Commonly Asked Questions About Botox Treatments

Botox (which is short for 'botulinum toxin') has truly revolutionized the treatment of ageing skin, and it has become so popular that is now officially the most performed non-surgical cosmetic procedure. Lots of people are still unsure about certain aspects of it though, with common questions being...

1. What is botox? It is a purified protein which, when injected into a muscle, leads to a temporary muscular relaxation. Frown lines, worry lines and laughter lines are all caused by the repeated contractions of facial muscles, and relaxing these muscles with botox injections is a quick, safe and effective way to smooth and soften wrinkles.

2. What occurs during the treatment? Botox treatments are quick and simple, with each procedure taking around just 10 minutes to complete. During that time, a series of small injections of botox solution will be made directly into the areas responsible for causing the lines and wrinkles.

3. What post-treatment care is required? You are advised to stay upright and to try to exercise, by pulling various facial expressions, the areas treated for 2-4 hours following the injections.

4. How quickly are the effects noticeable? The full effect of the treatment will develop over the 2-14 days following the injections.

5. How many visits to a cosmetic surgeon are required? This varies from individual to individual, but most people tend to have 3-4 treatments over the course of the first year. The duration of effect often increases with each repeat treatment, and eventually you may only require one maintenance treatment per year.

6. Will my face 'droop' if I do not have repeat treatments? No, you will suffer no adverse effects at all if you decide to stop having botox treatments.

7. Is there a chance that botox will make my face expressionless? Unless you have far too many botox injections, which only unscrupulous, and most probably unlicensed, cosmetic surgeons would administer, the there is no chance of your face losing its ability to express whatever emotions that it normally can.

8. Are there any side effects? There may be slight discomfort as the needle enters the skin, and there is the possibility of a small bruise at the site of the injection. Other side effects are rare but include slight drooping of the eyelid, which usually resolves itself in a week or so, and headaches. No long term side-effects have been reported.

9. How safe is it? Botox is considered a very safe medication. It is now approved by medical authorities in over 70 countries worldwide. It has been used widely in the cosmetic industry for the last 15 years.