Botox is a medicine used to treat certain conditions and diseases in the face including wrinkles and lines in the facial muscles. It is one of the most widely used medicines in the world and has been used for decades to treat these aesthetic concerns as well as a number of medical conditions. The medicine is injected into the facial muscles to temporarily stop them from contracting, which results in a smoother, less wrinkled appearance. The medicine is also used to treat certain chronic pain conditions and migraine headaches, both of which involve nerve constriction in the face, to help relieve the pain and prevent the development of more severe symptoms.

Common cosmetic uses of Botox include:

Reduce the appearance of:
• Wrinkles on the forehead
• Frown lines (glabellar lines)
• Crow’s feet
• Fine lines on the mouth
• Furrows on the chin

Mimic a facelift by altering:
• lower face
• jawline
• nose

Lip treatments:
• The ‘lip flip’ – enhancing the upper lip
• Minimizing ‘marionette lines’ – vertical creases that run down from the corners of the mouth, perpendicular to the lips
• Reducing/improving a ‘gummy smile’
• Smoothing lip lines and wrinkles
• Smoothing creases around the lips

Common medical uses of Botox include:
• Cervical dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions in the neck)
• Lazy eye (strabismus, or abnormal alignment of the eyes)
• Muscle contractures (involuntary contraction of the muscles, common in certain neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy)
• Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
• Chronic migraine (frequent and long-term migraine symptoms)
• Bladder dysfunction (such as urinary incontinence caused by an overactive bladder)
• Eye twitching (blepharospasm)

Botox can be used both preventatively, to delay the development of wrinkles, or reactively, to treat skin irregularities that are already present. Preventative Botox is typically recommended for people that have started to show signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, and furrows that do not go away when not making any facial expressions. This typically occurs around the age of 30 but may happen as early as 25 in some situations. Cosmetic Botox for wrinkles that have already formed is most commonly performed on patients in their 40s and early 50s; however, there are also a lot of people in their 60s who benefit from cosmetic Botox.

Botox is not considered a painful procedure and is generally well-tolerated; it is normal to feel a ‘pinching’ sensation as the treatment involves injections, and while this may be uncomfortable, it should not be painful. If pain or discomfort is a concern, the performing healthcare professional may be able to provide a numbing solution, such as an ice pack or a local anesthetic.

Because Botox is a minimally invasive procedure, there are few side effects involved; the ones that do commonly occur are mild and typically abate within a few days, including:

• At the site of injection:
• Redness
• Swelling
• Discoloration (bruising)
• Soreness
• Bleeding

While the risk is mitigated through proper sanitation and safety protocols, the infection may occur from any treatment or procedure that involves puncturing or penetrating the skin. This may cause the following symptoms:

• Fever or chills
• Headache (may also occur without infection)

Come to Synergy for your next Botox treatment! Call us today to book an appointment at our Botox treatment clinic, or come visit us at 105-3960 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC V8X 4A3. We look forward to serving you! We serve clients from Victoria BC, Oak Bay BC, Esquimalt BC, View Royal BC, Saanich BC, Cordova Bay BC, and Langford BC, and look forward to meeting you!