Botulinum Toxin
Botulinum toxin prevents the contraction of certain muscles. This is a reversible process which usually lasts for 4 to 6 months. To be effective, this toxin must be injected into the muscle. Not all muscles benefit from this treatment. It is mainly used for the treatment of wrinkles caused by a repeated muscle contraction.
Pretreatment
The patient shall provide her plastic surgeon with a list of her medications and have a medical check-up. The botulinum toxin is contraindicated with some drugs and cannot be administered to patients with certain diseases.
It is important to tell the plastic surgeon about breastfeeding or actual/planned pregnancy.
Treatment
Some injection-related discomfort is frequent, but temporary; in general, local anesthesia is not required. The treatment is very well tolerated in the vast majority of cases.
The treatment begins to show results after a couple of days, one week at most. It takes about 3 weeks to achieve full effect and lasts for about 4 to 6 months. Thereafter, it is recommended to repeat the treatment to maintain the desired effect.
Recovery Period
In the hours following the injection, the product can migrate and negatively affect other muscles; thus, the patient should not do physical activities and bend the head forward during the first three hours after the surgery. The use of cold compresses may reduce pain. It is not recommended to massage the treated areas so as to ensure the injected product does not migrate.
Treated Areas
The most commonly treated areas are the following:
- Glabella (the area between the eyes)
- Forehead
- Crow’s feet
- Bridge and side part of the nose
- Neck
- Chin
Minor Complications
- Bruising
- Edema
- Asymmetry
- Product migration and involvement of other muscles
- Infection (very rare)