Is Botox Safe for Cosmetic Use?
Botox burst onto the Kansas City cosmetic scene in the early 2000s and has been used by everyone from CEOs and celebrities to soccer moms and your next door neighbor. Botox injections are used in the cosmetic industry in Kansas City to help get rid of certain wrinkles, usually in the face, including crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead creases. It’s essentially an anti-aging treatment, and the results can be nothing short of stunning.
Botox didn’t always start out as a cosmetic treatment, however. It’s also been used to treat everything from lazy eye to neck spasms to overactive bladder and excessive sweating. The reason that botox works is because it stops the target muscles (the muscles where it has been injected) from contracting. This is how it helps with both medical conditions like spasms but also can reduce lines and wrinkles.
What is Botox and Where Does it Come From?
The reason that people get so worried about Botox and wonder if it’s safe in the first place is because it is derived from a toxin: botulinum toxin type A, which is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The scare comes from the fact that this same toxin causes botulism, a life-threatening food poisoning agent.
But does that mean that it is dangerous in both cosmetic and medical procedures? No. Just as a knife can be used to hurt or kill, it can also be used by a surgeon to save a patient’s life. The analogy holds true with botox: just because it can be dangerous in one application doesn’t mean it’s dangerous in every application. And Botox has been found to be very safe, when administered properly by a trained professional.
Botox is Safe as Long as It’s Made and Administered by a Licensed Professional
Botox is perfectly safe when it’s made and administered by a licensed professional. According to both the FDA and the Mayo Clinic, the chances of side effects are very rare, and far less so when the botox is given by a trained and licensed individual who knows how to use it. In other words, when it’s done right, it’s great. When it’s done poorly, there is the chance for problems. This is the reason you should be picky about the kind of place you go to receive botox cosmetic treatment. (All of the botox professionals at Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center in Kansas City are fully licensed and trained.)
What Do Medical Studies Say About Botox?
When Botox was first being tested by the FDA for cosmetic use, in an enormous and long study of thousands of people (dating from 1989 to 2003), only 36 people had adverse reactions to the Botox, and it was found that 13 of those reactions had to do with underlying conditions in the test subjects. The FDA approved Botox for public cosmetic use.
What Are Some Possible Side Effects of Botox Use?
The first thing to be aware of is that the immediate side effects of botox use disappear almost immediately. At first there can be a little redness or swelling at the injection site. This is because the botox, which is a powder, is diluted with saline when injected. But the bump under the skin from the injected saline should disappear in an hour or less. There is also a rare possibility of bruising at the injection site, but it is very unlikely when botox is administered by an experienced doctor, such as the plastic surgeons at Quinn in Kansas City. To help reduce the chance of bruising, don’t rub or massage the injection site.
The Mayo Clinic states that the following side effects and complications have been known to happen, but are very rare:
- Pain, swelling, or bruising at the injection site
- Headache or flu-like symptoms
- Droopy eyelids
- Crooked smile
- Eye dryness, or excessive tearing
The Mayo Clinic also advises against the use of botox by mothers who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Also, botox should not be used by people who are allergic to cow’s milk protein.
What to Expect When Getting Botox
Before the Procedure
There is usually very little pain or discomfort before the botox is injected, but you may want your skin numbed beforehand. The doctor may use a number of methods to numb the area, including a topical anesthetic, ice or some other anesthesia.
During the Procedure
The procedure is performed at Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center in Kansas City (you don’t need to go to a hospital or clinic). The injection uses a thin needle and only injects a tiny amount of botox into your skin or muscles. There may be more than one injection depending on the treatment you’re looking for.
After the Procedure
As mentioned above, be sure not to rub or massage the injected areas for 24 hours, as this could spread the botox into different areas than where the doctor intended it to go. But, other than that you should be able to resume your normal activities immediately after getting the injection.
Some Frequently Asked Questions:
Can Botox Freeze Your Face?
Although this is often the portrayal of botox in pop culture, it is not the way that it works in practice. While botox does freeze targeted muscles, it is in such a low dose that it could never freeze your face or even cause you to lose control of facial expressions. You will still be able to smile normally, move your eyebrows, and frown. Botox smooths out wrinkles, but it does not severely alter your appearance.
Can You Get Addicted to Botox?
The effects of botox injections doesn’t last forever and you may need to return to Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center in Kansas City in four to six weeks for another treatment, but this doesn’t mean you’re addicted. The reason that people return for additional treatments is not because of any medical or physiological need but because they see the positive results of botox and want to continue the injections.
Conclusion
Although botox is derived from a toxin, it has been found in extensive studies to be safe for virtually all people with few, mild effects—and most people have no side effects at all. You should always get your botox treatments from a licensed and trained professional, such as those at Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center in Kansas City.
Are you ready to try botox treatments and get rid of those wrinkles?
