When you look in the mirror, are you preoccupied with lines and wrinkles that become deeper when you smile, frown, or laugh? These dynamic wrinkles are caused by repeated muscle movement and often become more noticeable over time, making many patients feel unhappy in their own skin. At Columbus Facial Plastics at The Sullivan Centre in Colombus, OH, we offer Botox treatments for patients who wish to smooth away dynamic wrinkles.
On average, patients experience results lasting between 3-6 months. In some cases, it’s possible to prolong these results by following our instructions after treatment. Generally, patients who avoid harmful sun exposure after treatment experience longer-lasting results. You should always wear sunscreen and avoid excessive sun exposure whenever possible as the UV and UVB rays can damage your skin and cause your results to deteriorate more quickly.
In addition, it’s important that you are following a good skincare routine. This helps promote healthy skin, which in turn enhances and prolongs the results from any cosmetic treatment you choose to pursue. Our skilled staff can look at your skincare routine and explain the role of each cleanser, cream, serum, or exfoliant. We can also recommend the best topical products for patients pursuing Botox treatments.
Finally, there are some treatment combinations that could prolong your final results by addressing additional aging concerns. For example, treatments like microneedling help promote collagen growth. This naturally lifts and firms the skin, which can be further smoothed with a neurotoxin injectable. In addition, dermal filler injections can help correct static wrinkles, folds, and loose skin, which are not treatable with Botox and may enhance your final results.
Since aging is a naturally progressive process, patients tend to see their concerns begin to reappear several months after their first treatment. With a personalized injection schedule recommended for you by one of our doctors, you could achieve long-term results and even prevent the further development of dynamic wrinkles. This treatment can also be easily combined with dermal fillers or other anti-aging products to create an overall transformation.
Botox treatments use a neurotoxin injectable created with purified Botulinum toxin, a neuromodulator that causes temporary muscle paralysis and erases wrinkles when injected by an experienced professional. Ever since its approval by the FDA in 2002, Botox has been a favorite among patients who wish to correct dynamic wrinkles due to its effective, non-invasive nature and zero downtime recovery.
During treatment, this product is injected directly into target facial muscles to pause movement for 3-6 months and eliminate dynamic wrinkles. Most patients report that the treatment process is virtually painless, and a typical appointment lasts just 15-20 minutes. You’ll be able to return to your normal daily activities immediately after treatment, giving you all the flexibility you need to fit this anti-aging treatment into your busy schedule.
Once your first injection session is complete, you will be able to return home while your skin heals and your results develop. Over the first few days, we recommend that you check your facial expressions in a mirror to see the progress of your treatment. As the neurotoxin takes effect, it will block nerve signals to the treated muscles, causing them to remain dormant while the rest of your face moves naturally. This process could take between 4 days-2 weeks.
If you’ve heard of Botox before, you might be wondering whether your final results will look natural. After all, this injectable has gotten somewhat of a bad reputation for “freezing” faces, resulting in a plastic appearance instead of a youthful glow. Unfortunately, this product is extremely easy for an untrained provider to over-inject. It can also be inadvertently spread to surrounding muscles by patients who touch their faces early in the recovery process.
At our professional practice, our doctors and staff ensure the highest standard of care by following strict treatment guidelines and working with you to achieve your ideal results. We dose this product according to your unique areas of concern, inject precisely to ensure optimal results, and give you detailed instructions to help you avoid disturbing the product before it settles into the skin.
When you seek treatment with our team, we will take your desired image into consideration as we plan your first appointment. In some cases, patients want to achieve a more subtle change in their appearance, while other patients want a dramatic transformation. Whatever your goals for treatment, we will do our best to ensure that your results look completely natural. For the majority of patients, no one will know you had treatment unless you choose to tell them.
Most dynamic wrinkles appear in the upper half of the face. As a result, this product is most often used to treat lines across the forehead, frown lines between the brows, and crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes. In some cases, Botox treatments can be used in other areas of the face. One of our doctors will evaluate your specific concerns and recommend the best course of treatment during your initial consultation.
