Botox

Botox treatment is the most common aesthetic procedure in the world. Its popularity results from its effectiveness in restoring a youthful appearance without any downtime. This article gives you facts and details about Botox to remove the mystery and myths about this treatment.

What is Botox?

Botox is a brand name for botulinum toxin, a highly purified protein which is injected in very small doses to reduce or eliminate wrinkles. The other brand available in Singapore known as “Dysport” works in exactly the same way. For the purposes of this article, we will call botulinum toxin as “Botox” but the treatment and effects are the same with “Dysport”. The US FDA, which is the organization in the US that approves the use of medications in the US based on scientific evidence and safety profile, has approved Botox for use in certain medical conditions since the 1980s. Its effectiveness for reducing wrinkles was discovered more recently, where patients receiving Botox for lazy eye were also found to have fewer wrinkles. Since then, doctors have been using Botulinum toxin for cosmetic purposes.

How does it work?

Botox temporarily blocks the signal from a nerve to a muscle. The treated muscles are weaker, so that the wrinkle formed by muscle contraction relaxes and softens. Because of its mechanism of action, Botox works best for lines that are formed because of muscle contraction such as frown lines and horizontal forehead lines, as well as crow's feet.
Botox treatment lasts three to six months. Lines and wrinkles gradually reappear as Botox wears off. With repeated treatments, doctors have observed that Botox may last longer as the muscles become less prominent from non-use. Wrinkles resulting from gravity or sun damage, as well as pigments or laxity are not treated by Botox. Other laser or light treatments may be used alone or in combination with Botox to address these other related concerns.

What are the clinical uses of Botox?

Botox is used to treat wrinkles that form because of repeated muscle contraction. These include muscles used for frowning, smiling, concentrating or thinking. These usually present as horizontal lines on the forehead, or grooves between the eyebrows, as well as smile lines (crow's feet) around the eyes. Botox is also used to lift the eyebrows (“brow lift”), make the eyes appear rounder, and to correct lines around the lips and necks. In Singapore and the rest of Asia, a common use for Botox is to “slim” the lower face when it is injected on the muscles we use for chewing (“masseter muscle”) along the angles of the jaw.
There are other non-cosmetic uses of Botox including reduction of excessive underarm or palm sweating (hyperhydrosis”), the treatment of headaches, and the management of spastic conditions.

How is the procedure performed?

A Botox treatment takes only a few minutes. You can come in to talk to the doctor, have the treatment, then go straight back to work without downtime. The treatment will weaken only the muscles that produce wrinkles so your natural facial expressions will not be affected.
Tiny amounts of Botox are injected into specific muscles and because a very fine needle involved,it is almost “pain-free”. Some patients may ask for a little numbing cream but most people describe the treatment as like a little “ant bite”.
If you're considering a Botox treatment, tell the doctor what medications you are on since some medications (for example aspirin) may increase the risk of bruising. The injection usually takes three to 7 days to take effect and the doctor may ask you to pop in after a week to assess the results. The doctor may also ask you to use the muscles that are injected so that the Botox takes effect in the right areas. You will also be asked to avoid lying down for a few hours.