Once upon a time, very few people got Botox treatment, and when they did, you could tell. Those days are long gone, and today it’s very likely someone sitting near you right now has had Botox done on their face and no one can tell. At H-MD Medical Spa in Oklahoma City, OK, we want you to know that this exciting treatment is for everyone. If you’ve never had Botox before, we think you’ll be excited to learn what to expect.
What Does Botox Do?
Botox is an injectable, but it works differently than injectables designed to fill in wrinkles or hollow spots in the face. Botox goes straight to the source of the problem: muscles.
How Wrinkles Form
All your life you’ve been making movements with the muscles of your face. As you make those same movements over and over again, your skin gradually loses its ability to simply spring back from a change. When you were a teen, you probably didn’t notice any creases or wrinkles at all.
By the time you reach your 20s, the skin begins to show creases when you make these same movements. There is still plenty of elasticity in the skin, however, so once you stop making the movement, the skin bounces back. The problem starts when skin finally loses enough elasticity that creases become deeper and eventually turn into permanent wrinkles.
How Long Until Wrinkles Form?
The time it takes for your skin to lose enough elasticity to start forming serious creases and wrinkles is all down to your unique genetics, behavior patterns, and environment.
Genetics
Genetics is something you can do nothing about: your skin loses elasticity at the rate your genes determine. By looking at photos of parents and grandparents, each of us can usually get a good idea of when to expect our first wrinkles to appear.
Behavior and Environment
There are some factors involved in wrinkle formation that we can control. Hydration is important for skin health, and those who live in especially dry climates, people who regularly don’t drink enough water, and heavy drinkers will usually see wrinkles before they otherwise would.
Smoking is also very hard on the skin, and the most damaging thing of all is unprotected sun exposure. Regularly exposing your face to the sun without sunscreen, especially in places or at times where UV levels are generally high, will age the skin quickly.
How Botox Stops the Process
Wrinkles form when you make movements with your face, and that’s where Botox comes in. Botox injections stop muscles from moving, which allows the skin to finally get a rest and fall back to its normal, smooth state. The effects of Botox can last up to 4 months, depending on the individual, and there’s no danger in receiving regular treatments to keep up that smooth, younger look.
Botox: What to Expect Your First Time
Talk It Out
Your treatment starts with a consultation, and this is very important. You need to be fully informed about the treatment itself and what results to expect, and you should feel comfortable with the professional administering your Botox injections.
At your consultation, you’ll talk with a physician about your goals and what to expect, and this is your opportunity to ask any questions you like. Don’t hesitate: knowledge is power, and at H-MD Medical Spa, we’ve heard every question and want you to feel perfectly comfortable before you get started.
Having a Treatment
There’s nothing special you need to do before you arrive for treatment other than to temporarily stop taking anything that can thin your blood, like vitamin E supplements, ibuprofen, aspirin, or medications. This ensures you won’t experience any bruising. When you get here, we will also carefully clean the area so there’s no risk of infection.
Injections
Botox isn’t just one giant injection. Instead, you’ll have a few small injections in the areas that will best protect your skin from creasing and wrinkling. A skilled doctor will be able to apply injections in the right place for the best results. The whole process will take just about 10 minutes, and the results can be seen in a few days.
Afterward
Botox doesn’t require any recovery period. You can go right back to normal life as soon as you’re done, and when a skilled physician has administered your Botox treatment, you won’t need to worry about looking frozen or strange. No one will know you’ve had Botox unless you choose to tell them.
What to Avoid
After your treatment, there are only two things you need to avoid for a few hours: touching the area too hard or lying down on it. Either of these could cause the Botox to migrate away from the target area.
Why Botox Treatment?
If you’re dissatisfied with the way you look due to signs of aging like dynamic wrinkles, then now is most likely the right time to visit us and talk with a physician about your options.
Am I Too Old?
It’s never too late to look younger. However old you are and however much your skin aged, Botox injections could help you look younger than you do now. When you look younger, it’s not unusual to also start feeling younger.
Am I Too Young?
Perhaps you’ve not yet noticed any significant wrinkles but you’d like to stave off those wrinkles for as long as possible. Regular Botox injections can do just that. By stopping excessive movements in key muscles, you can put off the look of aging for years. When wrinkles do finally appear, they will be less pronounced and easier to get rid of.
A Few More Answers
If this is your first time considering a Botox treatment, you likely have some other questions. There’s nothing wrong with asking questions, and it’s always smart to get all the facts before you start a medical treatment: even a cosmetic one.
Is Botox Dangerous?
Botox has been around longer than most cosmetic treatments, and with that kind of age has come plenty of opportunity for doctors to study its effects. Scientists have known about this protein since the late 19th century, and Botox was first used as a medical treatment in 1977. At the time, it was used to treat an eye disorder characterized by constant twitching. Botox stopped the twitching, and as it did, doctors began to notice that it reduced the appearance of wrinkles.
The first cosmetic use of Botox was approved in 1989, and since then, many millions of people have successfully been treated with Botox for cosmetic reasons. There have been dozens of clinical studies of Botox and its effects. This is a safe, well-established, and extensively studied treatment.
Will Botox Make Me Look Frozen?
Botox stops muscles from moving, so won’t it keep you from using your features in a natural, normal way. When Botox is administered by an inexperienced person who doesn’t know what they’re doing, it can go to the wrong muscles and cause that dreaded “frozen” appearance. That’s why it’s so crucial to choose the right clinic and the best professionals for your Botox treatments. An experienced and skilled physician knows exactly which muscles to target to get you the skin-smoothing results you want.
At H-MD Medical Spa, Dr. Hunnewell and Dr. Mandraccia bring decades of experience and training in delicate surgery and cosmetic treatments to their practice; and Botox is always a physician-administered treatment at our clinic.
How Long Will My Results Last?
The average Botox treatment lasts three months, but it’s not unusual for effects to last as long as four months with the right care. You can help preserve your results by staying hydrated, eating foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, and taking care to exfoliate and moisturize properly.
Is Botox a Woman’s Treatment?
In the movies, only women get Botox. In real life, men have just as much right to love their appearance as women do! Thankfully, the stigma that used to attach to men seeking cosmetic treatments is now gone; and it’s about time. In just the past three years, in fact, more than one million Botox treatments have been done on men.
Will Botox Injections Hurt?
The needles used to inject Botox around the mouth are so small it’s unlikely you’ll be bothered by them. If you are especially sensitive or are afraid of needles, talk to us. We can consider numbing options that can address your concerns and ensure your treatment is perfectly comfortable.
When Do I Have to Stop Having Botox?
For most people, there’s no reason to stop Botox injections unless you want to. Plenty of people have Botox treatments repeatedly for decades with no ill effects. As long as you want to keep your skin smooth and looking young, you can continue to have treatments.
Is Botox My Only Option?
There are many options available to address your concerns with aging and wrinkles if you feel Botox isn’t right for you. We are happy to talk to you about all your options and help you make a decision about the best one for your needs. We also offer artefill, Belotero, Dysport, Juvederm XC, and many other injectables and cosmetic treatments.
Get Started on Younger-Looking Skin
You don’t have to wait any longer to get the youthful look you’ve been thinking about. It’s time to consider Botox treatments, so visit H-MD Medical Spa in Oklahoma City, OK today to learn more. We here to answer your questions and help you get started on your personal beauty journey.