If you are a man or woman over 18 and experience dynamic wrinkles, you could be a good candidate for Botox treatments. In order to receive treatment, you should be in good health and free from any skin conditions that may interact negatively with the treatment process. You should also have informed expectations about the results you may experience from this treatment.
This treatment is not ideal for patients who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. It is also not ideal for patients who experience static wrinkles, which are caused by collagen breakdown in the skin and cannot be effectively treated with Botox. If you are unsure of your candidacy for treatment, one of our doctors can examine your areas of concern and discuss your ideal goals in order to ensure a successful treatment.
If you’re considering Botox treatments, you may want a more in-depth idea of what your treatment would involve. Here is a general overview of a typical treatment process at our practice.
To begin your treatment process, you will meet with one of our doctors for an initial consultation. This appointment allows us to see your skin in person, evaluate your concerns, review your medical history, and discuss your desired results. Based on this appointment, we will recommend the best treatment options to correct your aging concerns and create smoother, more vibrant skin.
If you are approved for Botox, we will create a personalized treatment plan to create your ideal image. We will also provide instructions for preparing for treatment and give you a better idea of the results you can expect. After your consultation, you can schedule your first appointment.
Because this treatment involves injections, it is important that your skin is calm and free from irritation prior to your first treatment. In order to achieve this, we recommend that you avoid any harsh exfoliants, chemical peels, or resurfacing treatments for approximately 1 week before your appointment. You should also limit sun exposure to avoid sunburn and avoid tanning outdoors or with artificial lights to prevent irritation in the target area.
At least 1 week before your appointment, you should stop taking blood-thinning medications like aspirin and ibuprofen as well as some herbal remedies and supplements that could increase bleeding or bruising after treatment. You should also stop drinking alcoholic beverages 24-48 hours before your first appointment.
Depending on your unique concerns and situation, we may provide you with additional instructions as you prepare for treatment. It’s important that you follow these instructions carefully to ensure that you see the best results possible from your first Botox injections.
On the day of your appointment, you should avoid applying makeup and ensure that your skin is clean and free from any signs of infection or irritation before you arrive at our office. One of our staff members will cleanse your skin and, if needed, apply a topical anesthetic to keep you comfortable during the injections. We will then use a small, fine needle to inject Botox directly into the target muscles.
If needed, we will gently massage the treated areas to evenly distribute the product into your facial muscles. We will also give you instructions for your recovery period and answer any questions you may have about your results. A typical appointment lasts approximately 15 minutes, and you can leave our office to return to the rest of your daily schedule immediately after your treatment.
As your skin begins to heal, it’s important to avoid touching or rubbing the treated areas. This could spread the injected neurotoxin to surrounding facial muscles and may result in temporary partial paralysis in various regions of the face. Ultimately, this would impact the final appearance of your results. After approximately 2 weeks, you can expect to touch your face and skin as normal.
As your results develop, you should be able to watch dynamic wrinkles disappear before your eyes. Final results usually develop within 2 weeks of treatment, after which point you should notice that your skin looks smoother, younger, and healthier. Dynamic wrinkles like frown lines and crow’s feet should be noticeably diminished or completely erased, and treated muscles will remain largely still until the neurotoxin treatment wears off.
When your final results develop, you can expect to see a visible change in your appearance. As a result, most patients report a significant confidence boost tied to their youthful transformation. For the next 3-6 months, you can enjoy your Botox results without the need for regular visits to our office. Some patients choose to pursue touch-up treatments as needed during this period, and additional anti-aging treatments can help enhance and prolong results.
Your results will begin to fade as the aging process continues and the neurotoxin wears off. At this time, you can schedule your first follow-up treatment to maintain your ideal image and prevent dynamic wrinkles from becoming deeper and more noticeable. Most patients need just 1-3 injection sessions per year to keep their skin looking its best, and this treatment can be used as long as desired to address your anti-aging concerns.
If you notice dynamic wrinkles in your skin, there’s a treatment that can erase these common signs of aging without invasive measures or lengthy recovery time. Botox is considered safe and effective for almost every patient and offers you long-term skin rejuvenation. If you’re ready to learn more, contact our team at Columbus Facial Plastics at The Sullivan Centre in Colombus, OH to schedule your initial consultation today! We look forward to serving you!
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