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Botox

Botox Web2

Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, has been a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of conditions and concerns for more than 30 years. Botox (botulinum toxin) is a neurotoxin created by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum and can be used to reduce the strength of targeted muscle tissues. It was originally approved by the FDA in 1989 to treat strabismus, a condition in which he eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at something. In following years it’s use expanded to treat other conditions cause by muscle contraction. In 2002, the FDA approved Botox to treat moderate to severe wrinkling in the glabellar area of the face – the area between the eyebrows which creases when the eyebrows are brought together.

Today, Botox is commonly known as an effective treatment for a number of cosmetic concerns, including:

  • Forehead wrinkles
  • Glabellar area (frown lines aka “Mom Brow” or “Dad Brow”)
  • Crow’s feet
  • Radial lip lines (smoker’s lines, waterbottle lines) and “lip flip”
  • Bunny lines (lines on the bridge of the nose)
  • Gummy smile
  • Cobblestone chin
  • Jowls / reverse smile
  • Smile enhancement

Botox has also emerged as a popular and effective treatment for Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders, offering patients a non-surgical option to manage pain and discomfort. TMJ is a condition that affects the jaw joint and muscles responsible for chewing, often causing symptoms such as jaw pain, headaches, facial tension, and difficulty moving the jaw. Botox injections work by temporarily relaxing the muscles around the jaw and face, which can reduce the intensity of muscle spasms, alleviate pain, and improve the range of motion. This non-invasive procedure provides relief for many patients who experience chronic discomfort from TMJ, without the need for long-term medication or invasive surgery.

In addition to pain relief, Botox can help prevent the harmful side effects of teeth grinding or clenching, both of which are common in people with TMJ. By relaxing the masseter muscles, Botox can reduce the force exerted on the teeth, potentially minimizing the risk of tooth wear, fractures, and other dental complications. The procedure is quick, typically requiring only a few minutes, and results can last for several months.

 

Common Questions

How does Botox Work?

Whether the concern is lines on the face or TMJ, the issues are caused by repetitive contraction of the muscles. The case of TMJ, the muscles may be spasming or contracting and clenching during sleep. In the case of lines on the face, these are caused by the repetitive creasing and folding of the skin by underlying muscles. Over time, the muscles of facial expression become hyperdynamic as a result of habit. Botox works by binding to the nerve and blocking nerve signals that cause muscles to contract, temporarily paralyzing the muscles. When Botox is injected, it takes approximately 1 ½ -2 hours for it to bind to the nerve and 2-10 days to fully exert its effect. Retreatment typically occurs in 3-6 months and over time, the cumulative effect of regular use of Botox obtains best results and oftentimes patients will note their treatment seems to “last longer”.

Is Botox safe?

Botox has a 30/+ year history of successful therapeutic use with very few complications. However, as with any treatment, there are always possible side effects or complications for you to be aware of. Possible side effects of Botox may include bruising (we recommend you plan your treatment more than 2 weeks from any important event to be on the safe side), occasional forehead heaviness, transient headache, temporary discomfort, redness, minor swelling of injected area, watery eye. These side effects are all temporary and typically resolve quickly. Possible complications of Botox around the eye include brow ptosis (drooping of the eyebrow) or eyelid ptosis. Rare complications include lazy eye and lip ptosis.

What happens when Botox wears off?

As the effect of Botox wear off, strength gradually returns to the muscle and the symptoms that were being treated slowly return. Fortunately, the symptoms or concerns that were being treated are not any worse than they were to begin with

Does Botox cause numbness or loss of sensation?

With Botox, you do not lose sensation or experience numbness. Because Botox blocks the signals that cause certain muscles to contract, when used, targeted small groups of muscles simply stop responding and are unable to contract. Sensation in these areas remain unchanged. In some cases, there may be a slight transient “heavy” feeling but it is temporary and resolves quickly.

Is Botox safe for pregnant women or nursing mothers?

There has been little research on Botox and its effect on pregnant or nursing mothers. We prefer to play it safe and wait until after your bundle of joy arrives and you are no longer breastfeeding.

Are there individuals that should not receive Botox?

Those with hypersensitivity to Albumin 9 Human Blood Product should not be treated with Botox. Also, those with neurological disorders such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton Syndrome should not receive Botox.