BOTOX AT A GLANCE

• Softening lines and wrinkles in less than 10 days
• Health Canada approved
• Qualified and experienced staff
• No downtime

Botox Cosmetic injections are on the top line of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures in North America. It is the most recommended treatment to relax facial muscles that cause expression lines, thus reducing their appearance and achieving smoother skin on the upper face.

Sparkle Lifestyle & MediSpa relies on a team of highly qualified, experienced physicians whose practice and methods are in line with our philosophy: meeting your expectations and achieving natural results.

What is Botox?

Botox is actually the trade name for a substance injected into the skin which is known to inhibit muscle movement – and that can prevent wrinkles from developing or worsening. Botox injections are now one of the most popular cosmetic treatments in the world

Areas that can be officially treated with Botox.

• Forehead creases
• Glabella (between the eyebrows)
• Crow’s feet

Q & A ABOUT BOTOX

How does Botox work?

Botox targets one of the underlying causes of frown lines and crow’s feet—the repeated muscle contractions from frowning and squinting over the years. Your specialist will inject these muscles with Botox to temporarily reduce muscle activity. You will begin to notice a visible smoothing of your crow’s feet lines and frown lines between your brows.

Will Botox make me look like I’ve had work done?

Botox is a technique-sensitive treatment. You should not lose the ability to show expression when you are treated by someone who is licensed, trained and a medical expert in facial anatomy.

Does Botox treatment hurt?

Some patients report that being injected with Botox feels like a pinch. Your specialist may use ice to numb the treatment area. If you are concerned about discomfort, your specialist may apply a topical numbing cream before administering your treatment.

How long does the treatment take?

Your specialist will discuss your treatment goals and perform a facial analysis to determine the appropriate treatments for you. The actual injection process takes about 10 minutes.

What does the average treatment cost?

Your cost not only includes the price of the product but more importantly, the skill and expertise of the specialist or healthcare professional who is administering your treatment. Botox is a technique-sensitive treatment—look for someone who is licensed and trained and has experience treating patients with Botox. Be wary of discount products or “cheap” Botox—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

It is more important to find an experienced specialist who will take the time to understand your treatment goals and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

PRE & POST BOTOX

Things to know before your injections appointment:

1. Brief your doctor on the outcome you want.
2. Schedule your Botox appointment 6 weeks prior to any big event.
3. Stop taking all fish oils and ibuprofen 2 weeks prior to your appointment. This will limit the potential for bruising and swelling.
4. Understand the cost. We charge per $10/unit. To give some perspective, the average person needs about 20-40 units to treat horizontal forehead lines, 18-30 units to treat crow’s feet around the eyes and 15-30 units to treat the glabella (men need more).
5. More is more, not better! Botox is a strong neurotoxin that has the potential to dramatically alter the planes of your face. And smoother doesn’t always equal prettier.
6. Make sure you stay upright for at least 2-4 hours post Botox.
7. Botox builds up over time. While you may have needed 5 units of Botox in your crow’s feet initially, over time you may need only 2 units.
8. Make sure you know what to expect. Book a consultation with our doctor.

Post Treatment:

The full effect will be apparent after 2 weeks. After treatment, you may experience swelling, redness, pain, itching, discoloration and tenderness at the site of treatment. This will typically last for less than a couple of hours. Additionally, although rare, red or swollen small bumps may occur for 2-3 days in some patients. If you need to apply make-up within 4 hours of your treatment, only use a gentle touch to avoid rubbing the treated area

For 1 hour: Every 15 mins exercise your treated areas (e.g. practise frowning, raising your eyebrows)
For 3 hours: Remain upright, do not rub the treated area. You may apply makeup.
Rest of day: Refrain from strenuous physical activity, hot tub, sauna or facial, alcohol

Please book your follow up assessment at the 2-week mark, especially if this is your first Botox treatment with us.

HOW BOTOX WORKS

Botox targets one of the underlying causes of frown lines and crow’s feet—the repeated muscle contractions from frowning and squinting over the years. Your specialist will inject these muscles with Botox to temporarily reduce muscle activity. You will begin to notice a visible smoothing of your crow’s feet lines and frown lines between your brows.

