What Areas Can Be Treated with Botox?

At Glow Aesthetic Center, our medical staff uses Botox^Ⓡ to treat age lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet on the face, forehead, and areas surrounding the eyes. Essentially, the treatment is used on any facial areas with wrinkles or age lines. However, it is also used therapeutically on areas like the neck, armpits, and other areas affected by various conditions, diseases, and illnesses.

The name Botox^Ⓡ is the brand name of the first injection to make medical use of botulinum toxin. Below, we’ll discuss how and why this neurotoxin works, as well as the safety of these injections. Though the toxin is deadly in larger amounts, it actually has a medicinal benefit when used in small doses and under medical supervision like that provided by Dr. Homan Siman and the staff at Glow Aesthetic Center.

If you are ready to say goodbye to the wrinkles and age lines in your face, it’s time to get in touch with Glow Aesthetic Center for your Botox^Ⓡ treatment. Call our office at (818) 905-8815 to schedule your appointment today. You can also fill out our online contact form, and we will connect with you as soon as possible.

How the Treatment Works

When you receive a Botox^Ⓡ treatment, the clinician injects a neurotoxin-based shot into the particular area you want to de-wrinkle. The toxin, which is the same neurotoxin that causes the disease botulism, works by blocking the chemical acetylcholine. Since acetylcholine is a crucial neurotransmitter at the juncture between your brain and your muscles, this effectively paralyzes those muscles in the areas surrounding your injection site.

The treatment contains a minimal amount of the toxin, making it safe for cosmetic and therapeutic use. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported only 36 cases with adverse effects between 1989 and 2003. Considering the fact that around 1.6 million people received these injections in 2003 alone, that statistic highlights how safe the injection is. Plus, as the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) reports, cosmetic uses of the toxin are much less likely to cause any serious side effects than therapeutic uses. This is largely because therapeutic uses often require more of the toxin than the small dosage used for aesthetic treatments.

Much like the discovery of penicillin, Botox^Ⓡ is an example of something dangerous in the wild being used safely in a medicinal setting. It’s a perfectly safe treatment to undergo and provides outstanding benefits.

What to Do Before Your First Botox^Ⓡ Treatment

The first step you should take before any medical or cosmetic treatment is to inform your medical staff of any conditions that may disqualify you from the procedure. For example, we do not perform botulinum toxin injections on clients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are medically cleared for the procedure, make sure to take the following steps before the date of your treatment.

• Stop all medications and supplements that increase bleeding (such as NSAIDs and fish oil) at least one week prior to your treatment.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages at least 24 hours before your treatment.
• Avoid caffeine immediately before your procedure, and eat a snack to reduce the chance of dizziness from the treatment.
• Make sure your face is washed and you have no makeup on before your treatment.

Therapeutic Uses for Botox^Ⓡ

Though Glow Aesthetic Center focuses on applying Botox^Ⓡ treatments to the face and facial areas, there is a wide range of medical/therapeutic uses of the injection that can be applied to different areas of the body. For example, the following chronic conditions can be alleviated by treatments with botulinum toxin.

Migraines

Sufferers of migraines know all too well that medical science does not have all the answers (yet!). We still don’t know exactly what causes these excruciating, recurring headaches. What we have discovered, though, is that a host of causes can play a factor. Of these causes, some of the most intriguing include neurotransmitters like serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).

As a neurotoxin, Botox^Ⓡ blocks these neurotransmitters and can help relieve the pain of chronic migraines.

Hyperhidrosis

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) lists botulinum toxin as a treatment for hyperhidrosis. This condition causes the sufferer to sweat excessively even when they are not hot and have not been particularly active. Antiperspirants are usually the first treatment, but more aggressive cases of the illness can warrant a Botox^Ⓡ injection. Right now, the most common treatments are to the armpits. However, some studies suggest that future injections may be warranted for such areas as:

• Head (for women affected by hyperhidrosis in the post-menopausal period)
• Hands
• Feet

Overactive Bladder (OAB)

When there are issues with nerves and signals related to your bladder, the result can be overactive bladder (OAB). Whether you suffer from a constant urge to urinate, involuntary leakage, or urinating too often, the condition is serious and can have major effects on your quality of life. In some cases, doctors will inject Botox^Ⓡ into the bladder to prevent the muscle spasms and block the nerve signals that cause the bladder to contract.

Get Your Botox^Ⓡ Facial Treatment Today

The team at Glow Aesthetic Center, led by Dr. Homan Siman, is ready to get you looking your best again. If you wish to reduce your current wrinkles, prevent the development of new wrinkles, get rid of age lines, or smooth out the crow’s feet that have appeared by your eyes, it’s time to schedule your Botox^Ⓡ treatment.

Call our Encino office at (818) 905-8815 to schedule a consultation about your treatment. Alternatively, you can fill out the online form on our contact page and we will respond in a timely manner. With Botox, the key to yesterday’s youth is available today!