Botox: Things To Know With This Treatment & Its Side Effects
Aging is one of those things that no one can probably control. Soon, all of us will age and will feel weak as our beauty fades away. Indeed, the only real thing that will be left from ourselves is our beauty from within. But although everyone encounters this challenge, the good thing about today’s life is within the magic of technology and science.
There is one process that many, Botox, popularly knows from many different operations, surgeries, and methods that can help you reduce the signs of aging. For sure, you may have heard this Botox treatment a lot of times. Your mom or relative would have probably undergone this procedure to stay youthful even in old age.
Well, what’s Botox with people? How is it taken or done, and what are the possible side effects that it could create if you tried this process. Find out and discover all of those details here in this post.
What is Botox?
Botox is primarily a drug that doctors have used for many years to treat facial creases and wrinkles. This drug came from the Clostridium botulinum bacteria in many environmental settings such as lakes, forests, soils, and even in the intestinal tracts of fish and mammals.
For instance, there are more brands of Botox, which you might already have heard, like Xeomin and Dysport. It’s just that Botox is only the usual word you hear in every treatment procedure.
Furthermore, the Clostridium spores and botulinum are generally harmless. Problems only occur when the spores transform and the cell population rises. At some point, the bacteria start generating Botulinum toxin, the fatal neurotoxin responsible for botulism.
Thus, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology report, Botox is safe and has few side effects. But this only happens when used in a therapeutic context and is appropriately used in a therapeutic context. The manufacturers create Botox injections with only small doses of Botulinum toxin.
That means that the drug can temporarily immobilize the muscles, which can well-fare people with several nerve or muscle disorders.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox works by targeting the nervous system as it blocks the nerves signaling methods that restore muscle contraction. So this is how Botox causes temporary muscle paralysis. For the muscle to contract, the nerves let out a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the point where the nerve endings meet the muscle cells.
How Is The Procedure Done?
If you planned to get botox, then you don’t have to wait that long. The procedure will only take a few minutes, and you won’t even need anesthesia to go through the method. You\re physician or provider will use a small needle to inject the Botox on a specific muscle, but with minor discomfort on your end.
Please take note that it will take you 7 to 14 days to experience its full effect. It would be best to avoid drinking alcohol or taking any medicines (depending on your doctor) starting at least one week before the procedure. In line with that, you must not also take any anti-inflammatory or aspirin medication two weeks before the process to help you prevent bruising.
After the procedure, ensure not to rub any injection site for 24 hours so you won’t spread the Botox to any other area. Apart from that, your doctor may also advise you to stay still for 4 hours after each shot. Lastly, it would also be best to take a few days off from exercising or extreme activities to avoid unnecessary infections.
How Long Does it Last?
Botox typically lasts from three to six months. As your muscle action continues to drawback, the wrinkles and lines start to reappear and need to be treated again. The wrinkles and lines appear lesser with time because your muscles are contracting.
The Possible Side Effects
Although most people can generally tolerate Botox injections, there are also side effects that you may encounter after the procedure. But, this depends on your body’s response and the reason for injections. In such cases that you may feel uncomfortable, here are some of the undesirable effects of the treatment:
After treatment, you may experience some urinary tract problems
Mild swelling, bruising, or pain in the area of the injection site
Cardiovascular issues like myocardial infarction or arrhythmia
Short-term weakness or muscle paralysis
Double vision after Botox treatment
Neuromuscular disorders
Corneal Ulceration
Eyelid Drop
Numbness
Headache
Diarrhea
Dry Eye
Who shouldn’t undergo Botox?
People who are sensitive to the components of the injection
If you have any infection near the injection site
If there are any other cases that you think are not usual, advising your provider or physician with this matter is necessary. Remember that most side effects only occur to some people because of genetic causes present within the system.
How Effective is Botox?
With over many clinical trials and studies, a review made in 2016 implied that Botox is a safe, simple, and effective treatment to reduce the number of wrinkles and lines in the face. However, the full effectiveness will still depend on who provides the treatment, where the treatment takes place and the number of Botox units involved.
Botox Procedure Cost
Like any other treatment procedure, you wouldn’t expect that Botox will be cheap. Note that cases like this are rated per session, so you’ll need a fixed and ready budget to continue the procedure until the end and get the results you want to achieve.
On average, it will cost you about $10 to $15 per unit in the area you want to improve. So, in a case where you need to receive 20 units in your forehead, you’ll have a total of $200 to $300 for the entire treatment.
Then again, that will still depend on who, where, and how your provider will go on with the procedure. Nonetheless, a budget of $500 might be safe to have in case you’re planning to visit a trusted and popular provider.
Summary
Botox is one way to help you treat the signs of aging, mainly with wrinkles and lines. It can also help in treating disorders that are connected with the muscular and nervous systems. If you plan on trying Botox, it would be best to consult a healthcare provider or trusted physician first about its side effects, costs, and other factors.
Nonetheless, if you’re guaranteed and confident with the procedure, you can take it as long as you have the budget. Now, if you have the time, why not go and visit the nearest clinics and get an assessment to start the treatment? Live young and feel young while you can!