Botox Review

I sought Botox treatment for the wrinkles on my forehead, because I feel they make me look older than I actually am. I have been bothered by this issue for the past 15 years, and feel like this quick and easy procedure takes 10 years off my appearance. It is relatively painless and well worth the investment. – J.Bell

The staff is always friendly and amazing, they make you feel at home and inform you well!! My skin has improved and I am told I look in my late 20’s instead of my age of 37. – M.Coleman

So, What Exactly is Botox?

This isn’t the usual first question that women ask when they’re considering Botox. They believe they already know the answer to this one. While some maybe do, most really don’t. So, allow us to give you the real scoop on this matter.

Botox is a brand name coined by Allergan, its manufacturer, for a product derived from Botulinum Toxin A. Yes, it comes from a neurotoxin that causes Botulism poisoning and can lead to severe paralysis and death.

Even with its infamous effects though, doctors have been using the toxin to treat these medical conditions since the 1980’s:
• lazy eyes (strabismus),
• uncontrollable eyelid twitching (blepharospasm),
• severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis),
• upper limb spasticity,
• involuntary neck spasms (cervical dystonia), and
• migraine headaches.

The cosmetic use of the toxin began in 1989 with the Carruthers spouses – a dermatologist-ophthalmologist team. They were the first doctors who explored the possibility of injecting small quantities of the toxin into specific facial muscles to reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles. Since then, many scientists have jumped on the bandwagon to discover ways of safely harnessing the toxin’s natural effects for aesthetic purposes.

Let’s fast forward to 2002. FDA finally approved the use of Botox to treat glabellar lines or that nasty ‘11’ that appears between your eyebrows when you frown. This was momentous because it was the first time that the government gave the green light for the cosmetic use of the toxin.

Although the indication is limited to 1 cosmetic purpose, medical practitioners have been successful in the safe, off-label use of the drug for other areas of the face as well.

Just in case the words ‘off-label use’ got your warning bells ringing, let us assure you that this is a common practice in the medical field. Doctors are legally allowed to prescribe a drug for purposes other than what is approved by the FDA so, there’s really no reason to stress over this.

A concern that can reasonably cause strain, though, is safety. We’re going to hammer away at this right now and answer the million dollar question:

Is Botox Safe?

The answer is a simple and resounding YES!

Botox, produced by Allergan and used in its recommended dosage is very safe.

We know that this issue is your primary concern so, let us give not just 1 but 4 reasons to convince you that Botox is safe.

1. Its FDA approval is supported by several studies and clinical experience. Allergan even claims that their research lasted for approximately 100 years (author’s note: we don’t vouch for this fact). Because of the amount of time and effort put into the drug’s R&D, the industry has established vital ground rules like the maximum cumulative dosage within a period of time as well as techniques in injecting the drug. Bottom line is that sufficient evidence supports the conclusion that proper use of the product will not jeopardize the health of patients.
2. The drug is a sterile and purified version of the Botulinum toxin. This means that the toxin undergoes a process that is FDA-approved. This transforms the poison into a medicine suitable for and beneficial to humans.
3. Only a small amount of Botox is used for every treatment to limit its paralyzing effect to the muscle injected. So, there’s really no danger of botulism poisoning.
4. We know you’ve heard of reports linking paralysis and death to Botox but those are totally off target. The patients faced such horrible consequences in those instances because they were using unauthorized Botox substitutes. Several publications (e.g., consumer report by the FDA and a brief report in the Journal of the American Medical Association) confirm that using unapproved and unlicensed versions of the toxin can cause severe botulism poisoning. Despite what you may have heard or read, no death has been recorded as caused by using real Botox produced by Allergan.
5. Botox injectors, especially those who have been doing it for years, have developed a better understanding of the science and art behind the treatment.

It will be good to choose a doctor who’s had years of experience in Botox. A key to a good treatment is that you trust the skill and feel comfortable with the person performing the procedure. If there’s something (anything!) that’s bothering you, you should feel free to ask your physician.

All these boil down to a simple equation: FDA approved drug + used in determined safe quantities + experienced injector + smart patient = safe Botox treatment.

Did you notice the last ingredient that we added to the equation?

