About Botox Injections
AKA neurotoxins
What are neurotoxins?
Neurotoxins are a compound made of botulism toxin (a toxin made from a certain bacteria) that was found through investigation to decrease muscle activity. Some common brands are Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, and Jeuveau.
Because they decrease muscle activity, they work great for common wrinkles that develop as we age. Throughout our life, our facial muscles are constantly moving and contracting to form our different facial expressions and show our mood. When they contract, they form wrinkles and as we age these wrinkles become more prominent. These can include forehead lines, frown lines between our eyes, crow’s feet on the outer part of our eyes, dimpling skin on the chin, and even neck bands. So, at the appropriate dose, neurotoxins can be injected to decrease the muscle activity and thus decrease the wrinkles.
Do they work on all wrinkles?
No. They work best on “wrinkles in motion” or wrinkles that form when we contract the muscle. For those who have “wrinkles at rest” or wrinkles that are present when the face is resting, botox injections may ease their appearance but not get rid of them. Fillers are needed for those.
How long is the treatment?
After agreement on a plan, neurotoxins can be injected in the office within 30 minutes or so.
Any restrictions after treatment?
You want to get the best results you can. So, no physical activity for 24 hours, no lying down for 4-6 hours, no massaging the face for 24 hours, and avoid painkillers and alcohol for a few days - as all these things can move the neurotoxin to act on other undesired muscles
How long do the effects last?
Usually, you will notice the effects in about 1-2 weeks and the total effect will last up till 3-4 months. Thus, to maintain consistent results, around 3-4 treatments are needed per year.
Are there any side effects?
Yes, as we all know, there are always risks. There can be a small chance of infection or mild bleeding at the injection site. Also, we want a certain amount of neurotoxin to act on a specific muscle but sometimes it can spread to surrounding muscles and weaken them. Dr. Kuriachan will discuss all the risks before proceeding and precautions afterwards.
Which Neurotoxin brand is better?
There is not much of a difference amongst brands. They all work the same way and last the same time.
What do you charge for Neurotoxin?
Most practices typically charge the patient per unit of neurotoxin. I don’t like this approach because it is hard to know beforehand how many units are needed. For example, if a patient agrees to only pay for 10 units, but you actually need 15 units to get the desired result, then that patient is under corrected and no one is happy with the result. Thus, we charge a fixed price depending on the area of treatment because we want the patient to have a good result. PRICE LIST TO FOLLOW. Please come in for a free consultation to see if this treatment would work for you. Treatment price will be lower if combined with other treatments. We offer payment plans through CareCredit.
