BOTOX® Cosmetic
in Denver, CO
When you smile, laugh, frown, or look puzzled, you contract various muscles of your face. Over time, these repeated contractions produce permanent furrows and deep wrinkles in the skin, especially around the eyes and between the eyebrows, and on the forehead. These lines can make you look older, sad, angry or tired. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments not only block the muscles associated with these facial movements, it helps to relieve the signs of aging, leaving you looking younger and more refreshed.
What are the Benefits of Botox®?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the country and one of our most requested services. Quick, safe, and effective, BOTOX® reduces or eliminates facial lines and wrinkles in certain designated areas for six months or more with no downtime and little to no discomfort.
Benefits of BOTOX include:
- Non-surgical treatment for dynamic facial wrinkles
- Enhances your natural beauty by smoothing wrinkles on the face without altering volume or changing structure
- Nearly immediate results
- Low risks
- FDA-approved
- Long-lasting results that can be easily extended through touch-ups
- Customizable to suit your esthetic goals
What Issues Can Be Treated Using Botox®?
Through a series of tiny injections, BOTOX® gives you a rejuvenated look by smoothing smile lines (crow's feet) on the side of the eyes, minimizing frown lines between the eyebrows, and lessening horizontal lines across the forehead.
How BOTOX® Cosmetic Works
BOTOX® is the brand name for botulinum toxin A, a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The medication, when injected into certain muscle groups within the face, relaxes those muscles that cause wrinkles or deep furrows. When injected in small doses in specific areas, BOTOX® injections block nerve to muscle electrical transmission responsible for the muscle action that cause those unwanted fine lines, wrinkles and frowns. In this way, BOTOX® diminishes the lines in the skin that otherwise make you look tired or angry.
Candidates for BOTOX®
A good candidate for BOTOX® treatment may be anyone looking to enhance their appearance by getting rid of unwanted lines or wrinkles. It is also important that patients seeking treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic are in good physical health, are not pregnant or nursing, and do not have a neuromuscular disorder.
Men and women considering BOTOX® treatment should have realistic expectations of what the procedure can do and cannot do. You should discuss the desired results with Dr. Bershof to ensure that your goals can be achieved. Some patients may be more suitable candidates for dermal fillers, in which case Dr. Bershof will explain which filler would be most effective for your esthetic goals and why.
The BOTOX® Procedure
Using a very fine needle, the nurse injector will inject BOTOX® Cosmetic into designated muscles in your face that are causing lines and wrinkles. You may experience brief, mild discomfort during the injection, but you can be assured that the treatment is very safe and effective.
Is There Any Downtime After a BOTOX® Treatment?
The recovery is immediate, allowing you to return to work and resume your normal daily activities that same day. Results take several days for the intended paralysis to set-up. After BOTOX Cosmetic, it’s recommended to avoid facials, chemical peels, and skin treatments on the affected area or surrounding sites for several days and possibly up to two weeks. We will let you know the best amount of time to avoid these activities so you can preserve your results.
How Long Does a Botox® Treatment Session Take?
BOTOX Cosmetic treatments take only a few minutes to complete. It could be 10-30 minutes for an entire treatment, depending on the areas you wish to treat and how many units you receive. Additional time may be required to allow your topical anesthetic to take effect (about 15-20 minutes before treatment). Does BOTOX® Require Anesthesia?
Does BOTOX Cosmetic Require Anesthesia?
BOTOX® treatment requires no anesthetic.
Cost of BOTOX®
BOTOX Cosmetic is charged by the unit. Units are the measurement used to determine the amount of botulinum toxin administered to a patient.The typical number of units varies by treatment area, and we further customize every procedure to the patient’s needs.
Although BOTOX Cosmetic is charged by the unit, it is the skill and experience of the injector you are paying for. There are ostensible spas and salons selling BOTOX Cosmetic for less money, but the injector is the important variable, not the product. Many spas and salons use an esthetician or a registered nurse, rather than a plastic surgeon. Here at Body by Design, John Fox Bershof, MD, FACS, performs all of the injections. Rest assured, you are in the best possible hands.