Of course, YOU will ultimately determine how safe your treatment will be. You will be the one making the choices so the most important safety tip we can give you is to be a smart Botox patient. Arm yourself with the right information before undergoing the procedure. You may want to start with reading this Guide all the way through. We’ve placed only the correct information here so you can be sure of everything you read. We weeded the myths from the truths and left only the details that all Botox patients should know, but usually don’t.

Now, that was rather serious, wasn’t it? If you found it a tad somber for your taste, please bear with us… we think safety is no laughing matter, anyway, but we hope you’re hanging on in there as we trudge towards another burning question in the minds of Botox patients:

How Does Botox Work?

Answering this question requires delving a little bit into the science behind the drug. A good jump off point is the basic understanding of the nervous system. Now, before you scurry away, we’ve got the perfect analogy to something unscientific but we’ve got to get the technical discussion out of the way first. Don’t worry, we promise to make this quick and painless…

The nervous system is composed of organs in charge of the body’s internal communication – this is how the brain tells the different parts of our body to move. For a muscle to contract, it needs to receive the signal that the brain sends through a series of nerve cells. The cue that it’s waiting for is a chemical neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. When the muscle receptors recognize the chemical, it knows that it has to tighten and bunch up.

What Botox does is cleave the protein necessary for the release of acetylcholine. If acetylcholine is not released, the muscle will not know that the brain is already telling it to contract.

You can compare this to the network of wires that connects our telephone system. Imagine 2 telephones, one owned by the brain, the other by the facial muscles.

Without Botox, both phones are working and the message to contract is received clearly.

With Botox, the brain is already calling with the message to move but the phone on the muscle’s side has been yanked out from the wall so, it stays in bed, lounging nonchalantly. Because the muscle remains immobile, the overlaying skin also stays flat. This allows the skin’s natural tension to yield to its inherent tendency to smooth out, reducing the appearance of dynamic wrinkles.

Botox is a pretty neat little toxin, right? Once you get the confusing science stuff out of the way, it becomes easy to appreciate how it can work for you.

And now that we got the technical part out of the way, you might now be wondering:

Am I Good Candidate for a Botox Treatment?

Er, we have good news and bad news…

Here’s the good news: everyone has the same basic nerve system so, Botox will work for almost everybody.

The bad news is that we used the word ‘almost’. There are certain people who may be better off not having Botox. We’ve come up with a simple checklist so you can assess your suitability for the procedure. Just answer the following questions:

Yes No I have dynamic wrinkles on my face and I want to erase them.
Yes No I am not pregnant and I don’t have plans of conceiving.
Yes No I am not lactating and I don’t have plans of breastfeeding.
Yes No I don’t have any neuromuscular disease.
Yes No I don’t have any allergic reaction to the Botulinum Toxin.

If you answered NO to any of the questions above, Botox may not be right for you at this point in time. Let us expound a little bit on each of the items above.

1. Dynamic Wrinkles

We’ve mentioned dynamic wrinkles quite a number of times already and we were holding off explaining what it meant for this part. We know that not everyone is aware that there are actually 2 types of facial lines (some of us didn’t know either!) so we’ll go a wee bit off tangent to discuss them. We promise it will be worth the read so, let’s get on with it…

The 2 kinds of wrinkles are called static and dynamic. Botox has been proven effective in reducing the appearance of dynamic wrinkles but it offers no help in erasing the static ones. The reason behind this lies in how the wrinkles came to be in the first place.

Static wrinkles are the fine lines that usually result from aging. As we grow older, our skin loses natural substances like collagen and elastin, both of which contribute to our skin’s strength and elasticity. A little known fact is that women lose 1% of their dermal collagen every year. That means that as we mature, the structure of our skin becomes weaker and more prone to develop fine creases.

If you find yourself wanting to erase your static wrinkles, cosmetic medicine has developed several means to help you out. At present, the available options are collagen injectable fillers, dermabrasion, Thermage skin tightening treatments and Fraxel resurfacing treatments. Note that Botox is NOT one of the treatments that can help in reducing the appearance of these static wrinkles because the problem stems from the weakening of the skin itself – a condition unrelated to the muscle underneath.

