treatment
It is widely used to remove facial wrinkles. Botox injection is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries in the modern era. Millions of people are injected with Botox annually. So what is botox injection? What are its benefits? And their uses? "Sehatak" has presented these questions and everything related to the topic of "botox" to one of the specialists and those interested in this field. Dr. Adel Al-Sentli, a consultant dermatologist at King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the International Society of Hair Transplantation, in the following dialogue:
Benefits of botox
What are botox, its benefits and uses?
«Botox» is a natural protein extracted from a type of bacteria, which is Clostridium botulinum. Botox is given through simple injections into the area to be treated. These injections are often painless as they are given through very thin needles, and an anesthetic cream can be placed on the area to be treated before starting the treatment to relieve any pain during the injection.
Botox has many benefits in medical and cosmetic fields. As for the use of Botox in the field of dermatology and cosmetology, it works to remove wrinkles on the face, forehead and around the eyes. It is known that there are several types of wrinkles, including:
First: the kinetic (expressive) wrinkles, which are caused by the movement of the facial muscles and lead to these wrinkles, especially in the face area, which is called the muqatam area between the eyebrows as well as in the area around the eyes and the forehead. Botox injections are used to treat these expressive motor wrinkles, as these injections give very satisfactory and convincing results, and also give the face brightness and beauty, and help to overcome the signs of aging.
Second: Fixed (non-kinetic) wrinkles, which are formed as a result of a lack of fat in the layers of the skin, and to treat them we use fillers. It is worth noting that these wrinkles are not only found on the face, but are found in other areas of the body, such as the back of the hands and the neck.
Facial expressions disappear
Some people think that botox injections remove facial expressions completely, so how true is this belief?
Dr. Adel Al-Centeli that it is a misconception, as the best use of "Botox" is to remove unwanted expressive wrinkles. And the treating physician must, before starting this treatment, ask the patient about the wrinkles that he wants to reduce or remove.
Among the uses of "Botox" is also raising the eyebrows, but this procedure depends on what the person wants specifically, as there is a large percentage of people who want their appearance to be beautiful and natural. And some women want their only goal to raise eyebrows. As we mentioned, this procedure depends primarily on the patient, and on his goal of taking these cosmetic injections.
Multiple treatments
What are the other uses of "Botox"?
Botox has wide uses other than the aforementioned, and one of the other uses in the field of skin problems is that it treats cases of hyperhidrosis. It helps in treating excessive sweating in the armpits and hands, as Botox works to block the irritating nerves to the sweat glands. Therefore, it became possible to get rid of excessive sweating and its social and psychological problems with these simple injections.
There are other uses for Botox for medical purposes, such as the treatment of involuntary (involuntary) movement spasms, movement disorders and spasms of the face and neck, as well as cases of cerebral palsy and migraine. It is also used in the field of ophthalmology, as it helps in treating strabismus cases. Among the recent uses of "Botox" is its use in the treatment of incontinence and bladder disorders.
Botox injection
To summarize the method of giving botox injections, Dr. Centli is an example of one of its uses After assessing the movement of the muscles and the resulting wrinkles and discussing the patient’s goal of taking Botox, the skin is sterilized, and then Botox is injected with a fine needle in very small quantities into the muscles that cause wrinkles. The doctor determines the necessary amount of "Botox" according to the muscle and its size. An anesthetic cream can be applied to the areas to be injected, 20-30 minutes before the injection, so that the patient does not feel a tingling, even if it is simple. A doctor can be visited after two weeks, to assess his condition, as it is possible to add a little Botox if the case requires.
And Dr. Sentily, giving botox injections is only a simple procedure, and the patient can go home and work after the injection, but it is recommended not to touch or compress the injected area to limit the effect of botox to the muscle only. It is preferable for the patient not to bend his head or lie down for 4 hours after the injection. On the other hand, it is preferable for the patient to move his facial muscles after the injection, because this speeds up the arrival of Botox to the muscles.
side effects
When does the patient see the result after giving him Botox?
The patient gets a preliminary result 3 - 4 days after the injection, and the final result appears within 10 - 14 days.
As for the duration of the effect of "Botox", its effect lasts for a period of approximately 4 to 6 months. Where the injection can be repeated again or before social events such as weddings and others. But as we mentioned, "Botox" must be given long enough before the desired result appears.
Are there side effects of "Botox"?
Botox injection is a safe cosmetic procedure, and some temporary complications may occur, such as slight redness in the injection sites, and this may disappear within hours. One of the rare negative effects is a sagging in the eyebrow in a specific way, and it often disappears within 2 to 3 weeks.
Are wrinkles worse than they were before treatment?
This is not true, as the wrinkles return to what they were, and in some cases return to a better position than they were, as the muscles that cause expressive (kinetic) wrinkles gradually shrink due to their lack of movement for several months, so when they return to movement they are weaker and these wrinkles are reduced From the previous one.
Is there a specific age for the use of "Botox"?
This is one of the misconceptions of some people. Giving Botox injections is not linked to a specific age, but rather to the need to hide wrinkles, and this is due to the patient’s desire and the doctor’s evaluation, as there are patients in their fifty years of age who do not have wrinkles, and there is the opposite. Patients may have wrinkles on the face at an early age.
As for what some claim about the existence of creams that lead to results similar to "Botox", this statement is incorrect, and there are also no scientific studies proving the effect of these creams.
