Botox - 8 Myths About It!

While we cannot reverse the aging process, we can slow it down and control the visible signs of aging. Botox is one such therapy that can keep us looking younger. It's mainly used for the facial lines and wrinkles that age, stress, worry, and environmental factors may produce, even on a younger person’s face.

Botox is a drug made from the bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. While Botox is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedure. This unique treatment is also used along with facial plastic surgery procedures such as a facelift or eyelid lift to maximize its cosmetic benefit. Botox treatments can lift the brow making which will make your face look less tired, giving you a more youthful appearance.

It can also be used to treat misaligned eyes, severe sweating of the underarm region, cervical dystonia, migraines and uncontrollable blinking. It can also be used to treat an overactive bladder. In terms of cosmetic enhancements, Botox can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, prevent new wrinkles from developing. Botox is commonly injected into the forehead, glabella or space between eyebrows, outer corners of the eyes, chin and neck.

Botox is used only in small concentrated dosage under the guidance of a doctor, as it can have severe side effects, if used incorrectly. The Botox procedure is as simple as getting an injection. It is administered by injecting a readymade Botox solution into the muscles. This paralyses the muscles by blocking nerve signals to the area and preventing the release of acetylcholine, which is responsible for the contraction of muscles. Usually the results of a Botox injection can be seen within 24-72 hours. In rare cases, it may take upto 5 days for the results to become visible.

However, there some myths about Botox which needs to debunked. Lets read more about it-

Myth #1

Botox limits facial expression: The primary objective of a Botox treatment is to enhance the look of a person and not the contrary. When administered by a skilled physician, you can still smile and animate like before. Botox in no way affects the sensory nerve. The muscle beneath the point of injection gets relaxed and remains active. The apprehension of limited facial activity is baseless.

Myth #2

Botox travel through your body: This again is a myth. Botox diffuses not more than 1cm into the skin. Due to its localized nature, it does not affect any other parts of the body other than the intended area.

Myth #3

Botox has toxic content: Botox, like any other drug, is safe when taken under supervision. Like other drugs, it too gets scanned by the drug regulatory authorities. It is neither dangerous nor contains any toxic substance.

Myth #4

Dermal fillers involve intense pain: Dermal fillers are not as painful as advocated by many people out there. It does have its fair share of discomfort but a medical practitioner always uses a topical anesthetic and other anxiety related medications during the treatment.

Myth #5

Downtime for Botox is fairly long: Botox is known as the afternoon injection for its convenience and easy procedure. Botox procedure has no downtime at all. Doctors often suggest against lying down for a good 2-3 hours after the injection. Dermal fillers might result in minor swelling but there are medicines to counter that too.

Myth #6

Botox is permanent in nature: Botox effects lasts for 4-6months. For people who take Botox shots regularly, it tends to last longer. 

Myth #7

Dermal fillers and Botox are the same: While people these days use them interchangeably, they are not the same. For instance, Botox lessens the effect of wrinkles by relaxing the facial muscle whereas dermal fillers add volume to the tissue and restores the muscle.

Myth #8

Botox is applied only when Facial lines are visible: This is not necessarily true. If the family of an individual has a history of facial lines, it makes sense to start Botox for facial line prevention. This delays the actual facial line appearance and requires fewer Botox shots going forward.