Dynamic wrinkles, on the other hand, are created from repeated folding of the skin due to muscle contraction when we animate our face. We might not notice while we’re doing them but common expressions require muscle movement. Grooves form beneath the surface of the skin when the muscles move and bunch up. When these grooves appear frequently, they eventually become our crow’s feet, smile lines, frown lines and horizontal forehead lines. This is the kind of wrinkle what Botox addresses.
When the muscle is paralyzed and deactivated, we lose the ability to scrunch up our face. When this happens, the overlaying skin can let its natural tension gain control. The skin will smoothen out and the appearance of wrinkles will be visibly reduced.

2. Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

The FDA has labeled Botox under Pregnancy Category C which means 2 things: (1) that animal testing showed an adverse effect on the fetus and, (2) no adequate studies on expecting mothers have been made. In addition, no extensive testing has been done, as yet, to be able to assure the safety of Botox use during pregnancy or lactation so, it may be best to refrain from having a treatment under these circumstances.

3. Neuromuscular Illnesses

These are the illnesses that affect the nervous system (remember our brief discussion on the science behind Botox?). They compromise the nervous control of muscles such that the brain can no longer direct their muscular movements. Because their nervous systems are already weak, people suffering from a neuromuscular condition are more vulnerable to the side effects of Botox. To avoid further complication, it will be to their best interest to sit out a procedure.

4. Allergy to Botulinum Toxin

People who are allergic to the Botulinum toxin are also known to be more prone to experience the side effects of a Botox treatment. This is pretty self-explanatory but we still thought it was worth mentioning. The usual signs of allergic reactions to Botox are anaphylaxis and serum sickness both of which are characterized by hives, itching and difficulty breathing, among other things.

If you experience any of these symptoms after having Botox, it may be best to err on the side of caution and forgo future procedures.

The Secret Ingredient for the Best Treatment

Botox is simply a drug whose characteristics allow it to eliminate wrinkles. An important factor in achieving your desired look is the person you choose to inject the drug. Here are some tips to keep in mind when looking for a medical practitioner to perform the procedure.

Rules vary depending on where you live but, in a nutshell, anyone with a medical license, who underwent the necessary Botox training, is authorized to administer Botox. A rule of thumb is to work within the following group of practitioners:
• Physicians (MD)
• Doctors of Osteopathy (DO)
• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Nurse Practitioners (NP) and,
• Physician’s Assistant (PA) under a physician’s supervision.

Moving out of this list is a bit risky so, be cautious when you read materials that say otherwise.

Take for example websites claiming that Medical Assistants (MA) and Aestheticians can inject patients with Botox. We personally read a blog that said Nevada allowed such practice but this article from the Las Vegas Review Journal belie such statement. Even the Medical Board of California implements the same policy.

While it is true that they are given authority to administer flu shots, the fact that they are allowed to give injections does not place Botox treatments within the ambit of their practice. Under no circumstance can they legally perform a Botox procedure.

You might have read somewhere that having a board certified plastic surgeon administer the drug will ensure that you will get the desired result with the least amount of risk. This isn’t necessarily true. Remember that the most crucial element that you need to consider is experience. Even though people believe that big shot plastic surgeons can perform better Botox treatments, when it comes down to the wire, the letters appended to a name won’t mean much if it is not backed by years of actually performing the procedure on patients.

All things being equal, if you had a choice between a board certified plastic surgeon who performs only 4 Botox treatments a week, and a regular MD who performs 4 Botox treatments a day, we would suggest that you choose the latter for his experience.

You might also have stumbled upon information that urged you to check a medical spa’s accreditation to offer Botox to its clients. This doesn’t have any solid foundation because the accreditation attaches to the person performing the procedure. The medical spa need not have any special license to allow such activity within its premises. You just have to make sure that they are staffed with licensed medical providers and are known for giving their clients safe and quality service.

BOTOX TREATMENT

OVERCOMING BOTOX JITTERS

With all the bad press associated with Botox, a little (or maybe a lot of) apprehension before your treatment is understandable. In this section, we’ve laid out the general steps involved so you’ll have an idea of what to expect from your first consultation to the moment you stroll out of your doctor’s office wrinkle-free.

The 3 Things Your Doctor Should Always Know

There are 3 things that you should always tell your doctor during the initial consultation:

1. Your medical history,
2. All the medications that you are taking (be sure to include even non-prescription medicines and herbal supplements!), and
3. Your goal for the treatment. Let him know how you want to look and the overall effect that you are aiming for.

