Botox
|
What are Botox® Wrinkle Relaxing Treatments?Botox®, also known as botulinum toxin, is a non-invasive injectable treatment used to rejuvenate the face. Currently the number one cosmetic treatment used for dynamic (movement associated) lines, Botox® works by relaxing the underlying muscles that cause the skin to crease and develop lines or wrinkles.
How Do Botox® Injections Work?Injecting Botox® is a quick and simple procedure that works by weakening the facial muscles used for certain expressions, such as frowning or squinting. When Botox® is injected into a specific muscle it blocks the signal from the nerve to the muscle, which means the nerve cannot tell the muscle to move. The effects last between 3-6 months when your facial expressions will return to normal. Although it is most commonly used to treat wrinkles, Botox® can also be used to stop you sweating, to alleviate migraines and tension headaches and to correct a square jaw or ‘gummy smile’. Although the cosmetic benefits of Botox® have only been realized in the last two decades, its use in medicine dates back more than 200 years. Look at some of the Botox® before and after photos from leading cosmetic clinics from around the U.K. |
Alle Rewards
JOIN FOR FREE! Enjoy exclusive savings on select Allergan treatments and products, and get personalized content to help you Live Brilliantly. Login or Learn More |
Am I a Candidate
Botox® injections are incredibly safe and produce temporary but dramatic results. Men and women who are starting to see the signs of ageing on their face are potential candidates for Botox®. The treatment is usually carried out on people over the age of 35, however some younger people have it as a preventative measure as it can stop wrinkles forming in the first place and hold off the signs of premature ageing. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not have Botox® injections. People with certain neurological disorders or disease that affect muscle activity may also not be suitable.
During Treatment
First the area to be injected will be cleaned with an antiseptic wipe. Then, using micro needles and disposable syringes, tiny amounts of botulinum toxin will be injected into the treatment area. The whole treatment should usually take no longer than 10-15 minutes. For your first Botox® treatment, it is usually recommend to treat just one area so that you can become comfortable with the process and the practitioner can see how you respond to your first injections. Depending on the area treated, the dose used, and how you respond to botulinum toxin, repeat treatments will be required every 3-6 months to maintain and improve upon the results.
Recovery
Botox® treatments are simple, quick and safe so you can usually resume normal activities immediately after the procedure. Many people have their treatments in their lunch-time and return to work straight afterwards. However, expect to require a repeat treatment every 3-4 months to maintain results.
What Areas of My Face Should Botox® Be Used?The upper third of the face is where the best treatment results are obtained with botulinum toxin. Benefits of Botox® include the reduction in the appearance of crow’s feet around the eyes, smoother frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead and between the eyebrows.
What Areas of My Face Should Botox® Be Used?The upper third of the face is where the best treatment results are obtained with botulinum toxin. Benefits of Botox® include the reduction in the appearance of crow’s feet around the eyes, smoother frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead and between the eyebrows.
How does it feel?
Some patients report that being injected with BOTOX® Cosmetic feels like a pinch.
Your provider may use ice to numb the treatment area. If you are concerned about discomfort, your provider may apply a topical numbing cream before administering your treatment.
Your provider may use ice to numb the treatment area. If you are concerned about discomfort, your provider may apply a topical numbing cream before administering your treatment.
How much will I need?
From a simplicity stand-point, it is unfortunate that there is no “pat” answer we can give. The amount of Botox an individual will need is dependent on multiple issues, and will always vary from person to person. However, from a consumer stand-point, this is one of the things that makes Botox treatments so wonderful — every treatment is completely customized per unique patient.
Depending on how many different areas of the face a patient is interested in treating, the amount of Botox required can vary drastically. This, coupled with the following characteristics, will help determing exactly how many units of Botox you need in order to acheive the end-result you want.
Depending on how many different areas of the face a patient is interested in treating, the amount of Botox required can vary drastically. This, coupled with the following characteristics, will help determing exactly how many units of Botox you need in order to acheive the end-result you want.
Important Safety Information
BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION, INCLUDING BOXED WARNING
WARNING: DISTANT SPREAD OF TOXIN EFFECT
Postmarketing reports indicate that the effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic and all botulinum toxin products may spread from the area of injection to produce symptoms consistent with botulinum toxin effects. These may include asthenia, generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, dysarthria, urinary incontinence and breathing difficulties. These symptoms have been reported hours to weeks after injection. Swallowing and breathing difficulties can be life threatening and there have been reports of death. The risk of symptoms is probably greatest in children treated for spasticity but symptoms can also occur in adults treated for spasticity and other conditions, particularly in those patients who have an underlying condition that would predispose them to these symptoms. In unapproved uses, including spasticity in children, and in approved indications, cases of spread of effect have been reported at doses comparable to those used to treat cervical dystonia and upper limb spasticity and at lower doses.
Important Information
Indications
Glabellar Lines
BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for injection is indicated for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugator and/or procerus muscle activity in adult patients.
