Everyone has heard of it, so are you ready to try it? It’s Botox, the most common cosmetic injectable in the world, and Mariposa MedSpa is here to help determine if it’s time for you to try it.
Botox cosmetic injectable is a simple and effective way to treat and sometimes eliminate the fine line and wrinkles that are common signs of aging. It is arguably the most well-known product of its kind and has been in wide use for cosmetic concerns since 2002. Botox treatments are in a class known as intramuscular injections, which means that the ingredients are injected directly into the muscles of certain areas of the face in order to treat the specific problems there. The most common areas of injection include the forehead or between the brows.
But what is Botox?
Botox is named for its active ingredient — the botulinum toxin, which is derived from a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. This particular toxin is also called botulinum Type A, and it is not a new invention. In fact, botulinum type A has been used in medicinal and cosmetic procedures since the 1920s. In 1997, it began being marketed commercially, and the United States Food and Drug Administration approved it as a cosmetic agent in 2002. By 2007, just five years following FDA approval, Botox was the most common cosmetic procedure in the world, with more than 4.6 million procedures done in the United States alone.
So how does it work?
As stated above, Botox injections go into the actual muscles of your face. This is different from products known as dermal fillers, which work to add volume and fullness beneath the skin rather than affecting the muscles. When Botox is injected, the muscles there are relaxed. Relaxed muscles are unable to contract. Since it is the contractions that cause lines and wrinkles, that is how Botox works to make those fine lines and creases seem to disappear.
Most of the time, Botox is used to treat “active wrinkles” — lines and creases that have formed recently and aren’t extremely advanced or deep. But recently, doctors and scientists have discovered evidence of a new way to use Botox — as a preventative measure to help keep active lines and wrinkles from forming in the first place. That means that people younger than the average age for Botox are now able to benefit from this safe and effective in-office treatment.
The most common uses for Botox include treating frown lines, forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet around the eyes, and creases in the neck. Results from Botox injections are excellent and generally last an average of three to six months. Repeated treatments can make results last even longer. And for most people, repeated treatment are necessary to maintain results. Botox is not a permanent solution, and after some time, your facial muscles will regain the ability to contract, which means those lines and wrinkles will return or appear.
To learn more about Botox as a treatment and a preventative, call our office today.