These are things that your chosen practitioner should ask you in the first place, but in case it slips his mind, be sure to bring them up.

The 4 Insider Questions You Should Always Ask

Here are the questions you must ask your doctor in the course of your consultation.

1. How long have you been doing Botox?
2. To how many patients have you administered Botox?
3. Have you had to deal with side effects from a Botox treatment that you have done before?

These 3 questions are intended to give you an idea of the amount of experience your physician has with Botox treatments. Of course, you may want to smoothly interject these questions into the course of the consultation and not be too direct. An example of a way to squeeze in the topic of side effects is by referring to an incident you’ve read or heard about and pass the question off as a general inquiry.

How much will the treatment cost?

Each clinic charges their patients differently so be sure to ask your physician how much your treatment will cost. Prices vary per region but the average amount ranges from $300 – $500. You may refer to the section on Botox Pricing for more details.

Reminder: more important than any question you can ask your doctor is your own awareness of what’s going on. Be conscious of how he is acting. If you feel threatened or suspicious about any thing at any time, bolt! We always believe it’s far better safe than sorry!

Botox Pricing:

How Your Doctor Determines How Much to Charge You

Different establishments use varying methods in computing the cost of a Botox treatment. The most common practices are: (1) per unit, and (2) per treatment area.

When a clinic charges per unit, it simply means that the amount quoted will be multiplied by the number of units of Botox actually used for the procedure. The standard charge per unit is approximately $10 and the average amount of Botox that is used per treatment is 20 to 50 units.

When they charge per treatment area, it means that the amount quoted will be for the treatment of the whole area, irrespective of the amount of Botox to be used.

In either case, things are going to boil down to faith; you’re going to have to trust that your chosen practitioner will be giving you your money’s worth.

Botox Bargain… The Safe Way

We know that the times are hard and any way of lowering our expenses is very welcome. Here are a couple of suggestions to lower the cost of your Botox without sacrificing safety and results.

First, find family and friends who are willing to go for a treatment with you. Yes, this sounds like a Botox party, but it isn’t. There will be no wine, cheese and small talk involved but you can still negotiate for a group price. Since the consultation can be done as a group, the doctor will need to explain the details of the procedure only once, saving on precious time.

A second technique is to look for doctors who do a lot of Botox treatments. This can be via online search or by asking for referrals from friends. The rationale behind this is simple; the physician whose practice involves a lot of Botox will probably know where to obtain the drug for the most cost-efficient value. He will have looked for the pharmacy that is able to get the drug at a discount. It is also safe to assume that he will have access to better price options from his supplier since he orders a bigger batch of the drug. However, not all doctors automatically pass the savings on to their patients so, this one’s not a guarantee but may be worth a try.

Step-by-Step Botox Treatment

To further calm your Botox jitters, here’s a step-by-step account of what happens during a Botox procedure. Not all physicians conduct the treatment following these steps to the letter, but this section is intended to give you a general idea of the process so that you won’t be blindly following your doctor’s cue.

Botox does not come in liquid form. If you get the chance to see a new vial of the drug, Botox will be the crystals resting at the bottom. It is packaged freeze-dried, shipped cold and stored in a freezer to maintain its effectiveness. This is why the first step in the process is reconstitution. This means adding saline to the freeze-dried Botox in preparation for use. The saline, which is simply sterile salty water, is injected into the vial and is mixed with the drug to create a solution that will be in liquid form. The Botox and saline solution will then be drawn back into the syringe, ready for the treatment.

The second step is determining the muscles that will be treated, as well as the injection points. Note that he should ask you to contract your facial muscles and make some facial expressions so that he can accurately determine where he will be injecting. This will also give him an idea of the number of units that you will require. The general rule is that stronger the muscle, the deeper the wrinkle which means more of the solution is required.

After your physician determines the injection points, he will then inject the Botox-saline mixture into the body of the muscle. A very fine needle is used for this procedure and generally, anesthesia is not necessary. Some Botox patients have experienced slight discomfort and pain during the procedure but they say that it didn’t last for more than a few seconds.

A Botox treatment usually lasts for approximately 20 minutes so you can definitely schedule this during your lunch hour.
The Price of Beauty

Botox, though non-surgical, is still a medical procedure. As such, there are side effects that you should be aware of.

