Botox
Reducing wrinkles on different parts of the body, mostly face.
10
min
The duration of the intervention
Not necessary
Hospitalization
Not necessary
Anesthesia
Immediate
Back to work
Immediate
Back to sport activities
Post-operative recommendations
/
Possible inconveniences after the procedure
Occasional asymmetries.
About the procedure
Botulinum toxin (Dysport, Vistabel, Botox and other formulas) is used on different parts of the face and causes temporary muscle paralysis where it is injected. The wrinkles are thus reduced and made less distinct. It can also be used in the under-arm, foot, or palm areas to reduce sweating. It is applied with a thin needle with several pierces into the desired area. The effect is usually visible after around four days and reaches its peak at around two weeks. The results last for four to six months.
Risks
The botulinum toxin formulas may not be registered for the application on the desired sites or for the way agreed with the doctor. You will have to agree with this kind of use and accept all related risks.
With each procedure comes a certain level of risk. Therefore it is important that you understand and accept possible risks and complications related to it. Despite the fact that most patients do not develop side effects, it is important that you talk about risks, possible complications, limitations, and consequences of botulinum toxin use.
The results last for four to six months.
Exact symmetry is occasionally impossible to achieve.
After the procedure
As a consequence of the botulinum toxin injection or local anaesthesia, bleeding is possible which is usually limited and manifests as a limited bruise. In very rare cases the bleeding requires additional procedures, even surgical. For a minimum chance of complications it is important that the patient warns the doctor about any possible blood coagulation disorders and to stop taking all medications that could affect the process of blood coagulation, like aspirin, vitamin E, all gynco and other formulas, 14 days before the procedure. If the patient is taking cumarins (Marivarin, Sintrom, or others), replacement therapy should be introduced according to the doctor’s instructions.
A minor and usually unnoticeable swelling usually occurs after the application of botulinum toxin. After the application, visible piercing spots are also normal. Both occurrences disappear in a few days. After the use of botulinum toxin, the skin can become red on application sites which also goes away within days. Especially after the first application of botulinum toxin, the feeling of “over-tightness” of the skin can occur. This feeling usually goes away within two weeks. After the botulinum toxin use, the skin can become red on application sites, which also usually goes away within hours or days.
Our body and its appearance are anatomically asymmetrical. Occasionally, exact symmetry thus cannot be achieved with botulinum toxin; however, asymmetry can occur due to a different reaction of the body on one side. Correction of asymmetry can require additional injections of botulinum toxin.
After the application, the skin is more sensitive to external factors (heat, cold, UV light). Therefore, it needs to be protected for a few more days after the application. On botulinum toxin application sites, skin massage is prohibited for five days.
During the botulinum toxin application, unwanted muscles may become paralysed which is manifested as saggy eyelids, mouth corners, and the like. These undesired effects occur rarely and usually go away within weeks. However, such complications may require additonal botulinum toxin injections and other kinds of treatment. During the application of botulinum toxin, temporary or permanent damage of deeper structures – veins and nerves – can occur.
Possible inconveniences
Tissue infection after the application of botulinum toxin is very rare. Nevertheless, bacterial as well as viral and fungal infections can occur. Herpes can also occur (even in patients who never had it before). In persons with common herpetic infections, preventive antiviral medications can be prescribed. Any kind of infection can require additional treatment with antimicrobial medications and surgical procedures as well. This complication can cause permanently visible scarring on the skin and in the subcutaneous tissue. Like any biological substance, botulinum toxin can also cause allergic reaction, in the most severe cases even shock and death.
In some cases, patients are not happy with the final result or its durability. It is possible that the body reacts to the botulinum toxin in an unpredicted way which makes the formula decompose too quickly or the body develops an immune response to it. In such cases we recommend using different methods or procedures to achieve the desired result.
Permanent complications due to botulinum toxin (except the above mentioned) are not known. It is possible that some still unknown risks might show in years.
Exact symmetry is occasionally impossible to achieve.
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