Myths about Botox

Smoothing wrinkles with botulinum toxin became a method frequently used by women and even men. This method is minimally invasive -microinjections of a substance in face or neck areas. Botulinum toxin or Botox is applied also for treatments of excessive sweating of underarm or palms.

The principle consists in blocking the AcetilColin receptors of neuro-muscular plates. The nervous impulse is not transmitted anymore from the nerve to the muscle part which is injected.. So that part of the muscle is not contracting anymore. It is a temporary paralysis.

It is interesting to know that excessive sweat can be treated with this substance. In 10 minutes this problem is solved by injecting Botox in sweat glands under local anaesthesia. The problem is that everybody knows about the benefits of this substance but not about the adverse effects.

Before winter holidays there is an increased demand for wrinkles treatment with Botox, but also in the number of patients who need medical advice concerning the adverse effects of Botox injections made in medical practices other than plastic surgery. These patients had to change their holiday plans and socialize less.

I have to tell other potential beneficiaries of this method to choose the specialist carefully. The specialist must have solid and proven knowledge in this speciality.

Although the injecting method is relatively simple, a series of complications may occur to various degrees.

Desi metoda de injectare este relativ simpla, pot aparea o serie de complicatii de la cele minore la cele majore.

Minor adverse effects are: asymmetrical remaining wrinkles and asymmetrical eyebrows. These problems can occur even if he dosage and injection points were correct and can be ameliorated by completion with small doses in certain areas.

Medium adverse effects are: boosting of circles and accumulation of wrinkles on the sides of the nose. These problems occur when the injections were made in the wrong places. They, too, can be solved by filling those areas with small doses of substance.

Major secondary effects are:

• the "fall" of the upper eyelid or upper PTOsis PALPEBRAL, when the patient cannot open the eyelid completely. This occurs when the injection was made at the level of supraorbital nerve..
• the "fall" of lower eyelid. Attention, potential patients!!! NEVER accept injections with Botox in the lower eyelid!! The wrinkles in that area can be treated more effectively in other ways..
• the lack of facial expression, asymetrical laugh, "mask". These problems occur when the substance was injected in the wrong areas. Do not accept injections in the nasal labial fold and near the upper lip.
• the inability to whistle. This occurs if the substance was injected in the wrinkles above the upper lip.The best treatment for these wrinkles is injections with hyaluronic acid.

All these secondary effects can be avoided by a treatment in small doses in carefully selected areas. This type of treatment is also used for treating spastic paralysis in small children. It has been used for more than 30 years in aesthetic medicine. So let's give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar! This is one of the most efficient and beneficial methods for smoothing wrinkles provided that the treatment is done by a specialised clinic.