Wrinkles appear when skin loses its laxity as a result of natural ageing process. Sometimes they give us an unwanted appearance and all our efforts to look attractive and elegant go down the drain. No matter you frown or not, those wrinkles on your forehead will make you look angry. Apart from this unwanted appearance wrinkles make you appear old and weary.
Since the approval of Botulinum toxin type A (commonly known as Botox injection) in 2002 by US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild and severe wrinkles, it is frequently used for fine lines and wrinkles. In 2010, Botox treated more than 5 million patients only in US. People all around the world are benefitting from the wonders of Botox treatment. Modern researches have opened up new horizons for the use of the toxin in a variety of ways.
Why Botox for wrinkles
Botox injection for wrinkles is quite a big success. Following are some reasons of its popularity.
- It is a minimally invasive procedure.
- It is minimally painful.
- If carefully done it does not result in permanent or serious risks and complications.
What Botox can treat other than wrinkles
Although used largely for wrinkles treatment, there is variety of ways in which these injections are benefitting people.
- It is frequently used for people who have excessive sweating problem, twitching of the eyelids or muscle spasms.
- Sometimes it is used to treat chronic migraine and arthritis pain.
- Some plastic surgeons are using it to reduce pain in cerebral palsy patients.
Side effects and complications of Botox
- Pain at the injection site
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Headache
- Difficulty in swallowing and speaking
- Hard breathing
- Dry mouth
- Infection, allergic reaction, pain in neck and back are some rare complications
Minimizing the side effects of Botox
- Always have your treatment from an experienced practitioner. Generally plastic surgeons are the best people to administer Botox because they receive the best training and are most specialized.
- If you have selected a good practitioner, it means that you will most probably miss a great proportion of side effects.
- Discuss your medical history with your doctor and provide the details of your medicine because some medicines can counteract with Botox.
- Keep in mind that the treatment initiates the production of antibodies in your body that, with time, will alter the results.
What to consider before deciding for Botox
- You should not get the treatment if you have any neurologic disease
- Women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding their infants must not go for a the injection
- According to a German research it develops antibodies in patient’s body. These antibodies are believed to alter the results in long run.
Alternatives of Botox
Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion: dermabrasion uses a rotating wire brush that wears away the top layer of skin that forms wrinkles and fine lines. Microdermabrasion rubs the top layer of skin with the help of sprayed crystals and removes layer of skin. They are often used to treat acne scars. Dermabrasion is more invasive and painful than microdermabrasion.
Laser skin tightening: modern lasers specifically target the problem area and do not affect surrounding tissues. The patient feels a warm affect. However, skin takes almost 2 weeks to settle down after a laser treatment.
Chemical peels: they apply a mild acid to remove the outer layer of skin. As the healing process continues, new layer is formed that contains fewer wrinkles.
Although there are other treatments that cure wrinkles, people feel more inclined towards Botox injections because of their benefits.