For over twenty years, simple, quick injections that can be done during a lunch break can completely erase wrinkles. The great popularity of Botox is not surprising; as long as it is administered by a proficient medical professional, it is a perfectly stable and safe treatment that yields satisfactory results in minutes.
Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is a substance secreted by a bacteria responsible for botulism. It blocks neuromuscular transmission and can be fatal if ingested in high doses.
Long, high-cost research conducted in the 1960’s made it possible to produce botulinum toxin in laboratories and control its mode of action. Its first medical use was in the treatment of diplopia in ophthalmology in the 1970’s. Its use for wrinkle reduction originated when ophthalmologists noticed a significant reduction of crow’s feet wrinkles in their patients.
Plastic surgeons, who had been looking for wrinkle treatments for decades, started adapting the use of botulinum toxin to yield the best results possible in the treatment of wrinkles.
(Ref: LE LOUARN C. : Toxine Botulique et rides faciales : une nouvelle procédure d’injection . Botulinum toxin and facial wrinkles: a new injection procedure. Ann Chir. Plast. Esthet.1998 Oct ; 43(5):526-33 et CARRUTHERS J.D., CARRUTHERS J.A. : Treatment of glabellar frown lines with C. botulinum A exotoxin. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1992 Jan;18(1):17-21)
The treatment is based on the fact that certain wrinkles appear due to the repeated contraction of facial muscles. By reducing these contractions, botulinum toxin automatically reduces the formation of wrinkles, and can even erase them completely when used on healthy skin.
The success of a treatment relies on the muscular balance of the face, making dosing a particularly meticulous process. The quantity has to be sufficient to erase wrinkles while still allowing for the movement necessary to avoid looking rigid.
Botox is the name of the botulinum toxin that has been commercialized since 1993 by Allergan Labs; it is a commercial name used in common language. In 2002, SwissMedic authorized the use of ToxBox in the Swiss cosmetic industry under the name of Vistabel, and the Afssaps did the same in France in 2003. Since then, other laboratories have obtained the same authorization and have introduced their products to the market. There is also a market for non-regulated products, which is why it is important to be wary of products that seem especially cheap and treatments practiced outside of authorized medical offices.
The effects of botulinum toxin fade after four to six months, which is why it is recommended to plan for a long term treatment with injections scheduled two to three times a year. The injections are performed with needles so thin that you will barely feel any pain and will not need anesthesia.
After conducting a careful examination and taking a few pictures, we can begin the procedure in the treatment room. I first disinfect your skin and mark certain points. I then proceed to the injections with great precision, typically between the eyebrows and by the crow’s feet wrinkles. Each point of injection is labeled on a diagram with the number of units and the reference of the product used. A cold gel and a moisturizer are applied after the injections.
Since 1993, I use the botulinum toxin sold by Allergan, the first one to ever be authorized on the market. It has satisfied hundreds of patients that I treated over the past 25 years.
You may experience slight discomfort during the first few days after your very first treatment, but this feeling will go away with time as your skin gets used to the treatment and will not reoccur after future sessions. You will not need to take any time off from work, some patients even get their treatment done during their lunch break.
The effect of the Botox or Vistabel is immediate but the results may take one to two weeks to stabilize completely. This is why I advise to schedule a follow-up appointment during the first month after the procedure to ensure that the final results are optimal and potentially add a supplemental injection on a precise point if needed. Once the desired result is obtained, I will be able to use the exact same doses for future sessions over multiple years, and the follow-up appointment will not be necessary.
In rare cases, a very small bruise can appear the morning following the injection. This is more likely to happen in patients taking medication known to fluidify blood. I always ask patients to notify me if they are in this situation.
Results are always impressively satisfying on:
They are less obvious but still noticeable on:
Botox can also be used on younger women who wish to lift the outer part of their eyebrows: the brow lift.
Botulinum toxin intolerance is extremely rare and results in the ineffectiveness of the product.
Side effects:
It is important to note that these side effects are extremely rare, if not non-existent, and only occur when the treatment is administered by an inexperienced or incompetent medical specialist.
Botox injections are not appropriate for people who suffer from a neuromuscular condition, like myasthenia, or an auto-immune disease. They are not recommended for pregnant women or women who are breast-feeding.
Book a consultation
Questions
Leave us your question and Dr. Prevot will get back to you as soon as possible