BOTOX® Cosmetic In Chicago and Northbrook, IL
BOTOX® Cosmetic
The early signs of facial aging often begin with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. When you look in the mirror, you may notice the wrinkles when you animate, such as smiling, or they may be visible even when your face is at rest. These types of wrinkles are usually most noticeable in the upper part of the face, including the forehead and around the eyes. If you are bothered by the appearance of these facial lines wrinkles, you are not alone, and there is something non-surgical you can do to get rid of them. BOTOX® Cosmetic injections work effectively to remove the appearance of the wrinkles, providing results that can last several months.
What is BOTOX® Cosmetic?
While the vast majority of people are familiar with the word BOTOX® Cosmetic, there is a lot of confusion about what it is and what concerns it can treat. BOTOX® Cosmetic is an injectable that is FDA approved for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles to the glabella (the area between the eyebrows) and crow’s feet (wrinkles at the corners of the eyes). It is a non-surgical treatment that Dr. Schlechter can perform at our Northbrook office. It has been shown to reduce not only the dynamic wrinkles created by facial movement (muscle contracture) but also static wrinkles that are present without facial expressions. BOTOX® Cosmetic is used off label to treat the lines on the forehead, lip lines, neckbands, and the orange peel look on the chin. BOTOX® is FDA approved for the treatment of chronic migraines, and it is an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating) as well. According to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, BOTOX® Cosmetic has been and remains the number one cosmetic procedure performed.
How does BOTOX® Cosmetic work?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a toxin that, when properly injected, temporarily paralyzes the facial muscles that cause wrinkles. BOTOX® Cosmetic blocks the nerve receptors on the muscle, preventing the neurotransmitter from causing the muscle to contract, thus resulting in the reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Within a week of the injection, most patients will notice reduced muscle movement in the areas treated, such as the forehead, between the eyebrows, crow’s feet, and frown lines. When an adequate amount of product is injected, the intended effect typically lasts three months to possibly four months in most patients. If the results last fewer than three months or never actually correct the issue, it is often because the area was undertreated. Over time, patients who have regular treatments often find that they can stretch the treatments to intervals longer than every three months.
During your consultation, Dr. Schlechter will discuss how you can achieve facial rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction using BOTOX® Cosmetic and other injectable products such as JUVÉDERM®, JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC, Restylane®, KYBELLA®, BELOTERO BALANCE®, and Sculptra® Aesthetic. In skilled hands, BOTOX® Cosmetic injections take 10 to 15 minutes, and patients may resume their normal activities immediately afterward. The injection site may be slightly red and swollen for a very short time after treatment, but these symptoms should dissipate within 20 to 30 minutes. North Shore Aesthetics provides its patients from Northbrook and the greater Chicago area with an ice pack to quickly reduce any swelling. Although slight bruising at the injection site is a risk, it rarely happens, and makeup will easily cover any temporary bruising.
There are some more serious and less common side effects from BOTOX® Cosmetic, which are quite rare and significantly reduced if an expert injector such as Dr. Schlechter performs the procedure. BOTOX® Cosmetic has become like a commodity, with many practitioners looking to cash in on the high demand, resulting in gray-market imitations of the product. It is important to remember this product can have unintended consequences, especially in unskilled hands. To minimize your risk, always have a board-certified plastic surgeon perform your BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments.
Am I a candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic?
Dr. Schlechter will determine if you are a good candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic. During your consultation, he will help set realistic expectations as to what the product can do, recognizing that while BOTOX® Cosmetic can significantly reduce and even eliminate the appearance of wrinkles, there may still be some visible fine lines. This especially true if the patient does not elect to receive the full amount of BOTOX® Cosmetic recommended by the doctor. For example, many patients for financial reasons choose to have 25 units of BOTOX® Cosmetic and ask the doctor to spread it across several areas, when they need more units for optimal correction. For this reason, North Shore Aesthetics has chosen to sell BOTOX® Cosmetic by the unit and not by the area, so you pay only for what you need. BOTOX® Cosmetic is not a permanent solution for facial wrinkles, and it will not stop the facial aging. BOTOX® Cosmetic is not recommended for patients under 18 years of age or for those that are pregnant or breastfeeding. Call for a complimentary filler consult with North Shore Aesthetics today to learn how BOTOX® Cosmetic can address your concerns.