The most common side effect of a Botox treatment is Ptosis (pronounced: toe-sis), or the drooping of the eyelid. Some physicians say that this happens when the drug travels from the targeted muscle to the eyelid. The severity of the sagging varies, from an intense droop where the eye looks almost half closed to minimal where the difference, as compared to a normal lid, is unnoticeable. The usual manifestation of ptosis is accompanied by a heavy feeling on the eyelid.

Another potential side effect, but one associated with treatment of smile lines, is Facial Droop. Having Botox on your cheek area may lead to paralysis of the upper or lower lip or even half of the face.

This is the reason why many doctors won’t treat clients for their smile lines. The injections around the mouth pose greater risk than treatment on the forehead and the severity of possible complications is enough to make them want to stay away. We think it’s understandable because causing a sagging eyelid is altogether different from paralyzing someone’s lips and affecting their speech. The latter will definitely hamper normal activities and will cause distress to the patient. Even the fact that the situation is only temporary would seem to be of little consequence.

Other side effects associated with the treatment include headaches, nausea, facial pain, tenderness of and redness at the injection site and muscle weakness.

The good news is that all these are temporary. The bad news is that you still have to live with these side effects for at least a couple of weeks. Depending on how you look at it, you can weigh your options better and ask yourself a simple question: will a few weeks of these side effects be worth the benefits of a Botox treatment?

Let us, again, assure you that a Botox treatment, if done by the proper practitioner using the FDA approved drug, will not cause death. In fact, there are not a lot of medical practice suits involving Botox treatments because the side effects are generally temporary and eventually wear off.

BOTOX Post Treatment

MAKING YOUR BOTOX LAST

Both a blessing and a curse, the effects of Botox are temporary. It’s a blessing on one hand because should there be any side effects to your treatment, you can be sure that it, too, shall pass. On the other, it’s a curse because continuous enjoyment of wrinkle-free skin necessitates repeat sessions with your Botox injector. Whichever way you prefer to look at it, here are some tips to making the effects of your Botox last.
What Every Botox Patient Should Do After

There are various kinds of advice available online as to what a Botox patient should do after a procedure. We know because we feel like we read them all. Some say you should stand while others say you should remain prone on your back. Other sites say that you shouldn’t massage the treated area while others say you should. Are you confused, yet? Well, it’s time to end your needless confusion.

Here is the correct Post-Treatment Regimen (PTR) aimed at preventing the drug from migrating to other muscles as well as minimizing the possibility of side effects.

A vital period in the PTR is the 4 hours after your treatment. This is when the Botox binds to the targeted muscle and you need to give it time to do just that. The most important thing is to keep your head upright for the next 4 hours avoiding bending over or laying down. You should also avoid touching, massaging or otherwise manipulating the treated areas within this period of time.

Exaggerated use of the muscles that have been injected is also recommended especially for the first hour after treatment. This helps the Botox latch on to the treated muscles. The sooner the Botox adheres to the muscle, the lesser the possibility of the drug traveling to the other areas of the face.

Should there be any noticeable bruising at the injection site, you may cover the same with makeup. But keep in mind that you should not apply pressure. Use a brush instead of a sponge during application to minimize the force that you exert when putting on makeup.

Normal activities may be resumed immediately after the procedure and this includes exercise but always remember that you should avoid bending over or lying down. Some doctors recommend resting for a few hours, though, to minimize bruising in the injection area.

Patience is a virtue that should be exercised by every Botox patient as results start to become apparent within 3-5 days. Don’t panic if you’re not able to immediately see significant wrinkle reduction. Let the drug do its work in its own time and just surprise your family and friends with how you’ll gradually look younger within 2 weeks time, when the full effects are expected to emerge.

The Most Important Post-Treatment Advice Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

An oft overlooked detail is the right time to schedule your next treatment. You should keep in mind that Botox provides only temporary paralysis to the facial muscles which are treated. The effects usually last for 3-4 months but some patients delay getting their next treatment because they can feel that their muscles are still a little bit paralyzed. However, delaying for even just a few weeks will give the resilient muscle enough time to recuperate.

