No cosmetic treatment has reached the level of popularity that BOTOX® has. Annually, millions of people have this treatment performed. Here at Delaney MD Aesthetics & Anti-Aging, we are proud to offer this time-honored treatment and encourage you to learn more about it.

What may surprise many is that these treatments are not solely used to address wrinkles. Instead, they have been used by the medical community to help individuals who are dealing with a number of serious conditions, ranging from migraines to hyperhidrosis to eye twitches.

The FDA granted approval for the use of the active ingredient in this treatment for glabellar lines in the year 2002. In 2004, approval was given to use this treatment as a way of addressing hyperhidrosis. In 2010, BOTOX® was approved for use for migraines. In 2011, it was approved for use for urinary incontinence, and by 2013 approval was given to use this treatment to address crow’s feet.

You may hear of medical professionals using these treatments to address other facial wrinkles. However, a lot of this treatment is off label. This means that a physician will use their best judgment in determining what wrinkles they will and will not treat with this product.

The active ingredient used during these treatments revolutionized the way that cosmetic procedures were handled, as well as the way that other diseases were treated. This represents the first time that microbial injections were used to either correct a cosmetic challenge or to treat a disease. It is interesting to see how each year the medical profession is finding new and exciting ways to use this product to help address different challenges that people are facing.

One of the things that sets this cosmetic treatment apart from others is how safe it is. As mentioned at the outset, treatments have been administered millions of times around the world. However, more than 99.9% of patients experience no serious negative side effects from the treatment. In the vast majority of cases, as long as the treatment is administered according to manufacturer stipulations and administered by a trained professional, the end result for patients is overwhelmingly positive. Of course, it is up to you as a patient to make sure that your treatments are only administered by medical professionals who have extensive training in the use of these treatments.

In 2018, sales of this treatment broke $3.2 billion. One of the reasons for the phenomenal sale of this product is how safe it really is. The phenomenal safety record associated with these treatments gives doctors the confidence of using it liberally. Many see these treatments as being harmless and providing patients with a true solution to the ailments that they have.

Millions of individuals who have benefited from BOTOX® treatments have their own unique stories to tell. One cannot help but think about the countless individuals who have been struggling with migraines for years and were unable to enjoy life, spend time with friends and family, concentrate at work, and feel or act like themselves. After having these treatments administered by a trained medical professional, many experienced a drastic reduction in their migraine symptoms. Now, they are able to go back to living the high quality of life they had before migraines began to affect them.

Or think about individuals who have been battling with hyperhidrosis for years. True, hyperhidrosis is not a life-threatening illness. However, anyone who has dealt with the embarrassment and shame that comes from excessive armpit sweating can tell you that hyperhidrosis robs a person of their quality of life. When a person has hyperhidrosis, they have to be careful about the clothing that they wear or they may feel embarrassed to be in social situations, like work, parties, or in public. And one should not forget the shame that a person with hyperhidrosis may feel when thinking about forming a personal or intimate relationship with another. The treatments they receive change their lives for the better.

The safety record of this product gives people who are dealing with conditions that are robbing them of a high quality of life the confidence that they can go in for treatment, get the benefits that they want, and not have to worry about unwanted negative side effects.

An added benefit is that these treatments are not permanent. They have a limited life. No matter how the treatment is administered and no matter what it is used for, it will eventually be destroyed by the body and removed via the body’s natural waste removal process. This allows the patient to determine if the results they received from treatment were what they had expected. Based on that expectation, they can determine if they want to pursue treatment again.

Some people may be reluctant to use a non-surgical injectable treatment to address facial wrinkles. They may at first believe they can address these wrinkles using topical creams. So they go to their department store or pharmacy and obtain wrinkle creams only to realize they are not getting the results they had hoped for.

The reason topical creams will never work to address dynamic wrinkles is that the wrinkles are not a topical skin issue. Instead, they are the result of muscle contractions underneath the skin. They fold the skin in such a way that creases are formed. That is why the wrinkles that are addressed by this treatment are referred to as dynamic wrinkles. These wrinkles are noticeable in the parts of your face used to make facial expressions. They are seen along the sides of your eyes, across your forehead, and right above the bridge of your nose.

Dynamic wrinkles, like the type that can be addressed by BOTOX®, are very different from static wrinkles. Static wrinkles are the wrinkles that develop on your face because of a loss of facial volume, a loss of skin elasticity, as well as the effects of the sun. You can address those types of wrinkles by using products like dermal fillers to add volume to your face. However, the only way to address dynamic wrinkles is to get to the heart of the matter, which is by addressing the muscles that are leading to the formation of said wrinkles in the first place.

That is exactly what this product is designed to do. After the active ingredient is injected into the treated area, it begins to take effect on the nerves and the muscles in the area. Over the course of two to four days, a person will notice that the muscles in the treated area are not contracting as forcefully as they did prior to treatment.

Since the muscles in your forehead and on the sides of your eyes are not contracting as forcefully, they’re not folding your skin, so they are not creating dynamic wrinkles. Since your skin has time to rest, wrinkles that have developed may actually start to disappear. Your skin takes on a smoother, younger, and more vibrant appearance.

Something that’s nice about these treatments is that when they are administered properly, they create natural-looking results. As a result, your friends or family members may be able to see a difference in your appearance, but they’re not going to know the change is the result of a cosmetic treatment.

After having your treatments, you might have friends and family members asking if you’ve changed your diet, if you have less stress in your life, if you’re getting more sleep, etc. They’re going to notice that you look happier. They’re going to notice that you look refreshed and invigorated, but they’re not going to necessarily understand why the change has taken place. And the great thing is that you only have to share this information with whom you wish.

Thankfully, the vast majority of people are good candidates for BOTOX®. Treatments are usually administered in a doctor’s office or clinic environment. While your first appointment may be longer than others, most appointments will take around 15 minutes. This is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment. As a result, you do not need to worry about recovery time. You will go back to your normal activities immediately following your treatment.

You should start to see results from your treatment within a couple of days. It may take up to one week for the full results of your treatment to be seen. The results should last for a few months. If you are happy with the results of your treatment, you can come back in and have follow-up treatments with the goal of maintaining your initial results.

You may be a good candidate for this treatment if you have unwanted facial wrinkles. As mentioned above, this treatment is designed to help individuals who are dealing with dynamic wrinkles. If you have static wrinkles, your medical professional may recommend different cosmetic options to meet your needs. For the treatment to be effective, your wrinkles will need to be in a location that BOTOX® can treat. This treatment is designed for individuals who have moderate to severe wrinkles on their face.

Although it is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment, it is still a medical treatment. For you to get the best results, you need to be in generally good health. If you are free from medical issues that affect your nerves or your muscles, then you are likely a great candidate for this product. You are also probably a good candidate for this treatment if your face is relatively symmetrical. Individuals who have drastic facial asymmetry may want to talk to their cosmetic professional about other options that are available to help address dynamic wrinkles.

In addition to having good physical health, to be a good candidate for this treatment you should have good mental and emotional health. Part of this includes having a realistic expectation for what the treatment can do for you and a realistic view of how it can improve your appearance. Remember, these treatments are not designed to take someone who is in their 50’s and make them look like their 20. Instead, they are designed to help you look like the best version of yourself possible.

Are you interested in learning more about BOTOX® treatments and how they can help you make dynamic wrinkles disappear in a healthy and natural way? If so, feel free to make an appointment with Delaney MD Aesthetics & Anti-Aging. At our convenient location in Edmonds, we look forward to discussing your cosmetic goals with you and working with you to help make your cosmetic goals a long-term reality. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!