Botulinum toxin 101

The most common dermatological treatment and my favourite treatments to perform is Botulinum toxin injections. Just a couple of jabs and wrinkles are erased, shaving years off your face. It is very gratifying to see my patients look younger and more refreshed without their wrinkles. I have wrinkles around my eyes that show up whenever I smile and I personally inject the area around my eyes with Botulinum toxin because let’s face it… Those wrinkles make me look old and tired.

Even though there is so much information on Botulinum toxin available these days, I’ve compiled a FAQ on Botulinum toxin to make understanding the topic of Botulinum toxin easier.

What is Botulinum toxin? How does it work?

Botulinum toxin is a brand of Botulinum toxin, along with Dysport and Xeomin. Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin derived from the bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum. This toxin acts on nerves to disrupt the signalling process between nerves and muscles by preventing the nerve endings from secreting a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine acts on the muscles to cause muscle contraction, so when this process is disrupted, the muscle does not contract and remains relaxed.

Besides being used to treat wrinkles and shrinking large jaw muscles, Botulinum toxin is also used to treat excess sweating (hyperhidrosis), migraines, spasm of the eyelids (blepharospasm) and urinary incontinence.

Is Botulinum toxin safe?

Botulinum toxin has been used to treat various medical conditions since 1977. In 2002, Botulinum toxin received FDA approval for cosmetic and aesthetic purposes. In 2015, FDA approved the use of Botulinum toxin to treat chronic migraines.

As with all medications, an overdose of Botulinum toxin can cause unwanted effects like facial asymmetry and lid ptosis. Botulinum toxin for aesthetic purposes like the treatment of wrinkles typically requires very small doses which almost never cause any systemic side effects.

Is it reversible?

Yes, it is. Botulinum toxin lasts 4-6 months before the effects wear off.

Will I look “frozen” or expressionless?

Botulinum toxin relaxes the muscles when you smile or frown. When given in appropriate amounts, the results are very natural i.e. facial expression is preserved without the wrinkles. The skill and experience of the injector are very important when it comes to determining the dosage and exactly which part of the muscle to inject to avoid complete paralysis of the muscles. When too much Botulinum toxin is given, all the muscles are paralysed and the “frozen” look results. So, choose your doctor wisely!

Will I get addicted to Botulinum toxin?

Will you get psychologically addicted to Botulinum toxin? That rarely happens in my practice because aesthetic and anti-aging treatments for my patients are very targeted, Botulinum toxin is used only in specific instances i.e. wrinkles, lifting and to shrink pores and tighten skin.

Will I be dependent on Botulinum toxin?

No, you will not. When the effects of Botulinum toxin wear off in 4-6 months, the wrinkles will return. However, the wrinkles will not be more severe than before you started Botulinum toxin. You will just return to square one. You can choose not to continue Botulinum toxin injections and nothing untoward will happen to your skin.

Which areas can be addressed with Botulinum toxin?

Some of the common areas addressed with Botulinum toxin:

· Wrinkles- forehead, glabella, crows feet
· Jaw muscles (masseter muscle)- for jaw slimming and bruxism
· Pores and reduce oiliness of the skin- Mesobotox
· Skin to define jawline- Dermalift
· Calf muscles
· Armpit and palms for excess sweating (hyperhidrosis)

Am I too young for Botulinum toxin?

If you have wrinkles, Botulinum toxin can be used for you. That typically occurs in people above 40 years of age however, I have patients in their early 20’s who seek Botulinum toxin injections to remove their wrinkles from chronic use. Botulinum toxin jaw slimming is also another commonly requested treatment in females in their 20’s due to the popularity of the V-shaped face.

How is Botulinum toxin administered?

· Botulinum toxin is injected directly into the muscle
· It takes 48-72 to see the results for wrinkles and 4-6 weeks for larger muscles like the masseter.

I hope you found this post useful! In summary, Botulinum toxin is a very useful drug to treat wrinkles, excessive sweating, migraines and shrink pores and in experienced hands, results are ideal.