Botox® is successfully used as a temporary treatment of crow's feet, frown lines and laugh lines and is FDA approved.

What is Botox®?
Botox® is the trade name for a drug which is currently being used to successfully treat a variety of medical and cosmetic conditions. Botox® is derived from a bacteria called Clostidium Botulinum and is purified and converted into an injectable form. The most recently popular use for Botox® is for the treatment of facial wrinkles. This is a procedure where botulism toxin (Botox®) is injected very precisely into tiny facial muscles to improve the appearance of worry lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, laugh lines and other “dynamic wrinkles”. Dynamic wrinkles occur when the delicate muscles underlying the aging skin of our faces contract, such as when we smile, laugh or frown. Botox® works by weakening these specific facial muscles. After treatment, full results are usually seen within two weeks. The overlying skin remains smooth and unwrinkled while all other untreated facial muscles contract normally, allowing natural facial expression to be unaffected. Botox® is FDA approved.
In addition to wrinkle removal, there are also methods which have been developed to remedy the problem of overstimulated sweat glands, keeping underarms dry for months, as well as a variety of medical conditions such as contractures or spasmodic muscles. For more information please call our office to see if you are a candidate.

How is Botox performed?
Botox® treatment is a simple, fast and safe procedure. A very small amount of Botox® is injected with an extremely fine needle. Because the needle is so thin and only minimal amounts of liquid are used, any amount of pain associated with the injections is minimal. No sedatives or local anesthetics are required, and you can engage in your regular daily activities right after treatment.

What are the side effects?
You may have the appearance of slight temporary bruising at your injection sites, but otherwise there will be no visible signs of your treatment. As in the case with any drug, there is always the possibility of temporary side effects. The risk of any side effects depends on the muscles injected and will vary from person to person. Your doctor will discuss this with you at length before your treatment and answer any other questions you may have. Because Botox® effects are completely reversible, any side effects are temporary, lasting only a few months.

What results can I expect?
Results obtained from Botox® treatment are extremely positive. After a treatment, any facial muscles injected which cause wrinkles will be smooth, giving you a more youthful appearance.

Is it permanent?
Unfortunately, Botox® treatment is not a permanent solution to the problem of dynamic wrinkles. Positive results attained from treatments typically last four to six months, requiring two or three injections a year. Results collected from clinical trials suggest the duration of benefit increases with time, so you may require treatments less frequently in the future, but this varies from person to person.