You may have been considering a Botox treatment; after all, it’s all the rage these days. Whether you are seeking an anti-aging treatment for wrinkles, or looking to relieve pain or another issue, Botox can be a long-term solution to many common concerns people have about their image, or their comfort. But before succumbing to the needle, you may wonder what it’s like to get Botox. In this article we’ll explain just that.
Before a Botox treatment…
Before you get your Botox treatment, a doctor or nurse will consult with you about the areas you want treated, and for what reason. They will ask you to tense your muscles and relax your muscles. This is so they can see where your injection sites should be, and how much Botox you may need to achieve your goals. This will determine the prescription they give you for this drug.
The doctor or nurse, or an assistant, should also go over possible side effects with you. You may be asked to sign a release.
Side effects from Botox are very rare. The most common ones are bruising and swelling at the injection sites. Sometimes, a cocked eye or a drooping eyelid can occur. Of course, there are other possibilities, as there are with any drugs.
During a Botox treatment…
During a Botox treatment, you may be given a squeeze ball, if you need it. Botox treatments are not that painful, however. They use very thin diabetic needles.
Botox is measured in units. A doctor will mix saline with the appropriate number of Botox powder units. They’ll use that to fill a vial with the liquid solution.
Dr. Shah at Beautiful Canadian Laser and Skincare Clinic, which offers Botox in Surrey (near Vancouver, B.C.), says he always has an assistant present. “The assistant helps to comfort the patient, and can quickly pass me the tools I need. They are also ready with cotton alcohol swabs to dab the injection sites, which may bleed a little,” he explains.
Again, you will be asked to tense your muscles. For example, you’ll be asked to make a frown face, or a shocked face, and so on.
A cotton swab with alcohol will be rubbed at your injection sites.
A needle will go in and out of your injection sites in quick motions. The whole procedure for an aesthetic treatment can take 15 minutes. If getting Botox for hyperhidrosis or pain, the procedure can take a bit longer, simply because more Botox needs to be injected into a larger surface area.
If an assistant is present, they may stroke your arm to help you take your mind off the pinch of the needle.
When you’re done, your injection sites may be rubbed with alcohol again.
After a Botox treatment…
After your treatment session, you should not rub the area vigorously, nor do strenuous exercise, at least for a few hours after treatment. You can move your muscles in your treatment areas. You may experience a bit of bruising or swelling, which is normal, and will go away in a few days.
You will need to wait about 3 to 5 days for the effects of Botox to kick in. You will slowly notice your muscle movements being restricted in the areas that were treated with Botox. This is intentional. Botox is meant to stop your muscle movements, to prevent folds in the skin, which create wrinkles.
If you receive Botox for pain, your muscles will relax, and you’ll notice they won’t tense up as easily, thus resulting in fewer aches. Over time, muscles will also shrink, since they are not being used as much.
The effects of Botox last about 3 to 4 months. However, they can begin to fade sooner than that. So it is important to re-do Botox treatments at regular intervals, if you want to continue to see results. By staggering your treatments every 3 to 4 months, you can get better and better effects from it. Though, this also has to do with the strength of the dosage you receive. A quality Botox clinic will not undercut your dose to make a buck.
Getting Botox is easy
As we’ve seen above, the experience of getting Botox is rather simple, and easy. It involves a short consultation whereby you tell a doctor or nurse what you’re hoping to achieve. It can be for wrinkle reduction, an aesthetic issue, or to alleviate pain or hyperhidrosis. They will analyze your treatment area to decide how much Botox to administer.
Your session will be quick, with a thin needle injecting small amounts of Botox into your treatment areas.
Afterwards, it’s just a matter of waiting for the Botox to kick in and do its job. Then, you just need to come in for follow up treatments on a recommended schedule.
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