Botulinum Toxin Injections in Birmingham AL

Botulinum Toxin Candidates

Smiling, frowning, squinting and even chewing — basically any facial movement — can eventually lead to wrinkles, one of the most common signs of aging. Wrinkles can make you appear tired or even angry when you are not. One of the quickest and safest remedies to remove wrinkles is an injection of botulinum toxin type A.

Botulinum toxin can be combined with other cosmetic skin procedures — such as dermal fillers, laser treatments, chemical peels or microdermabrasion — to further improve your results. This combination of therapies, often known as a liquid facelift, can even help to prevent the formation of new lines and wrinkles.

Your Botulinum Toxin Consultation

During your botulinum toxin consultation, be prepared to discuss:

• Your goals.
• Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments.
• Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Your plastic surgeon may also:

• Evaluate your general health and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors.
• Discuss likely outcomes and any risks or potential complications.

Botulinum Toxin Risks and Safety

Although generally safe, botulinum toxin side effects and complications can include:

• Bruising and pain at the injection site.
• Flu-like symptoms.
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Redness.
• Temporary facial weakness or drooping.

Be sure to avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas following your botulinum toxin treatment.

It's very unlikely that the toxin might spread beyond the treatment area, causing botulism-like signs and symptoms such as breathing problems, trouble swallowing, muscle weakness and slurred speech.

Botulinum Toxin Procedure

Injections of botulinum toxin may seem like a simple procedure, but it's actually both an art and science that only an experienced healthcare professional should perform. There are 43 muscles in your face and it's vital that the person who performs botulinum toxin injections understands and pinpoints the correct spots to optimize your treatment.

A very thin needle is used to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into specific muscles. By carefully choosing specific muscles, your provider weakens only the wrinkle-producing muscles, preserving your natural facial expressions.

The number of injections you need will depend on your facial features and the extent of your wrinkles. Crow's feet, for example, usually demand two to three injections. Furrows above your brow could take five or more.

Botulinum toxin treatments usually take less than 15 minutes.

Botulinum Toxin Recovery

No anesthesia, downtime or recovery time is required for botulinum toxin injections. Patients may resume normal activities immediately.

Do not rub or massage the treated areas after the wrinkle treatment. This can cause the botulinum toxin to migrate to another area of your face. If this happens, you could exprience temporary facial weakness or drooping.

Botulinum Toxin Results

You may notice results within a few days, but it can take up to a week to see the full effect. This improvement typically lasts about 3 to 4 months.

When the effects of botulinum toxin begin to fade, your muscle reactions and the wrinkles will return.