Have you ever wondered what you would do if you could design a road map of your face as you age? Would you smooth out wrinkles here or there? Brighten up your complexion? Lift those eyebrows just a smidge? You no longer have to sit back and let genetics and life carve out your face. You and a simple tool called Botox can take charge.
Botox For Cosmetic Changes
Our skin is exposed to a lot every day. In addition to harsh winds, cold temperatures, heat, sunshine, and impurities, your skin also deals with a natural aging process.
While aging is natural and completely normal, these outside forces can accelerate the process, causing fine lines and wrinkles to form prematurely.
These lines and wrinkles can age you well beyond your actual years, which can then significantly impact your self-confidence.
At Optimum Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, we can help to restore a more youthful appearance by reducing lines and wrinkles with Botox.
What Is Botox?
Botox is actually short for botulinum toxin, which is a toxin the bacteria clostridium botulinum makes. In fact, botulism used to be a deadly form of food poisoning.
However, scientists who were studying the botulinum toxin noticed that the toxin had some interesting properties. Botulinum toxin can temporarily freeze muscles and nerves.
Scientists began using Botox for several medical conditions, including some neurological disorders and muscle disorders. Botox is injected in several spots around the problem area with tiny needles, so there is relatively little pain.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox injections are fairly straightforward. Getting injections takes only about 20 minutes of your time. We use fine-tipped needles to deliver the injections. The most you might feel is a slight pinch or minor discomfort.
There is no need for a local anesthetic. After it is injected, the Botox goes to work blocking signals from nerves to the muscles in the treatment area. By blocking these signals, the targeted muscles do not contract.
This allows the wrinkles on your skin to smooth out, reducing, and even eliminating their appearance. It can take approximately 3 to 7 days to see the full effect. You may notice some bruising at the injection sites, but this discoloration generally disappears within two days.
Is Botox Permanent?
While Botox is effective, it is not permanent. For most patients, results last 4 to 6 months. As the effects begin to wear off, the nerve signals are restored, and the muscles can contract again. When this happens, wrinkles and lines can begin to reappear. To maintain your results, periodic retreatments are needed.
However, BOTOX isn’t just used for cosmetic treatments. It’s also a viable treatment option for those suffering from TMJ or migraines.
Does Botox Help Tmj?
If you have been told you have TMJ, what you actually have is an inflammation of the temporomandibular joint or your jaw joint. TMJ can be extremely painful, as the inflammation can cause your jaw to freeze, making it difficult to open and close it.
Because TMJ is an inflammation of the muscles around your jaw joint, Botox has been proven by researchers to be very effective in the treatment of TMJ. In fact, nearly all of the participants in medical trials saw their jaw movement improve drastically and their pain level decrease for up to three months after Botox injections.
To treat TMJ, dentists inject a small amount of Botox using tiny needles into your forehead, at your temples, and your jaw muscles so that they relax. You should begin to feel the results of the Botox injections soon after they are administered. In general, Botox injections take about an hour to administer.
Can Botox Help My Migraines?
Another amazing use of Botox is for migraines. Migraines affect about 10 percent of the American population, and it is far more common in women than in men.
Whether you are a man or a woman, migraines are extremely painful and can cause debilitating side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.
While there are now quite a few treatments for people who suffer from chronic migraine – which are migraines that occur more than 15 days in a month – some migraine sufferers have found that Botox is extremely effective in combating migraines and can cut the number of days they suffer from migraines in half.
Like with TMJ, Botox for migraines is injected around the forehead, temples, face, and neck using tiny needles. Unlike TMJ treatments with Botox, it may take a few days or weeks for you to really notice whether the Botox is working or not. Migraine patients usually get Botox injections every three to four months.
How Does Botox Work To Treat Migraines?
Typically, Botox is associated with cosmetic treatment, used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. However, it can also be a very effective treatment for those suffering from chronic migraines.
To treat migraines, Botox is injected near the pain fibers that are involved with headaches. After it is injected, it enters the nerve endings and blocks the release of chemicals involved in the transmission of pain. This stops the pain from being activated in the brain.
Several shots of Botox are administered every 12 weeks. You may receive 30 to 40 shots, with an equal number being placed on each side of your head. Results are typically seen 2 to 3 weeks following your first treatment, with maximum results being seen six months following the first treatment. With Botox, you can see a significant reduction in, or even elimination of, migraine pain.
Are There Any Side Effects Of Using Botox For Migraines?
While Botox is both effective and safe, there are some side effects that may occur. One of the most common side effects of Botox is neck pain. This pain is only temporary and can often be managed with an ice pack.
While rare, some patients have an allergic reaction to Botox. Signs of an allergic reaction include hives, swelling, and shortness of breath. Other rare side effects include slight or partial facial paralysis, drooping eyelids, muscle weakness, pain at the injection site, and high blood pressure.
How Safe Is Botox?
Botox is FDA approved and is considered to be a very safe procedure. Just like any other treatment, however, there are some potential risks that are associated with it. Common risks include eyelid or muscle drooping, muscle freezing, and facial asymmetry. More serious but also rare risks include trouble swallowing, speaking, and breathing. We are highly trained and experienced in Botox injections, which greatly helps to reduce the likelihood of these risks occurring.
Learn More And Schedule Your Botox Therapy Appointment Now!
Botox is a tool used to take control of your face as you age. You do not need to be tied down to genetics or past stresses that took a toll on your face. Botox is not a radical change but a subtle more youthful appearance to your face.
Contact us today to set up a consultation for Botox injections to see if you are a good candidate. You can also call us at (856)778-8686 for your next appointment.