What Is BOTOX®?

BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a simple, non-surgical, treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe frown lines, forehead lines, crows feet, chin dimples, upper and lower lip lines and even improve the appearance of the down-turned corners of the mouth.

*One 10-minute treatment, a few tiny injections, and within days there's a noticeable improvement in moderate to severe  lines and wrinkles which can last up to 4 months. Results may vary.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those frown lines between the brows to form over time.

In 2005, almost 3.3 million procedures were performed with FDA-approved BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

BOTOX® may work for you.

When it comes to selecting an aesthetic treatment, chances are you?ll want proof, not just claims. The proof for BOTOX^® Cosmetic is in the numbers.

• In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women surveyed rated the improvement in the appearance of frown lines between their brows as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. Results vary.
• Results can last for up to 4 months, and may vary.
• BOTOX^® Cosmetic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002.  3.3 million procedures were performed in 2005 alone.
• The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ranked BOTOX^® Cosmetic as the most popular aesthetic procedure in the United States for the fourth year in a row (surgical and nonsurgical combined).

Why skin ages.

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 Anatomy of the Wrinkle
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.

Fortunately, there is a way to temporarily reduce moderate to severe glabellar lines. Treatment with BOTOX^® Cosmetic can visibly smooth and soften moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. An improvement can be seen within days and may last up to 4 months, although results may vary. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women surveyed rated the improvement in the appearance of frown lines between their brows as moderate to better 1 month after treatment.

What to expect.

Before you try and schedule your first BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment consultation, you probably have some questions, such as: How long will it take? How long will the results last? Will it hurt? Will I still be able to make facial expressions?

 

Here's what you might expect at the doctor's office from the moment you arrive until your procedure is done. (Please note that although this experience is typical, the routine at your doctor's office may be different.)

The day of your appointment. Allow time before your appointment for filling out forms and for consulting with the doctor or a member of his or her staff. If it's your initial visit, you may first meet with your doctor personally or a staff member. Many doctors have on-staff licensed aestheticians or nurses who are trained in skin care and skin care procedures who can answer many of your questions.

You may also be asked about your expectations for treatment and if you have any allergies or any condition that wouldn't make you a good candidate for BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

Before the procedure. You'll probably be seated in a reclining chair, much like you find in a dentist's office. No anesthesia is required, although your doctor may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream.

The procedure. Your doctor will determine where to administer the injections by examining your ability to move certain muscles in your brow area. The entire BOTOX^® Cosmetic injection procedure takes approximately 10 minutes.

After the procedure. There's no recovery time needed. You're ready to get on with your day! 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.

Seeing results. Within days, you may notice an improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary.

The injection process.

The beauty of a BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment is that it's a simple, 10-minute, non-surgical process. A few tiny injections, and within days there can be a noticeable improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between the brows that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary. And there?s no recovery time. You can even do it on your lunch break.

• Your doctor will administer several tiny injections of BOTOX^® Cosmetic directly into the muscles that cause those moderate to severe frown lines between the brows.
• Your doctor will determine where to administer the injections by examining your ability to move certain muscles in your brow area. The location, size, and use of the muscles that create a furrowed brow vary markedly among individuals.
• No anesthesia is required, although your doctor may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream prior to injecting. Discomfort is usually minimal and brief.
• You can expect to be in and out of the physician?s office without downtime. You may see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows within days. Improvement may continue for as long as a month, and could last up to 4 months.

How often is treatment recommended?

If you're pleased with the results of a BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment, you'll probably want to get on a treatment schedule so you can keep on being pleased.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a non-surgical, physician-administered aesthetic treatment that can temporarily reduce the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows for up to 4 months. Within days, you may see a noticeable improvement. Results may vary. You can receive injections with BOTOX^® Cosmetic up to every 4 months to help you maintain the results.

If you discontinue treatment, the frown lines between your brows gradually will look like they did before treatment.

Side effects of BOTOX®.

Do not use BOTOX^® Cosmetic if you:

• have an infection where BOTOX^® Cosmetic will be injected
• are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX^® Cosmetic
• are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.

What should I tell my doctor before using BOTOX^® Cosmetic?

Only your doctor can decide if BOTOX^® Cosmetic is right for you. Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you:

• have any diseases that affect your nerves and muscles. These diseases may increase your chance of side effects with BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment.
• are breastfeeding
• are planning to become pregnant soon.

Can any of my medicines interact with BOTOX^® Cosmetic?

Be sure that your doctor knows the names of all the medicines you are using, including:

• antibiotics used to treat infections, such as gentamicin, tobramycin, clindamycin, and lincomycin
• medicines used to treat heart rhythm problems, such as quinidine
• medicines used to treat different conditions, such as myasthenia gravis or Alzheimer?s disease.

As with all prescription medicines, you should also notify your doctor if you are taking any over-the-counter medicines or herbal products.

This is not a complete list of medicines that can interact with BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

Will I be able to make facial expressions?

After treatment with BOTOX^® Cosmetic, you may look in the mirror and see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. But BOTOX^® Cosmetic will not radically change your facial appearance. You can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic works by temporarily reducing the contractions of the muscles that cause those persistent frown lines that have developed between your brows over time.

Within days, you may see an improvement that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary. If you do not continue treatments, the frown lines between your brows will gradually look like they did before treatment.

What does FDA approval mean?

You've heard it many times before: A product is advertised as "FDA-approved." But what does that really mean?

In the United States, prescription drugs and biologics are required to undergo rigorous laboratory, animal, and human clinical testing before they can be put on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews the results of these studies to:
 

verify the identity, potency, purity, and stability of the "ingredients," and demonstrate that the drug is safe and effective for its intended use.

What about BOTOX^® Cosmetic?

BOTOX^® Cosmetic received FDA approval in 2002 for the temporary treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people 18 to 65 years of age. BOTOX^® Cosmetic is available by prescription only.