Lateral Canthal Lines
BOTOX® Cosmetic is indicated for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lateral canthal lines associated with orbicularis oculi activity in adult patients.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (continued)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
BOTOX® Cosmetic is contraindicated in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s) and in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any botulinum toxin preparation or to any of the components in the formulation.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Lack of Interchangeability between Botulinum Toxin Products
The potency units of BOTOX® Cosmetic are specific to the preparation and assay method utilized. They are not interchangeable with other preparations of botulinum toxin products and, therefore, units of biological activity of BOTOX® Cosmetic cannot be compared to nor converted into units of any other botulinum toxin products assessed with any other specific assay method.
Spread of Toxin Effect
Please refer to Boxed Warning for Distant Spread of Toxin Effect.
No definitive serious adverse event reports of distant spread of toxin effect associated with dermatologic use of BOTOX® Cosmetic at the labeled dose of 20 Units (for glabellar lines), 24 Units (for lateral canthal lines), 44 Units (for simultaneous treatment of lateral canthal lines and glabellar lines) have been reported.
Serious Adverse Reactions With Unapproved Use
Serious adverse reactions, including excessive weakness, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia, with some adverse reactions associated with fatal outcomes, have been reported in patients who received BOTOX® injections for unapproved uses. In these cases, the adverse reactions were not necessarily related to distant spread of toxin, but may have resulted from the administration of BOTOX® to the site of injection and/or adjacent structures. In several of the cases, patients had pre-existing dysphagia or other significant disabilities. There is insufficient information to identify factors associated with an increased risk for adverse reactions associated with the unapproved uses of BOTOX®. The safety and effectiveness of BOTOX® for unapproved uses have not been established.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Serious and/or immediate hypersensitivity reactions have been reported. These reactions include anaphylaxis, serum sickness, urticaria, soft-tissue edema, and dyspnea. If such reactions occur, further injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic should be discontinued and appropriate medical therapy immediately instituted. One fatal case of anaphylaxis has been reported in which lidocaine was used as the diluent and, consequently, the causal agent cannot be reliably determined.
Cardiovascular System
There have been reports following administration of BOTOX® of adverse events involving the cardiovascular system, including arrhythmia and myocardial infarction, some with fatal outcomes. Some of these patients had risk factors including pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Use caution when administering to patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.
Pre-existing Neuromuscular Disorders
Individuals with peripheral motor neuropathic diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or neuromuscular junction disorders (eg, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome) should be monitored when given botulinum toxin. Patients with neuromuscular disorders may be at increased risk of clinically significant effects including generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphonia, dysarthria, severe dysphagia, and respiratory compromise from onabotulinumtoxinA (see Warnings and Precautions).
Dysphagia and Breathing Difficulties
Treatment with BOTOX® and other botulinum toxin products can result in swallowing or breathing difficulties. Patients with pre-existing swallowing or breathing difficulties may be more susceptible to these complications. In most cases, this is a consequence of weakening of muscles in the area of injection that are involved in breathing or oropharyngeal muscles that control swallowing or breathing (see Boxed Warning).
Pre-existing Conditions at the Injection Site
Caution should be used when BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment is used in the presence of inflammation at the proposed injection site(s) or when excessive weakness or atrophy is present in the target muscle(s).
Human Albumin and Transmission of Viral Diseases
This product contains albumin, a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries an extremely remote risk for transmission of viral diseases. A theoretical risk for transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) also is considered extremely remote. No cases of transmission of viral diseases or CJD have ever been identified for albumin.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
The most frequently reported adverse event following injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic for glabellar lines was eyelid ptosis (3%).
The most frequently reported adverse event following injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic for lateral canthal lines was eyelid edema (1%).
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Co-administration of BOTOX® Cosmetic and aminoglycosides or other agents interfering with neuromuscular transmission (eg, curare-like compounds) should only be performed with caution as the effect of the toxin may be potentiated. Use of anticholinergic drugs after administration of BOTOX®Cosmetic may potentiate systemic anticholinergic effects.
The effect of administering different botulinum neurotoxin products at the same time or within several months of each other is unknown. Excessive neuromuscular weakness may be exacerbated by administration of another botulinum toxin prior to the resolution of the effects of a previously administered botulinum toxin.
Excessive weakness may also be exaggerated by administration of a muscle relaxant before or after administration of BOTOX® Cosmetic.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
BOTOX® Cosmetic is not recommended for use in children or pregnant women. It is not known whether BOTOX® Cosmetic is excreted in human milk. Caution should be exercised when BOTOX® Cosmetic is administered to a nursing woman.
Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.
WARNING: DISTANT SPREAD OF TOXIN EFFECT
Postmarketing reports indicate that the effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic and all botulinum toxin products may spread from the area of injection to produce symptoms consistent with botulinum toxin effects. These may include asthenia, generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, dysarthria, urinary incontinence and breathing difficulties. These symptoms have been reported hours to weeks after injection. Swallowing and breathing difficulties can be life threatening and there have been reports of death. The risk of symptoms is probably greatest in children treated for spasticity but symptoms can also occur in adults treated for spasticity and other conditions, particularly in those patients who have an underlying condition that would predispose them to these symptoms. In unapproved uses, including spasticity in children, and in approved indications, cases of spread of effect have been reported at doses comparable to those used to treat cervical dystonia and upper limb spasticity and at lower doses.
