Botox Injections for Wrinkles

For anyone who wants to look younger (which means just about everyone), Botox injections for wrinkles are increasingly common. Since it's relatively new, all the long-term effects on health can’t be verified. However, Botox is still seen to be mostly safe and extremely effective, although you do have to get re-injected on a regular basis.

Botox injections will give you smoother, younger looking skin.

What Are Botox Injections for Wrinkles?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave the last 10 years, you probably already know that Botox is a therapeutic agent derived from the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, which in certain strains is botulism, a dangerous paralytic illness. Although it does effectively paralyze, Botox should not be considered botulism. It is created in the lab under carefully controlled conditions and measured in small doses for injection, usually in the forehead and around the eyes, where facial expressions can cause lines and wrinkles - signs of premature aging.

How Botox Injections for Wrinkles Work

Botox sets up a barrier between your brain and the muscles in your face, so that the muscle does not get the message to contract. This means that movements that cause furrowing, lining, or wrinkles do not occur, or at least are far more slight. It is a kind of paralysis, although most patients prefer to think of it as freezing.

Getting Botox

Although it can be offered in spas and salons, you should really only get a Botox injection from a physician and licensed professional. Most people experience no side effects, but this is still the wiser way to go. You will receive one to three injections per muscle. Patients report that the needle does not hurt, but there can be a stinging or burning sensation, which is particularly uncomfortable if one is menstruating at the time.

The doctor may ask you to perform some muscle movement in the area to be injected just prior to injection. Other patients have been told to decrease the movements in the treatment area. This is all to spur on the freezing effect, which in any case usually begins anywhere from a few hours to three days after the injection. Some doctors also advise against bending over or lying down for about four hours after injection.

Effects of Botox Injections

The effects of the injections usually last about three months. They will taper off gradually, so that neither you nor anyone else should notice much change before you go in for your next appointment. Pleased patients report that after treatment, their lines disappear and their skin looks smoother and younger.

Risks and Concerns

Thus far, it seems that Botox can be given indefinitely with no complications or serious side effects. The few cases of illness noted have been from non-FDA approved injections, which is why it is so important to be sure you are seeing a licensed professional. Botox can cause headaches, clots, double vision, bruising and droopiness of the eye, but these are all usually temporary.

The only individuals who must absolutely not receive Botox injections are pregnant women and people on certain medications, such as some antibiotics. Your doctor should get a full list of all the medications you are taking before determining your eligibility for Botox injections. Your doctor should also know about any pre-existing medical conditions, particularly any sort of muscle weaknesses.

The only other concerns reported with Botox are social; there are some people who find they dislike having a face that is less communicative, as others may view them as unemotional. The pressure on actresses to look younger may have an effect on performances, because while Botox can indeed keep an actress looking younger, it can prevent her from doing her job.

Ultimately, the decision to try Botox is personal and financial. The good news is that if you try it and decide you look too robotic, you can be sure of looking like yourself again within a few months.

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