Botox is currently the fastest growing cosmetic treatment in the UK and the most popular aesthetic treatment in the US. As more and more of us are looking for treatments that tweak instead of tuck, Botox offers a fantastic non-invasive solution that can help to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles, and help the age you look match the age you feel.
To help patients get the most from Botox here at our Peterborough clinic, we always strive to set realistic expectations and offer transparent advice. Even if you’re based further afield, we’ve put together some pointers about factors to consider before you have Botox.
- The type and severity of the wrinkles you want to fix
Botox is an ideal treatment for the dynamic wrinkles on your face, particularly around the forehead, eyes and nose. Dynamic wrinkles are the expressive lines caused by repeated movement and contraction over the years each time you move your face. You may not be able to see these dynamic wrinkles until you laugh, smile or frown, for example. Wrinkles like frown lines and crow’s feet (laughter lines) fit into this category.
If, on the other hand, you have static lines and wrinkles that are visible all the time – for example, deep lines that run from your nose to mouth or from the corners of your mouth downwards – you may be advised to have a treatment using dermal fillers.
As Botox works by temporarily relaxing the movement of specific facial muscles, it is most commonly used to treat wrinkles in the upper face but, in skilled hands, it can help to prevent static muscles from deepening.
It’s best to talk to your practitioner about what results they hope to achieve and why they are targeted specific muscles. As a rule of thumb, expect to have Botox for lines and wrinkles that are caused by your facial expressions.
- The amount of Botox you have
Botox is measured in units rather than by weight or volume. Each practitioner typically has a preference based on their own training, experience and the area of the face to be treated about how many units of Botox are needed.
We would always recommend talking to your practitioner about what concentration of Botox they plan to use and why. Ask how many units you will need to get your desired results and make sure that you pay for the correct amount of units.
Many clinics will offer you a follow-up appointment after your treatment to check that you are happy with how the Botox has worked and to top-up and refine the results, if necessary.
- The experience of your practitioner
When it comes to getting the best treatment with Botox, all clinics and practitioners are far from equal. Every practitioner has different levels of training, experience and qualifications – some strive to give you a natural look using Botox, while others might be considered more heavy handed. Some will recommend using other treatments to improve your skin health and then use Botox to refine these results, others will prefer to administer Botox alone.
It’s essential that you ask plenty of questions and find a practitioner whose approach and previous results with other patients help you to feel confident.
You should always choose to have Botox injections and other aesthetics procedures in a medical/clinic setting rather than attending a ‘Botox party’ where you can’t guarantee how the Botox has been stored or diluted, or even that the Botox is being used legally.
Here at The Cosmetic Clinic, we offer a doctor-led practice with more than 20 years’ experience in skin rejuvenation using surgical and non-surgical aesthetics procedures. All of our practitioners have extensive training in Botox and we will be happy to discuss our experience with you.
Realistic expectations
As you can see, many factors affect what Botox can do for your lines and wrinkles. In skilled and experienced hands, this can be an excellent treatment option with noticeable but natural-looking results. Botox can be used alone but is also a good treatment to use in combination with other procedures.