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Our smile is so much more than just our teeth. When we smile our whole face lights up, unfortunately as we get older we begin to see the effects of all those smiles as lines and creases. Muscle relaxing injections and fillers can help rejuvenate your smile and make it appear younger and brighter.
What Is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum toxin is a chemical produced by the botulinum bacteria. Vistabel® (Botox®) is a protein derivative of the toxin, which, when injected into a muscle, causes it to become weakened or inactivated. It stops the muscle from functioning by blocking the neuromuscular transmission—i.e. it stops the chemical message from the nerve to the muscle.
How Does It Work?
By using the facial muscles repeatedly through a lifetime, the skin is creased in areas of greatest use. The aging process causes the slowdown of collagen and elastin production of the skin so that, as we get older, these areas of over-use become damaged and the lines become permanent. By reducing the movement of the muscles in these areas, the skin stops being creased and is allowed to recover, causing lines to soften or even fade away. In the areas which are treated, the muscles are temporarily inactivated (always reversible), during which time the client can break the subconscious habit of over using these muscles.
Depending on each individual and the dose used, the response to treatment can vary from a relaxation of the muscles to an inability to move the muscles.
For the first couple of years frequent treatments are required to ‘re-educate’ the facial muscles. Thereafter, treatments would be less frequent until a yearly maintenance treatment is normally all that is required.
How Long Has Vistabel® (Botox®) Been Used?
As long ago as 1978, Vistabel® (Botox®) was used as a treatment for patients with eye squints, by weakening the overactive eye muscle. Since then it has been used in a variety of therapeutic areas, such as spasmodic neck, writers cramp, tics, multiple sclerosis, facial spasm, Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy, to name but a few. In more recent times the use of Vistabel® (Botox®) for cosmetic therapy has become more wide spread.
How Safe Is Vistabel® (Botox®)?
In high concentrations botulinum toxin is a potent poison. However, Vistabel® (Botox®) used in minute doses, as it is in cosmetic the rapy, has a very high margin of safety.
What Happens During Treatment?
The procedure takes about 10-15 minutes. Dr Inman will ask you to use certain muscles of the face to observe how they work. An extremely fine, short needle is used to inject the Vistabel® (Botox®) into the appropriate area. This may cause some slight but brief discomfort. The area may have some slight redness and swelling, which normally resolves in an hour or two. The treatment usually starts to take effect after 4 to 14 days, but this may vary slightly between some individuals. The effect normally last between 2 and 6 months, when you will start to notice an ability to move the muscles more freely.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Side effects of the treatment are rare. Occasionally a temporary drooping of the eyelid can occur. This may last a few weeks , but will always resolve. Special eye drops can be prescribed during this time to help lift the lid back into a normal position. In extremely rare cases patients have developed an allergy to the treatment, while others have shown resistance, i.e. it causes little or no effect on the treated muscles.
Prices (Correct as at 20 January 2008) |
