, with over 4 million procedures performed last year alone. Botox is purified botulinum toxin that is then used to block the signal from your nerves to the muscle that it’s placed into, which prevents that muscle from moving. This has the effect of relaxing the area and smoothing out the wrinkles to give a more youthful appearance.
Typically, Botox is used to treat wrinkles in the face and neck region but its use has expanded beyond that to also treat excessively sweaty armpits, migraine headaches, TMJ, and an ever expanding list. For the face, the areas that are most often treated are wrinkles in the forehead, between the eyes or glabella region and sides of the eyes or crow’s feet but can also used to treat wrinkles of the nose, upper lip and chin too.
Additional Information
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The effects of Botox usually take anywhere from 5-7 days to fully kick in and will do so in a more gradual manner.
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The effects of Botox generally last around 3 months so it is recommended that you follow up around that time frame to maximize your results and prevent the return of the wrinkles in the treated areas.
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Botox is injected with a very small needle through the skin and into the targeted muscles. The discomfort from the injection is very minor and well tolerated by almost all patients.
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There is always a risk of bleeding and bruising from the injections and is the most common complication that a patient might experience. There is a risk of the Botox spreading outside of the intended treatment areas causing paralysis of those muscles (an example would be having some eyebrow or eyelid sagging/ptosis). This is thankfully self-limited and will wear off with time but can be very concerning to many patients and in some situations a medication may be offered to help offset some of the effects.
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After your Botox treatment you’ll be asked to avoid any vigorous or strenuous workouts for 24 hours. When you wash your face for the first 24 hours you’ll also be instructed to wash/wipe in an upwards manner towards your hairline to help prevent unintended spread of the Botox. After those first 24 hours, you may resume all normal activities as tolerated.
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The cost of Botox is $14 per unit and the number of units you will need will vary depending on the areas treated.
Please note, we often have specials on injectables, so always be on the lookout!
Interested? Find out what’s next!
If you are interested in getting botox and you reside in or near Washington, DC, or you are planning to visit this area, call Dr. Maiorino's office to schedule an initial consultation, or CLICK HERE to schedule now!
