Botox Injections · Dermatologist · Cosmetic, Laser Dermatology NYC

Botox Injections

Botox and all other medications that are derived from botulinum toxin are administered by injection. In its pure form as bacteria, the toxin causes botulism, a dangerous disease that comes from food poisoning. But Botox is safe to use for a number of reasons:

• Botox is derived from deadly bacteria; it’s not the toxin in its pure form.
• Botox is diluted with other ingredients.
• Botox is injected directly into muscle; it’s not ingested, as is the case for food poisoning.
• Tiny amounts of Botox are used in any one injection site

As a result, Botox injections are safe and effective. Complications and side effects are rare. The effects of Botox last up to four months before you need another set of injections. Ask your NYC dermatologist whether Botox is a good match for you.

Get the Genuine Article

Whether you opt for Botox, Myobloc, Xeomin, or Dysport, make absolutely sure you’re getting the real deal. Each of these medications uses botulinum toxin as its active ingredient. Each one, therefore, is manufactured under strict supervision. Each bottle, or vial as it’s called, is sealed and shipped under the strictest of guidelines to keep the product fresh and effective.

Before your treatment with a dermatologist in Manhattan, ask to see the vial of Botox to be used. Check that it’s sealed. Each vial also has a holographic film on the label in which the word Allergan appears. Allergan is the manufacturer of Botox.

Cheaper alternatives aren’t alternatives at all. They may not work, or you may have to go to a specialist who doesn’t have the training or experience to administer the injections properly. Botox has to be injected correctly for you to get the results you want.

Find the Best Botox Provider

As important as your decision to get a Botox treatment in the first place is, your choice of which medical professional to administer the medication is just as important. Having an experienced professional administer your injections can make the difference between a successful procedure and one that doesn’t meet your expectations. Find someone who:

• Is a properly licensed medical professional
• Understands facial anatomy, the anatomy of your target area
• Has experience injecting Botox in similar cases like your own
• Treats patients with Botox on a regular basis
• Can recognize and treat any side effects
• Asks you the right questions about your medical history

Injection Amounts

How much Botox you need depends on your specific condition and your individual physical properties. Some people need more or less Botox than others, even for the same condition. That’s why you need a skilled practitioner to give you the injections. It’s a science and an art. Also, keep in mind that Botox isn’t exactly like Dysport. In fact, all the medications derived from botulinum toxin are slightly different, so you can’t do a one-to-one swap, and you shouldn’t mix these medications in a single sitting.

There are some guidelines, however, based on years of use and millions of applications. Just remember that your individual treatment may need a little more or a little less Botox. In general:

• Each unit of Botox is measured to deliver a specific amount of the medication.
• Buy Botox by the unit, not by the area to be treated (crow’s feet, for example).
• The per-unit cost includes the specialist’s time and expertise in administering the Botox.
• The number of units you need depends on what you’re treating:
  • Up to 10 units for crow’s feet
  • 20 or more units for forehead lines
  • 25 or more units for frown lines between your eyebrows
  • 155 units, on average, to treat migraine headaches
• Most Botox treatments take just 10 minutes.

The needle used to administer Botox is very small. Most people can stand the injections without painkillers. In fact, many patients have described the injections as feeling like pinpricks. Since the procedure takes so little time, most people decide not to use any form of anesthesia.

Injection Locations

Where your Manhattan dermatologist injects Botox depends on what you’re being treated for. Obviously, when Botox is used to eliminate facial wrinkles, your doctor injects the Botox near those wrinkles. But Botox isn’t a filler; it doesn’t work by filling in wrinkles; it works by immobilizing the muscles that cause your wrinkles. So your injections aren’t into your wrinkles but into the muscles. When the muscles can’t contract, they can’t form wrinkles.

When Botox is used to treat migraine headaches, your treatment will take a little longer, as there are 31 spots for your dermatologist to inject. These locations are all around your head and above your neck at the base of your skull. That’s why so many units of Botox are needed to fight migraines.

Botox injections are not deep. Your dermatologist in NYC injects the medication beneath the surface of your skin, into the muscle just beneath it. Since facial muscles are very flat, for example, the doctor doesn’t have to go very deep to find the target muscle. This is one of the reasons a Botox treatment takes so little time.

Side Effects

Side effects are rare, but they do happen. Recent studies have revealed two percent of all Botox treatments end with some side effect. Most are minor, and they’re never caused by the medication itself. Most often, in fact, the side effect occurs because the medication has migrated from its intended target to a nearby muscle or a different area of your body. When this happens, the Botox works on a muscle or system that’s not the target muscle. These side effects can cause:

• Minor swelling and a little tenderness where you were injected
• A slight headache that soon goes away
• Some flu symptoms that disappear by the next morning
• Mild aches, pains, or weakness
• A feeling of tiredness
• A spike in your blood pressure

None of these symptoms normally require any medical attention, and most go away on their own, often with a day or two.

Important Reminder: This information is only intended to provide guidance, not definitive medical advice. Please consult dermatologist NYC about your specific condition. Only a trained, experienced board certified dermatology doctor or pediatric dermatologist could determine an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.