Wrinkle Injections - Botulinum Toxin

East Midlands Laser & Cosmetic Clinic – Botulinum Toxin Fact Sheet.

The purpose of this form is to help educate you about Botulinum Toxin, its potential risks and expected benefits, so that you can make an educated decision on whether or not you are interested in this treatment. This information is not meant to scare or alarm you; it is simply an effort to better inform you so that you may give or withhold your consent for treatment.

Botulinum Toxin injections have been safely used for more than a decade in children and adults to improve muscle spasm of the facial muscles. This toxin has also been useful around the eye to correct double vision due to muscle imbalance, as well as numerous other neurological uses.

Results from Botulinum Toxin injections are usually very dramatic and extremely positive. The facial muscles that have caused the skin to contract and wrinkle, will relax, which in turn allows the skin to smooth, creating a more youthful appearance.

A few tiny injections of Botulinum Toxin relaxes overactive muscles, which results in a softening of the vertical lines between the brows. Injections in other areas to improve the appearance of facial lines have been reported in the literature. To name a few of the other areas that have been successfully treated are the lines around the eyes, commonly referred to as “Crow’s Feet” and the horizontal lines across the forehead and nose. It has also been used in the lower face around the mouth area.

A minute amount of diluted Botulinum toxin solution is injected with an extremely small needle into the targeted muscle. Botulinum Toxin injections are very simple, fast and safe. Any pain associated with the injections is minimal. No sedatives or local anaesthetic are required, and you may engage in your daily activities immediately after treatment.

The targeted muscles do not relax immediately. The benefits develop over the next two to fourteen days. The muscle will remain in a relaxed state for a period of six weeks to six months.

On average Botulinum Toxin injections last for a period of about three months. There are many variables to take into consideration with determining the length of time your result will last. One variable to consider is the effect of increased metabolism when taking diet pills, including the herbal diet pill, Metabolite. The length of time the muscle will remain relaxed, may be decreased.

As stated the results of Botulinum Toxin are temporary. Maintenance sessions are needed to sustain the results over time. How often those treatments are needed will vary from person to person. To obtain optimal results, several sessions may be required. Optimal is the very subjective. Optimal to some is a softening of expression lines, but optimal to others is a total lack of muscle movement. Botulinum Toxin injections are for improvement not perfection.

Side effects and complications have been minimal. Occasionally, temporary slight swelling, and/or bruising may last for a few days after the injections. The incidence of bruising can be greatly decreased by avoiding, for a period of two weeks prior to your injections, Aspirin or Aspirin containing products, Motrin, Ibuprofen, diet pills, herbal diet pills, mega doses of Vitamin E, Gingko, Garlic or anything that is going to cause a thinning effect on the blood.

A possibility, but not a probability, is the inadvertent relaxing of a muscle that was not the intended target. This could potentially result in a temporary eyelid droop. You will be instructed not to lie flat, or rub the injection sites for approximately four hours after your treatment so that the Botulinum Toxin does not spread to adjacent muscles. In the unlikely event that you were to end up with an eyelid droop, Botulinum Toxin is temporary. Eye drops can be made available to you to lessen the effects of a temporary droop, or left untreated the droop will resolve on it’s own without any treatment at all.

Other potential side effects include, but are not limited to: headache, nausea, or flu like symptoms.

Under no circumstances will Botulinum Toxin injections be performed if there is an infection at the desired injection site.