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| What is BOTOX Cosmetic™ ? | |||
| BOTOX® is a novel therapeutic agent derived from the bacterium, Clostridium Botulinum. BOTOX Cosmetic™ is a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent that works at motor nerve endings (nerves that lead to muscles). | |||
| How Does BOTOX® Work? | |||
BOTOX Cosmetic™
works by chemically denervating the muscles underlying the dynamic facial
wrinkles. When BOTOX Cosmetic™ is injected into a muscle, it
blocks the nerve impulse from reaching that area and the muscle relaxes.
Normally your brain sends electrical messages to your muscles so that they
can contract and move. The electrical message is transmitted to the muscle
by a substance called acetylcholine. BOTOX® works to block the release
of acetylcholine and, as a result, the muscle doesn't receive the message
to contract. As the muscle relaxes, the dynamic wrinkle overlying the muscle
is smoothed away.
  Where can BOTOX Cosmetic™
be injected?
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| How is BOTOX® Administered? Does BOTOX® Treatment Hurt? | |||
| A tiny amount BOTOX®
is injected into the muscle that creates the dynamic wrinkle. It
is applied in extremely small amounts and does not spread throughout the
body. Because the needle is so fine, and only a small amount of liquid
is used, the pain associated with the injections is minimal. Most
patients compare the sensation to a bug bite. No sedation or local
anesthetic is required.
Some patients experience
a slight temporary bruising or local swelling at the injection site.
This can be covered with make up. Some report minor and temporary discomfort
from the injection, or the injection is followed by brief pain or headache.
Some patients experience a transitory small area of numbness or a sense
of tightness in the forehead area or slight headache. These symptoms
are all temporary and resolve within hour to several days.
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| When Does BOTOX® Start to Work? | |||
| BOTOX Cosmetic™ treatment does NOT work immediately. Within the first day you may feel a sense of numbness or tightness and you will start to notice a decreased ability to frown within 3 days increasing in intensity during the first week. Within one to two weeks post-treatment you will notice an improvement in dynamic wrinkles. The extent of the improvement and duration varies from person to person. Some individuals with strongly developed muscles and deep furrows may take several treatments for maximal effect. | |||
| How Long Does the Effect Last? | |||
| The BOTOX® effect can last from 3 - 6 months or longer. You will notice a gradual fading of its effects. At this point you will return to your doctor for your next treatment. The degree of relief and duration of effect varies from person to person depending on the thickness of your muscles, the depth of the your lines, and your individual response to treatment. After several treatments, BOTOX® effect may last a year or longer. | |||
| Is BOTOX® a New Treatment? Is it Safe? | |||
| BOTOX® has been used safely and successfully in opthamology for over 10 years and for wrinkle therapy for over 6 years in thousands of patients worldwide. BOTOX Cosmetic™ is approved by the FDA for the treatment of wrinkles. The most common side effects are temporary and localized to the area of injection. | |||
| What Side Effects may be Experienced When Using BOTOX® ? | |||
| Side effects are minimal
and transient. Occasionally there is temporary bruising and minor
local swelling at the injections site. Other side effects may include
brief pain, headaches (13%), transitory eyelid swelling, a transitory small
area of numbness or feeling of tightness, mild nausea ( 3%) ,
and flu-syndrome (2%). In 1 - 2% of patients, a mild ptosis (eyelid
droop) can occur due to individual variations in a delay in tissue binding
of the toxin and local dissemination of toxin at the injection site.
If eyelid droop does occur it will be short-lived and resolve within approximately
2 -3 weeks. In general, adverse events occur within the first week
following injection of BOTOX® and while generally transient may have
a duration of several months. Localized pain, tenderness and/or bruising
may be associated with the injection. Local weakness of the injected muscle(s)
represents the expected pharmacological action of botulinum toxin. However,
weakness of adjacent muscles may also occur due to spread of toxin.
Patients with neuromuscular
disorders may be at increased risk of clinically significant systemic effects
including severe dysphagia(difficulty swallowing) and respiratory compromise
from typical doses of BOTOX®. The effects of therapy may be increased
with the use of aminoglycoside antibiotics or with other drugs that interfere
with neuromuscular transmission. There have been rare spontaneous reports
of death, sometimes associated with dysphagia, pneumonia, and/or other
significant debility, after treatment with botulin toxin. If a
patient experiences any problem in swallowing or speech or respiratory
disorder arises seek immediate medical attention!
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| Is BOTOX® Right for Me? Who is NOT a Candidate for BOTOX Cosmetic™? | |||
BOTOX
Cosmetic™ is contraindicated under the following conditions:
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| How Long Can I be treated with BOTOX® ? | |||
| Treatment with BOTOX®
can typically be repeated as long as the patient continues to respond.
BOTOX® has been used for over 10 years worldwide. Acceptable safety
in long-term treatment has been well established. WARNING: BOTOX®
TREATMENTS SHOULD BE NO MORE FREQUENT THAN EVERY THREE MONTHS!
There are a number of factors that can impact the long-term usage of BOTOX®. These include:
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