The first, and probably the most important, advice we can give for making your Botox last is to not wait for the treated muscles to regain their strength. To illustrate this better, take a little trip back to PE class with us.

Do you remember what happens to a muscle that isn’t used? The scientific term for it is atrophy but in essence, it just means that the muscle has become weak from inaction. This is how you want to treat those facial muscles that cause wrinkles: you want to kick them when they’re down and get your next dose of Botox before they regain their strength. You don’t want to go back to ground zero and treat a healthy muscle every single time. You could get the most out of your treatments by using Botox on a weakened muscle. The weaker the muscle gets the longer that your skin remains smooth and wrinkle-free.

Medical practitioners who are experienced with administering Botox can attest to the fact that the more diligent a patient is when it comes to the treatment schedule, the longer the interval in between procedures. It’s pretty much like putting your facial muscles in a cast and keeping them there. The goal is to keep them weak and to prevent them from contracting and creasing the overlaying skin, eventually eliminating the appearance of wrinkles on your face.

For your reference, you should schedule your next treatment 2-3 months after the first one. Talk to your doctor about your particular circumstance so that he can advise you accordingly.

Must-Have Basic Skin Essentials

A mistake that women usually commit after having Botox is that they don’t pay that much attention to regular skincare anymore. Our opinion on the matter is this: you’ve already spent hundreds of dollars to remove those lines; you should complement that with a skincare routine that will protect your skin from further aging.

Regularly washing and moisturizing will definitely do the trick. Skincare shouldn’t be so complicated even if skincare companies say otherwise so, stick to products that have worked for you in the past.

It is also highly advisable to regularly use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30.

It is also recommended to wear adequate protection especially when under the sun. A wide-brimmed hat or an umbrella will work wonderfully. You may also use sunglasses to further avoid squinting in bright daylight.

Taking care of your skin is really simple. Don’t get confused with all the terminologies and technologies that companies are advertising nowadays. Sure, some actually do work and maybe worth a try but it would still be best to stick to your trusted basics.

Yay! You’re A Smarter Patient! Congratulations on finishing The Ultimate Guide to Botox! We’re excited to work with you to meet your goals as a more informed and educated consumer. Your Sparkle Lifestyle Team.

10 facts about Botox and Juvederm

by Madelaine Caissie | 

Cosmetic surgery has been around for a long time now and it continues to be popular because of its anti-aging effects. There is proof that ancient civilizations used natural products such as milk baths to reverse the effects of age on the skin. Modern skin experts now use Botox and Juvederm to bring back youthfulness to the skin. Although the use of these two products has been accepted by patients and physicians, there are facts that should be recognized.

1. Fillers – fills up void areas of the skin and spaces created by aging. Botox and Juvederm instantly smooth out any wrinkles on the treated areas.

2. Temporary – the treatment of the skin using fillers is not permanent and the patient needs to get booster treatments after some time. The frequency of treatments depends on individual metabolism and the strength of previous treatment.

3. Side effects – like all medical treatments, Botox and Juvederm react differently with different people. While some people experience lingering pain for days, redness and bruising others report that they do not feel anything after leaving the doctor’s office.

4. Noninvasive – both of these treatments do not require hospital admission or time away from work. Patients have been known to apply make-up as usual right after a treatment session.

5. Painless – there is no pain associated with a filler treatment. Patients have reported that the injections feel like a mosquito bite.
6. Treatment is not for everyone – there have been some reported cases of allergic reactions among patients after using either Botox or Juvederm. Botox does not work for patients with coagulation problems. It is always good to request a compatibility test from your clinic before going ahead with the treatment.

7. Promotes blood circulation – by increasing volume in some areas of the skin where the muscle mass was less, Botox and Juvedermwill stimulate blood circulation in those areas causing the skin to appear brighter.

8. Safe – Botox is derived from good bacteria while Juvederm is derived from a natural body acid, making them completely safe to use on the human skin.

9. Cost – with a minimum cost of $10 per single unit of injection, both Botox and Juvederm requires adequate financial ability to sustain the treatment cycle. Of course, this will depend on how the results you are looking for and how many units you will need to achieve them.

10. Expertise – the effectiveness of treatment by facial filling is determined by the expertise of the doctor who performs the treatment. Better results are reported among doctors who have a busy practice.