What is Botox?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. It is a nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people 18 to 65 years of age. During treatment, very low doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. The treatment is usually done in about 10 minutes, and no recovery time is needed. Within days, you may see an improvement that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary.

How does it work?
One day you looked in the mirror and studied those lines that furrowed your brow, and you wondered: Where did they come from? Is it just aging? Too much sun? Too much stress? In general, how skin ages and wrinkles is a complex process. It isn't just about cellular changes, collagen depletion, hormone loss, damage caused by free radicals, and so on; it's a combination of many factors.

The lines that appear between your brows (glabellar lines) actually result from muscle movement and the passage of time. You may have heard the expression "wearing your emotions on your sleeve," but in reality you wear them on your face. If you're angry or annoyed, for example, you knit your brows together. Underneath your skin, your facial muscles contract, cause a pleating of the overlying skin, and then, as anyone can see, you're frowning. After years of crinkling and wrinkling, those glabellar lines start to linger longer and can become more pronounced. For women, whose faces tend to be more animated than men's, and whose skin is typically more delicate, these lines may appear exaggerated and more permanent.

Those moderate to severe frown lines between your brows form over time as the result of muscle activity. BOTOX® Cosmetic is injected directly into the muscles between your brows. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles; this reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those persistent lines to form.

Will I see results?
Within days, you may see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. Lines continue to improve for up to a month, and results can last for up to 4 months. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women rated the improvement in their appearance as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. Results may vary.

How long will it last?
Results from treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic can last for up to 4 months. If you discontinue treatment, the frown lines between your brows gradually will look like they did before treatment.

Who should administer Botox?
Any authorized healthcare professional can administer BOTOX® Cosmetic, but a doctor with specialized training, or other physicians specializing in cosmetic procedures are generally more experienced.

Is the treatment painful?
Discomfort is usually minimal and brief. Prior to injecting, your physician may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Many people are in and out of the physician’s office without downtime following BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment.

Am I a good candidate/contraindications?
BOTOX® Cosmetic should not be used in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s) and in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the formulation. Patients with neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.

Will I experience any side effects?
The most common side effects following injection include temporary eyelid droop and nausea. Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection. Patients with certain neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects. For more details, see the full Prescribing Information .

Will my facial expressions continue to look natural?
Although the results are visible, a treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic will not radically change your facial appearance or make you look as if you "had work done." The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced, so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.

Do treatment results differ?
To get the best results, it's important to go to a doctor who is experienced in administering BOTOX® Cosmetic. You may want to consider choosing a doctor that have medical practices that focus on facial aesthetics, as well as detailed knowledge of facial anatomy and experience injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Is Botox affordable?
When considering your facial aesthetic options, BOTOX® Cosmetic is quite affordable. According to an American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery survey, BOTOX® Cosmetic is one of the low-entry-cost facial aesthetic procedures in the United States. At around $300/area [and much less in packages] it breaks down to under $15/unit. Like other appearance-related investments, such as hair coloring and cuts, teeth whitening, and chemical peels, the cost must be weighed relative to your expectations. Consult your doctor for further information.

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