Botox application ranks among the most frequently performed procedures in all aesthetic treatments. Botulinum toxin is a toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which blocks the connection between nerves and muscles in the applied area, temporarily preventing the muscles from functioning. Previously used in neurology for the treatment of spastic muscles and in ophthalmology for strabismus treatment, Botox has also been used for cosmetic purposes in the last 20 years.
When Botox is applied for cosmetic purposes, it is administered to the facial muscles responsible for expressions. Thus, by softening the expressions we make consciously or unconsciously throughout the day, the formation of wrinkles is prevented.
When should Botox treatment begin?
There is no gender difference in Botox application. The usual starting age for the procedure is generally towards the end of the twenties, but it can be started earlier if necessary. The aim of Botox application is to prevent the lines of expression that become prominent over time from becoming permanent. Therefore, Botox should be started as soon as the lines of expression begin to appear.
Are there any alternatives to Botox?
There are no alternatives to Botox. Procedures such as laser, gold needle, and mesotherapy, which are performed for scar treatment and to improve skin quality, help reduce fine wrinkles on the skin surface but do not affect facial muscles like Botox does. Additionally, there are no cream applications that have a Botox-like effect.
How long does Botox last?
The duration of Botox varies from person to person. Approximately 1 or 1.5 months after Botox is administered, the facial movements gradually begin to return, and complete dissolution occurs around 3.5 to 4 months later. However, this period can extend up to 6 months for individuals who use fewer facial expressions. The effect of Botox also tends to be shorter in individuals who use intense facial expressions, engage in intense sports, have thyroid problems, use intense antioxidant supplements, or during summer months compared to winter months.
How is Botox administered?
Botox application is a procedure performed by a doctor through injections. The pain felt during the procedure is not severe, but if the person is anxious or has a very low pain threshold, topical anesthesia or cold application can be applied before the procedure. First, the area to be treated is sterilized, then the points of application are marked, and an appropriate amount of toxin is injected using very fine needles. The procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes. Patients can return to their normal lives immediately after the application.
When does the effect of Botox begin?
The effect of Botox begins to be felt approximately 3-4 days after the application. This effect continues to increase over the following days and generally reaches its maximum level around the 15th day.
Therefore, the patient is called for a check-up on the 15th day, and additional doses can be administered to the areas deemed necessary if needed.
What should be considered before Botox?
To reduce the risk of bleeding before the application, blood thinners such as aspirin and painkillers should be stopped a week before. If there is Herpes (cold sore) or any skin infection in the application areas, the treatment should be done before the application.
What should be considered after Botox?
Especially on the day of the procedure, for the first 4 hours, the patient should not lean forward too much and should not lie face down, even if lying on their back. On the day of the procedure, the patient should not lean forward to prevent the toxin from spreading to unwanted areas, should not lie face down, and should not lie on their back for approximately 2-3 hours.
On the day of the application, water or cosmetic products should not come into contact with the application area.
Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed on the same day as the application, sports should be avoided, and traumatic procedures such as massage should be avoided for one day.
After the procedure, it is recommended not to enter very hot environments such as a Turkish bath, sauna, or solarium.
What are the side effects of Botox?
Botulinum toxin has been used for many years for both aesthetic and therapeutic purposes and is an FDA-approved safe substance. Here, the important thing is the expertise of the applying doctor and determining the correct dose according to the individual's needs.
As with any injection procedure, there may be mild redness and swelling, but these effects disappear within approximately 10-15 minutes. Rarely, small bruises due to bleeding may occur at the injection sites. All of these are expected effects. Complications after Botox applications usually result from incorrect applications.
Who should not receive Botox?
Pregnant and nursing mothers
Children under 12 years old
Individuals with significant motor weakness in the treatment area
Patients with immunodeficiency
Individuals using medications that interact with botulinum toxin
Individuals with muscle diseases such as Myasthenia gravis
Individuals with bleeding problems
Presence of skin infections such as cold sores or wounds in the treatment area
Does Botox application cause an expressionless, stiff appearance?
Botox applications performed to achieve a younger, softer, and calmer expression do not affect facial expressions when administered by expert doctors in appropriate doses and to appropriate points. Botox does not swell the face, and the notion that a stiff and blank expression occurs after Botox is not correct.
Is Botox a snake venom?
Botox is a toxin derived from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. So it is not snake venom.
Types of Botox Treatments
Frown Line Botox
Frown lines, which occur as a result of the contraction of the muscles between the eyebrows due to emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, and environmental factors such as sunlight. As age progresses, these muscles, which are used excessively, develop, and as the amount of collagen and connective tissue in the skin decreases, these lines between the eyebrows begin to appear even at rest. This makes the person look older, angrier, and more tense than they actually are.
It is necessary to start frown line Botox before the lines deepen. This application ensures that the person has a younger and softer expression.
Crow's Feet Botox
Crow's feet lines occur as a result of the contraction of the muscles around the eyes during smiling. Botox applied to this area reduces wrinkles, opens up the distance between the eyebrow and the eye, and provides a brighter and younger look.
Forehead Botox
The forehead area is one of the areas where wrinkles are most intense. Wrinkles that occur over time due to the use of facial expressions and loss of connective tissue in the forehead make a person appear older than they actually are. In individuals who use excessive facial expressions, especially in men with strong muscle structure, these wrinkles can be deeper. As in other areas, Botox application in this area should start before these wrinkles settle completely. After the application, dynamic and youthful expression is achieved with the opening of wrinkles.
