Botox®

What is Botox®?
Botox® is purified Botuline toxin type A, a product taken from nature that is used to diminish the undesirable muscle activity. In the medical world it has been used for more than 20 years, especially in ophthalmological and neurological problems, wherefore it’s also registered. Recently it has also been applied to reduce expression-lines of the face. It’s a very safe and effective treatment when correctly applied.

How do you get wrinkles and expression-lines?
Lines and wrinkles appear as a result of the contraction of the face-muscles under the skin. This is specially applied for the wrinkles in the forehead, frowns and crow’s feet.

How does Botox® work?
Botox® works by relaxing the muscles at the treated areas. This happens by reducing the contraction of the chosen muscles that afterwards get relaxed by treatment. By choosing well witch muscles are to be treated, can the wrinkle lines on the skin can be reduced.
On the contrary to filling materials which fill the skin, Botox® treats directly the cause of the wrinkles. Filler-substances only give volume to the lines, there for in a static position the wrinkles disappear, but during the expression and working of the muscles these wrinkles appear back again. Therefore Botox® reduces the appearances of wrinkles during the expression and also during the rest periods.

How does a treatment take place and how many treatments are there needed?
A little amount of solution is applied directly into the muscles witch are responsible for the prominent wrinkles. One treatment needs several fine injections. These injections are not painful. It is advised not to lie down for the next 3 hours following the treatment.

When are the results visible?
During the first week there will be a diminishing of the muscle activity in the treated areas. 2 weeks after of the treatment, the maximum effect is usually obtained, and this during several months afterwards.

How long last these results?
The muscle-relaxation that Botox® produces lasts several months. When the effect diminishes (3 to 6 months) or totally disappears (the muscles witch are responsible for the expression get their activity back), a new treatment-session can take place. Studies show that the treatment-interval after 3 sessions gradually increases.

Is there any kind of discomfort after the treatment?
At the level of the injection place, the patient can feel some kind of stinginess. This is for only several seconds. There is no need for anaesthesia whatsoever.

Are there any kinds of risks or secondary effects?
Not often. If the Botox® would influence any other muscle than the treated area (through diffusion), this influence would only be very reduced. This occurs in less than 1% of the patients, and if this happens it’s most of the times a light depression of the eyelid. There are whatsoever no known secondary effects at the eye until this moment.
Moreover the dose used for the treatment is so low that there is no risk to produce any kind of symptoms of botulism.

How much does this treatment cost?
Prices vary from person to person and it depends on the procedure, the number of zones to be treated and number of treatments that are applied.