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What is Botox?
Botox Injections are a natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles, creating a smoothed and improved appearance. Botulinum Type A Neurotoxin (Botox®) is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. It was first used in humans for the treatment of strabismus (“crossed-eyes”) in 1978. It is now used to treat a number of medical conditions including cerebral palsy, migraine, excessive sweating, back and facial spasms as well as the treatment of facial wrinkles. Botox® is very well tolerated and is a natural, purified protein derived in a controlled fashion from bacteria like other agents, such as penicillin. Botox® is the only medical product of its type with more than twenty years of safe usage involving millions of patients worldwide, comprehensive clinical trials, published studies and extensive clinical practice. Botox® is one of the most widely researched medicines in the world with twenty approved indications in more than seventy five countries. Botox® is a simple, quick and minimally invasive treatment that delivers fast, visible results.
What does the injection process involve?
Small quantities of Botox® are injected into the muscle to be treated using a very fine needle. Several tiny injections, approximately five to ten per area, are made. The discomfort is minimal and no anaesthetic is required. Botox® injections are a simple procedure lasting ten to thirty minutes. As there is no downtime, patients can resume normal activity the same day.
Are there any possible complications?
Botox® injections are safe and effective with the vast majority of patients experiencing no complications. It is not absorbed by the blood stream and only affects the muscles injected. Botox® is totally eliminated from the muscle in a few days but the machinery required for the nerve impulse to travel to the muscle is disabled for three to four months.No serious or long term health hazards have been attributed to the use of Botox®, even after years of use and millions of injections. However, some mild transient side effects can occur including:Mild swelling or redness at the injection site which will settle within a few hours. Bruising at the injection site can occur but is not common. The bruising settles in two to six days and can be covered with makeup. Smile lines are an area typically affected by bruising. Occasionally, the injected muscles will not be weakened enough and touch up injections will be needed for correction after two weeks. Drooping of the upper eyelid, which can last up to three weeks, is rare. This may be treated with eye-drops until it resolves by itself, typically after a few days.Drooping of the forehead can occur if too much Botox® is put in this area.
When will I see results?
Botulinum (Botox®) causes muscle relaxation of the injected area three to five days after the injection. The full effects may not be seen for two weeks.
Who should not have Botox®?
Patients with neuromuscular disorders such as myesthenia gravis should not be treated with Botulinum. True allergic reactions to Botulinum have not been observed. No side effects from Botulinum injections have been reported when pregnant or nursing women have been inadvertently treated, although safety during pregnancy or lactation has not been firmly established.
Will muscle relaxing treatments fill deep grooves?
Muscle relaxants treatments are designed to refresh facial expressions. Over a course of regular treatments, existing lines and wrinkles at rest may soften and may event disappear.
Can I still have a treatment if I am Pregnant or breastfeeding?
During these precious life stages we refrain from treatment, as the effects on an unborn baby or nursing baby are unknown.
What sort of results will I get from Dermapen4 Micro-needling?
One thing you’ll need to know is that like most transformations, the results aren’t immediate. Your skin will be glowing and a little plump and pink right after your treatment, but since your body needs to create the fresh new collagen, the real outcome will come a couple of weeks later. You’ll get best results when you do a few treatments, ideally between three and six once every month or so, for the ultimate skin rejuvenation.
Another thing to consider is that all micro-needling treatments are not created equal, and some pens and techniques yield lesser results. Dermapen4 is the original and most trusted micro-needling brand, designed in Australia with an improved version every few years, leading us to the latest model, the Dermapen4. This device is safer than ever, with an anti-contamination mechanism and an increased amount of smaller, faster-moving needles than other devices.
You’ve probably already heard of microneedling, sometimes referred to as collagen induction therapy or skin needling. It may sound a little intimidating, but it’s actually a very simple, painless and effective way to treat everything from wrinkles and pigmentation through to acne, scarring and stretch marks.
The treatment works by gliding a small device over the skin, which delivers microscopic punctures (only a few millimetres deep) using very tiny needles. You won’t really feel this, as they’re moving incredibly fast in a vertical stamping motion. The treatment stimulates the natural healing process in the skin, resulting in fresh, new collagen and elastin, and a rejuvenated and more youthful complexion.