Botulinum Toxin (Botox)*
1. What is Botox?
Botox is the most widespread and effective treatment for expression wrinkles. It includes a series of microscopic injections of Botox in the facial area by a specialized and specially trained physician.
This treatment has more than 50,000 applications in Greece and over 10 million worldwide every year. It is the No. 1 treatment worldwide as it combines impressive results, minimal application time, reversible results, no side effects, and low cost in relation to the result.
2. Is Botox safe?
Botox has an excellent safety profile. It has been used for more than 20 years in 8 different medical specialties for all types of muscular dysfunctions and conditions. The extensive history of the drug without side effects provides the necessary guarantees for its safety even in cases where the quantity used is multiple times greater than the amount needed for the treatment of facial wrinkles.
Naturally, the drug is approved by the National Organization for Medicines (EOF) for the treatment of expression wrinkles, approval which has also been granted by major and strict regulatory authorities (USA, Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, etc.).
3. What is treated with Botox?
Facial wrinkles are divided into two categories: static wrinkles and dynamic wrinkles.
Static wrinkles are the wrinkles that appear when the face is at rest, while dynamic wrinkles are those that appear when the face expresses emotions. Over time, dynamic wrinkles may turn into static wrinkles.
Botox works by limiting the involuntary activity of the muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles. If static wrinkles have not yet formed, immobilizing the muscles responsible for them can prevent their appearance completely. If static wrinkles have already formed, the action of Botox leads to their gradual smoothing and reduction in depth.
4. What is the ideal age to start Botox treatment?
Because wrinkles form easily, while restoring the skin to its original condition requires much more time, Botox treatment is recommended when the first signs of intense and involuntary muscle movement that cause wrinkles appear.
Wrinkle formation does not depend only on age but also on skin quality and facial muscle structure. External factors such as environmental pollution, the nature of one’s work, and prolonged exposure to sunlight also affect skin condition.
For this reason, preventive treatment before the formation of wrinkles is the safest way to maintain a youthful appearance for many years.
5. Will I maintain my facial expressions?
Although the results are visible, Botox treatment does not alter the facial features and does not reveal the type of treatment performed. The result develops gradually and is completed within two weeks from the day of treatment.
Only the involuntary movement of the muscles that cause wrinkles is reduced, resulting in their gradual disappearance.
6. Are there side effects from Botox treatment?
The action of the drug is fully reversible and therefore we cannot speak of any permanent side effect.
Usually after Botox treatment, small and temporary bruises may appear from the injections made with the syringe needle. These disappear within about 10 minutes. A mild headache may also occur due to the injections, which will not last more than half an hour.
7. What happens if I decide to stop my Botox treatment?
Stopping the treatment simply means that once the effect of the drug wears off, the muscles that had been temporarily inactive regain their mobility 100%, and the face returns to its condition before the treatment.
8. How many times can I have Botox?
Clinical studies have shown that Botox treatment has no limitations. No matter how many times the treatment is repeated, the result remains the same without any reduction in effectiveness.
In fact, in many cases after 3–4 treatments, the interval between applications increases because the movements that caused the wrinkles become reduced.
9. Does Botox treatment hurt?
Botox treatment is one of the most painless treatments. A series of injections with the thinnest needle available is performed locally, causing no real pain, only a momentary discomfort at the injection points.
Most people describe the sensation as similar to a small insect bite. It is not continuous pain but a brief sting. The discomfort does not last longer than 10–15 minutes.
10. When should I not have Botox?
The drug has no serious contraindications since systemic absorption by the body is negligible. Therefore, Botox treatment can be performed simultaneously with other treatments without any problem.
The only cases where the treatment is avoided are patients with myopathies. For preventive reasons, it is also advisable to avoid Botox during pregnancy and the postpartum period, to avoid associating any possible complication with the action of the drug.
11. How long does Botox treatment last?
The results of Botox treatment appear gradually and last 4–6 months, while the procedure itself takes only 10 minutes.
The amount of the drug used must be determined by a specially trained physician, who decides the exact points where the injections will be made for the best possible result.
Usually no anesthetic is used because the pain is minimal, although a topical anesthetic cream may be applied if necessary.
12. Do I need to stay at home after Botox treatment?
No. After Botox treatment, only faint redness may appear at the injection points from the needle punctures for 10–15 minutes. This means that by the time you leave the clinic, these marks will have disappeared.
Daily activities can therefore continue without any problem.
13. How much does Botox treatment cost?
The cost of treatment varies from person to person since the dose is individualized for each patient, and therefore a different quantity of the drug is required.
Men generally require larger quantities than women. The personalized diagnosis by a specially trained physician determines the cost of the treatment, which in any case is considered very reasonable in relation to the visible result and the safety of the procedure.