What to Expect
Botulinum toxin injections are non-surgical and
typically completed during an office visit. Your
initial treatment will begin with a consultation,
during which you will meet with your cosmetic
surgeon to discuss your concerns and goals.
Pre-treatment consultation
During your consultation, your cosmetic
surgeon will evaluate your area of concern and
go over your medical history. Even though there
is little risk of major complications for most
patients, it is still imperative that you share your
medical history fully and openly with your
provider before treatment, as certain allergies,
skin and neurological conditions, or
medications can make treatment unsuitable
for a patient. For instance, you need to tell your
cosmetic surgeon if you have been taking
NSAIDs (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) or
blood thinners.
During treatment
Just before the actual treatment, you may be
given a topical anesthetic to numb the area
prior to injection, though many patients find this
unnecessary, as the needles used to inject
botulinum toxins are very thin and the
injections are not very deep. Your provider will
reconstitute the botulinum toxin into a solution,
and inject this solution into the muscle at
strategic points. Most patients describe a
pinching feeling during the injection, though
not much pain.
You will be able to go back to your normal
activities right after treatment, but your
cosmetic surgeon may ask you to take the day
off from exercise or other strenuous activity,
and to keep your head upright for the rest of
the day. Mild redness, swelling at the injection
site, and bruising are the most common side
effects.
Following treatment, you will not see results
immediately. This is expected, so do not worry
that treatment hasn’t worked. Depending on
the patient, product used, and area treated,
final results are typically reached 3 to 7 days
after initial treatments. If this is your first
botulinum toxin treatment, your cosmetic
surgeon may initially inject a more
conservative amount and touch up the results
during a follow up treatment. This helps to
ensure natural, optimal results without the risk
of over-treating an area.
After Treatment
The wrinkle-reducing effects from botulinum
treatments will vary depending on the patient,
the area treated, and the product used, but
results will typically last anywhere from 3 to 6
months for most brands. Daxxify is formulated
to be longer-lasting and may last up to 6 to 9
months for some patients. To maintain your
results, your cosmetic surgeon will simply
repeat treatment, adjusting dosage and
techniques as necessary to ensure optimal
results.