Important Information
Indications
Glabellar Lines
BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for injection is indicated for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugator and/or procerus muscle activity in adult patients.
Lateral Canthal Lines
BOTOX® Cosmetic is indicated for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lateral canthal lines associated with orbicularis oculi activity in adult patients.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (continued)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
BOTOX® Cosmetic is contraindicated in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s) and in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any botulinum toxin preparation or to any of the components in the formulation.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Lack of Interchangeability between Botulinum Toxin Products
The potency units of BOTOX® Cosmetic are specific to the preparation and assay method utilized. They are not interchangeable with other preparations of botulinum toxin products and, therefore, units of biological activity of BOTOX® Cosmetic cannot be compared to nor converted into units of any other botulinum toxin products assessed with any other specific assay method.
Spread of Toxin Effect
Please refer to Boxed Warning for Distant Spread of Toxin Effect.
No definitive serious adverse event reports of distant spread of toxin effect associated with dermatologic use of BOTOX® Cosmetic at the labeled dose of 20 Units (for glabellar lines), 24 Units (for lateral canthal lines), 44 Units (for simultaneous treatment of lateral canthal lines and glabellar lines) have been reported.
Serious Adverse Reactions With Unapproved Use
Serious adverse reactions, including excessive weakness, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia, with some adverse reactions associated with fatal outcomes, have been reported in patients who received BOTOX® injections for unapproved uses. In these cases, the adverse reactions were not necessarily related to distant spread of toxin, but may have resulted from the administration of BOTOX® to the site of injection and/or adjacent structures. In several of the cases, patients had pre-existing dysphagia or other significant disabilities. There is insufficient information to identify factors associated with an increased risk for adverse reactions associated with the unapproved uses of BOTOX®. The safety and effectiveness of BOTOX® for unapproved uses have not been established.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Serious and/or immediate hypersensitivity reactions have been reported. These reactions include anaphylaxis, serum sickness, urticaria, soft-tissue edema, and dyspnea. If such reactions occur, further injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic should be discontinued and appropriate medical therapy immediately instituted. One fatal case of anaphylaxis has been reported in which lidocaine was used as the diluent and, consequently, the causal agent cannot be reliably determined.
Cardiovascular System
There have been reports following administration of BOTOX® of adverse events involving the cardiovascular system, including arrhythmia and myocardial infarction, some with fatal outcomes. Some of these patients had risk factors including pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Use caution when administering to patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.
Pre-existing Neuromuscular Disorders
Individuals with peripheral motor neuropathic diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or neuromuscular junction disorders (eg, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome) should be monitored when given botulinum toxin. Patients with neuromuscular disorders may be at increased risk of clinically significant effects including generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphonia, dysarthria, severe dysphagia, and respiratory compromise from onabotulinumtoxinA (see Warnings and Precautions).
Dysphagia and Breathing Difficulties
Treatment with BOTOX® and other botulinum toxin products can result in swallowing or breathing difficulties. Patients with pre-existing swallowing or breathing difficulties may be more susceptible to these complications. In most cases, this is a consequence of weakening of muscles in the area of injection that are involved in breathing or oropharyngeal muscles that control swallowing or breathing (see Boxed Warning).
Pre-existing Conditions at the Injection Site
Caution should be used when BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment is used in the presence of inflammation at the proposed injection site(s) or when excessive weakness or atrophy is present in the target muscle(s).
Human Albumin and Transmission of Viral Diseases
This product contains albumin, a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries an extremely remote risk for transmission of viral diseases. A theoretical risk for transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) also is considered extremely remote. No cases of transmission of viral diseases or CJD have ever been identified for albumin.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
The most frequently reported adverse event following injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic for glabellar lines was eyelid ptosis (3%).
The most frequently reported adverse event following injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic for lateral canthal lines was eyelid edema (1%).
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Co-administration of BOTOX® Cosmetic and aminoglycosides or other agents interfering with neuromuscular transmission (eg, curare-like compounds) should only be performed with caution as the effect of the toxin may be potentiated. Use of anticholinergic drugs after administration of BOTOX®Cosmetic may potentiate systemic anticholinergic effects.
The effect of administering different botulinum neurotoxin products at the same time or within several months of each other is unknown. Excessive neuromuscular weakness may be exacerbated by administration of another botulinum toxin prior to the resolution of the effects of a previously administered botulinum toxin.
Excessive weakness may also be exaggerated by administration of a muscle relaxant before or after administration of BOTOX® Cosmetic.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
BOTOX® Cosmetic is not recommended for use in children or pregnant women. It is not known whether BOTOX® Cosmetic is excreted in human milk. Caution should be exercised when BOTOX® Cosmetic is administered to a nursing woman.
Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.
