BOTOX® Cosmetic Facts
Medical Name: Botulinum Toxin type A
Common Name: BOTOX® Cosmetic
Estimated Cost: €200 to €1000
Type of Anesthesia: None
Length of Procedure: 1-2 hours
Down Time: Little to none
Recovery Time:1-2 hours
Discomfort Level: Mild
Procedure Location: Office or surgical suite
What is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum toxin is a nerve poison produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. It is the cause of a serious type of food poisoning known as botulism. Whilst Botulinum toxin is an extremely potent poison, in very small doses it is very safe and useful for treating facial lines.
Botulinum toxin type A is used for the treatment of facial wrinkles and is available in two commercial forms - Dysport and Botox. These two varieties of botulinum toxin have the same clinical effects but are administered in different doses. Throughout the rest of this article the term Botox will be used to mean Botulinum toxin type A, without preference to either of these commercially available toxins.
What Causes Facial Lines?
These are the result of internal factors, such as your genes, the ageing process and muscle activity/overactivity. External factors such as sun damage, the effects of gravity and smoking are also important. Excess sun exposure can be reduced by the use of sun blocks and avoiding strong sun. Smoking can also be avoided. The patient cannot influence most of the other factors in the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles.
Which Facial Lines Are Suitable For Treatment With Botox?
Botox treatment can help the appearance of facial lines due to activity/over activity in the small muscles of the face. Botox can also improve the appearance of deep facial lines associated with facial expressions. Botox is not effective for the treatment of, so called static lines. Static lines are lines that do not disappear when the skin around the line is stretched out under tension.
Which Sites Of Facial Lines Are Most Amenable To Botox Treatment?
-
Glabella - the glabella is the area between your eyebrows and bridge of the nose. Vertical and horizontal lines in this area are common. The presence of these lines is ageing and also may be taken to imply a person is tense or frowning. Glabella lines are readily treated with Botox.
-
Forehead - horizontal forehead lines are also amenable to Botox treatment. These lines are also ageing and may convey the appearance of stress or surprise.
-
Crows feet - crows feet or laughter lines around the outside of the eye respond well to Botox treatment.
All of these lines are due to contraction of the underlying small muscles of the face. The aim of Botox treatment is not to paralyse these muscles but to weaken them so their effect on the skin is less marked.
What is Botox?
The Botox preparations available come as a sterile freeze dried powder. This powder has to be stored in a deep freeze until it is used. The doctor adds a small amount of sterile saline prior to injection.
Treatment of wrinkles with Botox is considered "off label". This means that the American Federal Drug Agency and the British Committee for Safety of Medicines has not yet licensed Botox for the treatment of facial wrinkles. Botox is licensed for the treatment of squints and eyelid spasm. However, Botox is widely used to treat facial lines and has been demonstrated, in the medical literature, to be safe.
How Does Botox Work?
Tiny amounts of Botox are injected into the small muscles of the face that are responsible for wrinkles in the overlying skin. The toxin produces temporary weakness in the muscles by interfering with the normal nerve-muscle connection.
Get a quote for cosmetic surgery
By filling in one enquiry form, you can submit your enquiry for
information about or costs of cosmetic surgery / plastic surgery Ireland
to our participating companies.
Complete the enquiry form....
