What I Need to Know About Botox

Botox enzymes work by changing the way nerves work, which affects surrounding muscles. By temporarily disabling muscles, Botox can be used to treat a number of medical conditions, in addition to famously reducing wrinkles.

What is Botox?

Botox is a purified protein of the botulinum toxin. The toxin comes from bacteria, and comes in seven strains, A through G. The protein is then sterilized and diluted. It’s also approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Botox has been administered to millions of patients across the world, so it has been shown to be very safe.

How does Botox work?

Once administered to an area, the receptors at the ends of nerves are blocked. Incoming signals to communicating to the nerve is reduced, which leads to a number of effects. For one, the nerves don’t relay to muscles nearby, telling them to contract. In a relaxed state, the muscles become smooth. Any minor ridges or furrows are relaxed. The blockage is temporary. Depending on the application, the effects last from 3 to 10 months.

What can Botox treat?

• crossed eyes and eye twitching
• cervical dystonia, or spasmodic torticollis
• muscle stiffness in the elbow, wrist, and fingers
• severe sweating in the armpits
• chronic migraine
• overactive bladder
• urine leaking

What To Expect

When you use Botox to treat wrinkles, it should take effect in 1 to 2 days. You’ll see that the skin seems smoother, and there are fewer ridges. The full effect is achieved in 2 weeks, and lasts for about 4 months. Typically, Botox is used for the forehead, the outer edges of the eyes, and the brow. It can also be used around the jaw line to tighten up the skin. The early use of Botox can actually be used to prevent aging. Patients can come in after 4 months to maintain a youthful appearance.

There can be side effects with using Botox. A skilled practitioner will work to understand how the muscles lie beneath the skin. Afterwards, they need to determine the correct dosage. Finally, it’s important to be able to control spreading. If done incorrectly, the Botox can migrate to different areas of the face. One such mistake could lead to a droopy eyelid. The migration won’t affect your eyes, although it may obscure some of your field of vision. It’s also not permanent, and should subside when the Botox runs out.

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