Botox is one of the very revolutionary medical treatments for facial beauty in the past decade. The simplicity and ease of of its use combined with how effective it can be for wrinkle reduction has led to its widespread use by the entire spectrum of the medical and beauty industries. Many injectors of quite diverse educational and traing backgrounds now provide Botox injection treatments.
How simple a procedure is to do does not always equate with getting a good result. In most cases, it is difficult to not chose Botox as a correct treatment for undesired lines and wrinkles from hyperactive or normal facial expressions. Whether it is the glabellar furrows or crow's feet, Botox is always the first (and really only good) treatment of choice. Below the eyes, however, Botox is often not the only or even the best treatment for wrinkling problems around the mouth and neck. Most times, the mouth and neck are better off with either other minimally-invasive treatments or actual plastic surgical procedures. The problem is....if all you have in your treatment bag is Botox or a few injectable fillers....a patient's result will not only be limited and disappointing but a waste of a patient's money.
For Botox to be maximally effective, it must be mixed properly and used relatively promptly. Botox comes as a powder in a bottle that is so minute it is virtually impossible to see. It is reconstituted with saline on-site and, although the manufacturer provides recommendations as to how it is to be mixed (how much saline is put into the bottle), the treatment provider can do as they will. Because of profit margins involved, it is tempting for some to create a 'dilute' Botox mixture by adding more saline than the manufacturer recommends. This creates more Botox available to be injected and a greater number of patients can be treated....but it may not work very well and its results will mot usually last as long if it works at all. The patient obviously has no knowledge as to how the Botox they are to receive is mixed...and I have found most patients don't even know how many units they have or usually receive. They simply know the price they paid. How long after it is mixed that the Botox is used also affects its effectiveness. Botox is not like wine....age does not make it better. After it is mixed it should be used within 24 to 48 hours at the longest. While the manufacturer recommends hours to a day, a day or two after mixing does not seem to change its effectiveness. How 'old' the Botox you have received is unknown to any patient. One indication that the Botox you may receive is fairly fresh is how busy is the practice or location where you receive it. (how many patients do they treat regularly with Botox) Daily? Weekly? Monthly? The busier a practice is, the more likely they will have fresher Botox.
Botox is a remarkable medical treatment that offers unparalleled wrinkle-reduction results in the forehead and around the eyes. While it is a simple injection treatment, its results can be affected by the training and experience of the injector and how it is reconstituted and when after it is used.
Dr Barry Eppley, board-certified plastic surgeon of Indianapolis, operates a private practice at Clarian North and West Medical Centers in suburban Indianapolis. He writes a daily blogs on topics and trends in plastic surgery at www.exploreplasticsurgery.com
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