Botulinum toxin

Botulinum toxin against expression lines

Botox Treatment

Little wrinkles around the eyes and the mouth as well as on the forehead make us look alive. But they can also make a face look tired, angry, or tense. Botulinum toxin, also known under the brand name “Botox”, has long been the remedy of choice to at least temporarily smooth expression lines. Botulinum toxin is a protein derived from bacteria that blocks the nerves’ link to muscles. Applied in the right dosage, it weakens muscle contractions so the desired effect can be achieved to treat wrinkles. At the HAUT- UND LASERZENTRUM AN DER OPER we have been your experts for botulinum toxin for over 20 years.

Botox was approved as a treatment for muscular tension and muscle cramps in Germany at the beginning of the 1980s. The substance has also been used in aesthetic medicine in small doses since 1990. Facial muscles are closely connected to the face’s skin. If the muscles are tensed, visible lines appear. Expression lines are especially concentrated around the forehead, the nasal root (anger lines) and the eyes (crow’s feet). Over the years, these lines remain visible even in a relaxed state. As already noted, the objective of a Botox treatment is to reduce muscular tension and soften existing wrinkles. Conscious and unconscious expressions are reduced, which lowers the dynamic formation of lines and gives the skin the ability to regenerate itself. Your facial expression will appear more alert, friendlier and more youthful. The injection does not affect other nervous functions.

Botox is injected into the area to be treated with an extremely fine needle. Apart from a slight prick, you will hardly feel anything. The treatment only takes a few minutes, and the effect is visible after three to seven days and lasts for around three to four months after the first session. After the treatment is administered several times, the duration of the effect increases to six to nine months. Normal activities can be resumed after treatment, but you should avoid massaging the affected area on the day of treatment and refrain from strenuous exercise or going to the sauna. Temporary bruising or redness may appear at the point of injection and in rare cases mild headaches may occur during the first 24 hours after injection. We do not recommend Botox treatment during pregnancy, if there is a tendency to bleed, or in the event of neurological paralysis.

Informations about Botox

Botulinum toxin has been approved in Germany since the beginning of the 1980s as a medicine against tension and muscle cramps. The active ingredient has also been used in small doses in aesthetic medicine since 1990. Botulinum toxin has also been used to treat wrinkles since then. The injection’s aim is to relax muscle contractions, thus temporarily smoothing out expression lines.

As the facial muscles are firmly attached to the skin, wrinkles appear when the muscles are tensed. Over the years, these wrinkles remain visible even in a relaxed state. These kinds of expression lines can be smoothed with botulinum toxin. The most frequently treated areas are forehead wrinkles, frown lines, crow’s feet, sagging corners of the mouth or even wrinkles on the neck and the cleavage.

The botulinum toxin is injected into the area being treated using a very thin needle. Only tiny dosages are used, which are individually adapted to the skin condition and desired result. Hardly anything is felt apart from a light prick. Nevertheless, local anaesthesia can further reduce the puncture effect.

The treatment only takes a few minutes. The effect sets in after about three to seven days and lasts for about four to six months.

No. There may be temporary slight bruising or minimal redness at the puncture sites. In rare cases, mild headaches may occur in the first 24 hours after the injection.

The treated area should not be massaged after the injection. It is also advisable to avoid sports and sauna on the same day.

Besides the temporary smoothing of expression lines, botulinum toxin also effectively prevents the formation of new wrinkles. The facial expression appears more awake, friendly, and youthful after the treatment. Other nerve functions are not affected by the injection. It is also possible to lift the eyebrows, tip of the nose or corner of the mouth or smooth the neck using botulinum toxin injections.

Botulinum toxin has been used, sometimes in remarkably high doses, for the treatment of pathological muscle tension for almost 30 years. As a result of these experiences, we now know that botulinum toxin does not cause any long-term side effects and that no changes to nerves or muscles remain even after the effect has subsided.

FAQ

Yes. At the HAUT- UND LASERZENTRUM AN DER OPER we also use botulinum toxin, for example, against excessive sweating. Medically known as hyperhidrosis, the phenomenon mainly occurs on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and under the armpits. But chronic migraine or teeth grinding can also be successfully treated with Botox.

We generally advise against botulinum toxin treatment during pregnancy, with a tendency to bleed or neurological paralysis.

Yes. Since botulinum toxin only has a temporary effect, the injection does in fact have to be repeated at regular intervals for permanent smoothing. Used consistently, the formation of wrinkles can be prevented.

A mask-like face results from a botulinum toxin overdose. At the HAUT- UND LASERZENTRUM AN DER OPER, we are concerned to preserve our patients’ natural facial expressions even after treatment. For this reason, we only inject extremely small amounts and prefer to re-inject if necessary.

Filler is the term used to describe dermal filling materials that create volume, e.g. in the case of deep wrinkles, and ensure smoothing as a result. Botulinum toxin, on the other hand, does not fill the wrinkles, but interrupts the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles and is therefore only suitable for expression lines.

This depends on the individual skin condition. On average, it is safe to say that the thirties are the ideal time to start with botulinum toxin. In some cases, though, it may be useful to do this earlier if, for example, lines are already visible on the skin or the facial expression is very pronounced. Good to know: if the wrinkles are deeply buried in the skin, even botulinum toxin is no longer effective. Botulinum toxin injections should rather be considered as wrinkle prevention.

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