BOTOX® Cosmetic Results
Immediately following the BOTOX Cosmetic treatment, some patients may experience mild bruising, which will go away in a few days and be easily covered with makeup.
You will see your wrinkles begin to fade within 24 hours, with continued improvement over the next 5 days after injection. The effects of BOTOX Cosmetic typically last 6 months, sometimes longer, although many have reported results lasting up to a full year. In fact, after several BOTOX Cosmetic treatments to the same muscle group, the results may last longer than the usual 4-6 months since studies have shown that repeated injections make the muscle group favorably atrophic.
BOTOX Cosmetic treatment will relax the intended muscles in your face and soften the skin, giving you a more relaxed and youthful appearance.
How Does BOTOX Cosmetic Differ From Dermal Fillers?
Patients unfamiliar with injectables may wonder if BOTOX Cosmetic is the same as other treatments such as JUVÉDERM®. The most important distinction is their makeup; BOTOX Cosmetic and BOTOX used for medical purposes are made from a neurotoxin: onabotulinumtoxinA. This derives from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, the same toxin that can cause the food poisoning botulism. In controlled, small doses, BOTOX can be used to treat various health-related conditions, such as:
- Overactive bladder
- Strabismus (crossed eyes)
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ pain)
- Blepharospasm (uncontrollable blinking)
- Severe sweating under the arms
- Chronic migraines
- Cervical dystonia (a neurological disorder that causes severe muscular contractions in the neck and shoulders)
BOTOX Cosmetic is the type of BOTOX exclusively used to treat facial and neck wrinkles. It is more impactful in cosmetic applications by stopping chemical nerve signals that cause facial muscles to contract, leading to the appearance of wrinkles.
FDA-approved dermal fillers, on the other hand, are made from either hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, or Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). These are biocompatible substances that carry a low risk of complications. Hyaluronic acid is already produced by your body. Fillers are designed to enhance contour and increase volume in hollow areas. They can essentially “fill in” wrinkles rather than just blocking the muscle contractions that cause them.
Fillers are more suitable for patients looking to enhance or augment their face or smooth certain fine lines and wrinkles that are due to volume loss. BOTOX Cosmetic does not increase volume at the injection site, so it will not be effective for every type of facial wrinkle.
Risks and Side Effects of BOTOX®
Side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic are rare and are usually mild and temporary. The most common side effects caused by BOTOX® are headaches and temporary redness or bruising of the skin at the site of injection. In rare cases, slight drooping of an upper eyelid or asymmetry of expression may occur. Any risk of complication can be reduced by choosing a qualified and experienced injector, and by following post-procedure instructions.
A word of caution: Avoid rubbing, massaging, or touching the treatment site after receiving BOTOX Cosmetic injections. This can cause the toxin to spread to surrounding tissues, leading to facial drooping and temporary facial weakness.
Beautifully Natural Results With Minimal Risks
BOTOX Cosmetic has been FDA-approved for the treatment of facial wrinkles since 2002. With over 20 years of success, it has helped millions of patients in 98 countries achieve greater body confidence through non-invasive wrinkle correction.
Today, BOTOX Cosmetic is the only neurotoxin injectable approved to treat three treatment areas: moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines. The Look of 3 is a famous BOTOX Cosmetic treatment that uses 64 units at least three times a year to rejuvenate the face and maintain a youthful look for adults in their late 20s to over 50.
With a skilled injector, the risk of BOTOX Cosmetic complications is low. With such a positive track record, you can feel confident knowing that Dr. Bershof can administer excellent BOTOX Cosmetic treatment in our comfortable Denver, CO, office.
Schedule A Botox® Consult with Dr. Bershof Today!
To learn more about our Botox treatments or any of our other Skin Care treatments, be sure to book a one-on-one appointment with Dr. John F. Bershof. Call us today at 303.399.7662 or fill out the appointment request form on this page. Bershof Plastic Surgery is proud to serve Denver, CO and the surrounding areas.