Botox injections block certain chemical signals from nerves, mostly signals that cause muscles to contract. The most common use of these injections is to temporarily relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles in the forehead and around the eyes. It is now a major treatment and a treatment seen and done by no end of aesthetics clinics all around the UK too.
Botulinum toxin injections, such as Botox, relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles, such as crow’s feet and frown lines. It blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. The injected muscle can’t contract. That makes wrinkles relax and this is how you then get and end up with a more enhanced appearance.
How it is used
Botox injections are used in two ways:
- Cosmetic – to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and/or to contour areas of the face such as the chin and jaw.
- Medical – to treat a range of conditions including migraines, excessive sweating and an overactive bladder.
It also has some very key benefits too
The key benefits of Botox are:
- You will enjoy a more youthful appearance.
- It can help prevent new wrinkles from forming.
- It can be administered in different amounts. Smaller doses (also known as baby Botox or Botox sprinkles) will give you results that last a few weeks. A higher dosage can last around three months.
- It could actually improve your mental health–studies have shown that Botox can also cut the chances of you having depression.
What you also need to know too
After the injection moves from the dermis and into the desired muscle, the nerves there are blocked – rather, their synapses, are blocked – by the Botox. So even though your brain my fire and signal for your body to move a particular muscle, Botox effectively blocks that firing and keeps the muscle from moving. The injected muscle can no longer contract, which causes the wrinkles to relax and soften, and also helps prevent new ones from forming.
Overall
Immediately following your Botox injections, you may feel slight residual stinging from the injection. You may also notice a small bump at the injection site, a bit like a mosquito bite. No worries, these bumps will fade quickly. Bruising is always a possibility. If you bruise, this will be very minimal and should resolve after a couple of days. You can reduce your risk of bruising by avoiding ibuprofen, aspirin, and any over the counter supplement not prescribed by the physician before your treatment. These are just a few key points to take on board.
