Botox has become so common in recent years that many celebrities don’t even deny the fact that they have it done. Famous Botox celebrities include Megan Fox, Heidi Montag, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Minogue, and the list is endless. Why is Botox so popular?
What is Botox?
Botox is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles to get rid of wrinkles and frown lines between the eyebrows.
Botulinum toxin, a purified protein derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, has been researched for 100 years. Although, Botox was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989 to treat certain types of eye muscle problems and abnormal spasm of the eyelids, it was only approved for cosmetic use in 2002, according to the manufacturer.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox injection is performed normally without anesthesia but with a numbing cream to the treatment area. The doctor selects injection points where the muscle contracts. When several injections are made into the marked points beneath the skin, the toxins in Botox blocks the release of a chemical called acetylcholine in nerve cells within the muscles, paralyzes the muscle and stops developing lines and wrinkles.
Botox procedures can take only a few minutes up to twenty minutes. Botox reduces wrinkles by 80 percent and gives a wrinkle-free appearance. A patient can return home immediately after the treatment and see the result within a coupe of days which normally lasts between three and six months.
Advantages of Botox Face Plastic Surgery
Botox is currently one of the most popular anti-wrinkle products on the market. Botox is faster, safer, easier, cheaper and more accessible than other cosmetic procedures such as a facelift. As Botox is nonsurgical, patients will require a very short recovery time and see obvious improvements such as smoother, firmer and more youthful-looking skin in just a couple of days.
Disadvantages of Botox
Finding a qualified and experienced doctor is important. If too much Botox is injected, drooping eyelid muscles can occur. When it is injected less, the wrinkles and lines won’t go away. Some side effects include infection, headache, respiratory problems, facial pain, nausea, muscle weakness, redness and pain at the injection points and flu-like symptoms. But these are normally temporarily.
Cost of Botox Injections
A small amount of Botox between the eyes costs around $350 but it varies depending on the doctor and city. Although it is much cheaper than a face-lift, it needs a certain amount of maintenance as the effects last only for a couple of months.
Botox will not just remove wrinkles and lines but facial expressions, too. But the good thing about Botox is that it doesn’t last forever. If it wasn’t a good experience, do not get another Botox sessions again when the wrinkles, lines and a natural look start appearing.
Miki Garcia - Miki is a freelance writer from San Francisco. After obtaining her master’s degree in journalism from City University London, UK, ...
