What to Expect Before, During, and After Your Botox Session
When fine lines and wrinkles begin to make an appearance, it can put a damper on many people’s self-esteem. Although there are surgical options that can offer dramatic skin-smoothing results, lots of men and women just aren’t ready to undergo cosmetic surgery to help restore a more youthful look. But with nonsurgical injectable treatment options like Botox, you can get the best of both worlds: a more rejuvenated, younger-looking appearance without requiring a surgical procedure.
While Botox is generally a quick and easy treatment option, there are a few key things to know about the entire process to help you achieve the best possible results.
Before Your Session
Before your first Botox session, it’s a good idea to make sure that you and your physician are on the same page concerning your unique needs and goals. Sitting down with him or her for a preliminary consultation is the best way to ensure this. This also provides an excellent opportunity to address any and all questions or concerns you might have, as well as to make sure that your expectations for your results are realistic.
While Botox can be a very effective tool for smoothing away fine lines and wrinkles, the treatment does have some limitations. During your consultation, you and your trained, experienced clinician can discuss you individual needs in detail to determine if Botox is the most appropriate wrinkle treatment for you.
Your Botox Treatment
Once you’ve decided that Botox is the right option for you, you can conveniently schedule your treatment session into your lunch break or a free afternoon, as Botox typically takes less than 20 minutes to perform. This is why Botox is sometimes even referred to as a “lunchtime procedure.”
Depending on your specific concerns, a series of injections will be performed by your skilled clinician in the appropriate areas. Most commonly, Botox is used to treat crow’s feet, the fine lines at the corners of the eyes, and the “11” lines between the eyebrows. A growing body of research suggests that these treatments may even help to prevent the future development of lines and wrinkles in these areas, thus softening the natural aging process (The Journal of the American Medical Association).
What to Expect After Botox
One of the many benefits of Botox injections is that you should be able to return to work and other normal daily activities immediately after your session, although it is generally advised that you still refrain from very strenuous activity for the rest of the day. You may notice mild side effects such as redness or swelling, but these should diminish on their own over the next few days.
Most men and women are able to enjoy their smoother, reinvigorated appearance within 3 to 7 days, and those results generally last 3 to 4 months before they gradually fade (American Academy of Dermatology). But because each Botox session is relatively quick and easy, many people find that it’s convenient to schedule regular appointments spaced several months apart to maintain their rejuvenated appearance.
Taking the Next Step
If you’ve been thinking about getting Botox injections to help you achieve the younger, smoother skin texture you want, the next step is to find the right professional with whom to schedule a consultation. At Acqua Blu Medical Spa in Pittsburgh and Wexford, our board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Brian Heil performs high quality Botox treatments that can help you enjoy a renewed sense of self-confidence. Dr. Heil has been named as one of the few physicians qualified to train others in the most advanced injection techniques by Allergan, the manufacturer of Botox.
For more information about your Botox options, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Heil to determine if this treatment is right for you, please contact us at (724) 933-1800 and take the next step toward enhancing your natural beauty and boosting your self-confidence.