Masseter Botox - Jawline Botox - (Teeth Grinding Botox)
While a broad and square jaw structure is desired in general aesthetics, an oval and narrow jaw structure is preferred in women. The masseter muscle is the chewing muscle located on both sides of our jaw. In some individuals, this muscle may have expanded structurally or due to reasons such as teeth grinding (Bruxism), chewing gum, and asymmetric chewing for no reason. When Botox is applied to the masseter muscle in the lower part of the face, the volume of the muscle decreases, and the contour of the lower jaw narrows, resulting in a more oval appearance of the face.
Masseter Botox is administered with injections, like other Botox applications, and the procedure is completed in about 5 minutes. The application does not affect eating or drinking functions. The reduction in muscle volume begins to be seen approximately 2 weeks after the procedure and lasts for about 4 months. However, the duration of the effect may be shorter in individuals who consume hard foods continuously and grind their teeth. It is recommended to perform the application every 4 months regularly to obtain higher efficiency from the procedure in patients with high muscle density. After 3 or 4 sessions, when the desired level is reached, the application intervals can be extended.
Gummy Smile Correction Botox
In general aesthetic understanding, the gum can be visible by 1-2 mm when smiling, but if it is more visible, it creates an undesirable appearance. Deep nasolabial folds and horizontal lines in the upper lip area may accompany a gummy smile. Botox applied due to a gummy smile eliminates the appearance of the gum while smiling and provides a more aesthetic smile.
Smoker's Lines Botox (Perioral Lines Botox)
Vertical wrinkles around the lips, which occur with age and are more common in smokers. With Botox applied to this area, the wrinkles open, and the area around the lips becomes smoother.
Neck Wrinkles Botox (Nefertiti Botox)
The neck muscle is a thin and wide muscle. As attention to the neck area is not given as much as other parts of the face over time, wrinkles and sagging begin in the neck area first. Nefertiti Botox aims to achieve a younger and firmer appearance.
Nefertiti Botox is applied to the muscles in the jawline and neck. After the procedure, sagging in the neck is tightened, and the neck skin is tightened to achieve a firmer and smoother appearance. The best results are seen in young patients with good skin elasticity.
Sweating Botox (Hyperhidrosis)
Our body sweats to balance rising body temperature, and this is a normal response. However, when this response occurs in excessive amounts, it can become a serious problem. The appearance caused by excessive sweating can negatively affect a person's social life and confidence. Excessive sweating may be due to structural or any disease or medication use.
Therefore, the patient should be well questioned by the doctor, and if any reason is determined, treatment should be planned accordingly.
Since 1996, Botox has been used safely and effectively in the treatment of sweating with high patient satisfaction.
Botulinum toxin stops transmission between sweat glands and nerve endings in the applied area for approximately 4-6 months. Thus, excessive sweating is prevented, and the problem of odor is also eliminated.
Since sweating is not very high in winter months, if the application is made in April and May before the summer season, patients can have a very comfortable
summer period.
Patients who undergo sweating Botox can return to their social lives on the same day without any complaints.
Migraine Botox
Migraine is a chronic condition characterized by severe headache attacks of unknown cause. Migraine attacks, which are different from a normal headache, are usually unilateral. The duration of the attack can vary from 3 hours to 72 hours. Serious complaints such as nausea, vomiting, or vision loss may occur in migraine attacks. Due to the very severe pains, a person's social life and work life become difficult. There is no definitive treatment for migraines, and the drugs or methods used aim to reduce the severity and frequency of the pain. In cases where the frequency or severity of pain does not decrease despite medication, Botox application can provide encouraging results.
Especially in cases where attacks are very frequent and drugs used are ineffective, Botox is an ideal treatment method. Botox also improves sleep patterns disrupted by migraines, so it is frequently preferred in migraine patients who have nighttime attacks.
How is Migraine Botox Applied?
Migraine Botox can be applied to specific areas such as the forehead, between the eyebrows, temples, back of the head, and neck. Like classic Botox applications, migraine Botox is applied with the injection method, and topical anesthetic creams can be applied to patients sensitive to pain before the application. The application time is approximately 10 - 20 minutes like other Botox procedures. Patients can return to their normal social life on the same day.
The effect of the application lasts for about 4 months. In some patients, attacks disappear completely, while in others, their frequency decreases significantly.
Mezobotox
Mezobotox is an application where the powers of Botox and mesotherapy are combined. In this technique, diluted Botox toxin is added to mesotherapy and injected into the superficial layer of the skin.
Mesotherapy involves injecting components that nourish, strengthen, revitalize, and moisturize the skin into the deeper layers of the skin. Botulinum toxin prevents the muscles from functioning, thus eliminating wrinkles.
Mezobotox application improves the skin structure and makes the skin smoother and more radiant. Unlike normal Botox application, the application areas are wider. It can be applied to the lower face, neck, décolleté, and other body areas.
It is particularly successful in patients with sagging and lines in the neck, with early signs of aging in the lower face and neck. It provides lifting in the lower cheek and jawline, resulting in a clearer jawline.
The effect of the procedure begins within about three days and the best results are achieved within one week.
The effect of the procedure lasts for about 4 months, but this period may vary depending on the person's skin structure, age, and use of facial expressions.
Botox for Men (Brotox)
Botox application for men is called Brotox. Especially men may resist Botox application because they are afraid of changing their facial expressions. However, as time goes on, Botox application is becoming as popular among men as it is among women. There are some differences between Botox applications for women and men. The dose to be applied is different due to the muscle structure and strength of men, and the application is specially planned to preserve the masculine expression on the face.
Every skin is unique to the individual. Therefore, it is essential to provide the individual with the health solutions and medical support they need with a treatment approach tailored to them. Dr. Pınar Koç deals with dermatological conditions but also specializes in aesthetic and cosmetic dermatology, laser applications in dermatology, and hair diseases. You can contact us for detailed information and consultancy.
