Bharat SainiLast Updated on June 15, 2021 by Bharat Saini
If you are considering getting Botox treatment but still haven’t done so as you just don’t know how it works, this article is for you. When you’re done, you’ll learn how Botox works, what it does, and what it can’t do.
What is Botox?
Botox is a protein. It is a minimal amount of an exceptionally purified protein. There are no bacteria in a vial of Botox. The uncertainty has to do with how it is made. Botulism disease is due to the bacteria that produce vast amounts of seven different proteins all the same time. The seven proteins are labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, and just the A and B proteins have any medical application. When Botox is developed, the “A” protein is taken out, purified as well as measured accurately and precisely. A vial of Botox has approximately five billionths of a gram of this much-purified protein. Once the surgeon gets the vial of Botox, it looks empty. Doctors need to add water to the vial to draw the protein into a syringe and inject it.
How Botox Used?
The once vital reason why doctors utilize Botox is to decrease the appearance of wrinkles on the face. However, getting Botox treatment can assist treat other medical conditions such as:
- Serious underarm sweating
- Cervical dystonia, a disorder that causes severe shoulder and neck muscle spasms
- Hard to control blinking
- Eyepoint in various directions
- Serious migraine
- Overactive bladder
How Botox Works?
Botox works by blocking signals from your nerves to your muscles. The fact that the injected muscle cannot contract, soften and relax wrinkles. Botox is most used on crow’s feet ( or lines around your eye), forehead lines, as well as frown lines.
This treatment will not work on wrinkles due to gravity and sun damage.
Therefore, what happens once the Botox is injected? This will spread approximately one centimeter. Any spread of more than one centimeter is very small which it has a small chance of doing anything at all. Then the protein is assimilated into the nerves, which are within one centimeter of the injection area. In 15 minutes, the protein will now go inside your nerve; look for SNAP 25, another form of protein that attaches to it and dissolves it. In the course, the Botox dissolves itself. In short, in just a matter of 15 minutes, Botox is gone.
The nerve is still alive; however, it lost some of its SNAP-25 proteins. Without this protein, your nerve doesn’t know how to relay to the muscle. This muscle is fine, but it’s not getting any messages from your nerves. Both proteins stay there and do nothing. It takes approximately three months for your nerve to create new SNAP-25 proteins. That is the reason why Botox seems to last for around three months. Keep in mind that this protein fades away in about 15 minutes. The effect is based on how long it takes for the nerves to create new SNAP-25 proteins.
I didn’t mention wrinkles or skin when discussing how Botox works. That is simply because Botox does nothing to your skin. It just works on your muscles underneath your skin and not the skin. That is why this treatment will not eliminate deep wrinkles; it relaxes your muscles, so the skin isn’t being moved around as much. The wrinkles that appear once you move your muscle will vanish fast. Once you keep getting Botox treatment without allowing it to wear off between treatments, even deep wrinkles will begin to get better as the skin isn’t being folded time and again again.
How is this procedure done?
This treatment takes a couple of minutes or 15 minutes in general. There is no need for anesthesia. The surgeon uses a tiny needle to inject Botox into particular muscles with just minor discomfort. In general, it only takes seven to fourteen days to take full effect. It is highly advisable to avoid drinking alcohol beginning at least one week before the treatment. Also, you must stop drinking aspirin as well as anti-inflammatory treatments two weeks prior to the procedure to help avoid bruising.
You also need to keep away from rubbing the injected area for twenty-four hours to stop spreading the Botox to other parts of the muscle. Your surgeon may recommend keeping an upright position for four hours after the injection and take a day off from working out.
How Long This Treatment Last?
Botox will last for about three to six months. As your muscle action gradually returns, wrinkles and lines start to emerge and have to be cured once more. The wrinkles and lines often appear less serious with time as the muscles are contracting.
Is There Any Harmful Effect?
The initial side effects of Botox are smaller compared to plastic surgery. Plastic surgery procedures involve cuts and reattachment and could take many weeks before the pain subsides, the wounds heal, and the bruising will be gone. Botox generates bruising, however, of a much milder nature. The pain will last for just a couple of days and is low enough to be cured with OTC relievers. Sometimes the patient needs to cope with flu-like symptoms like redness and nausea, and some develop headaches. However, these symptoms are mild and regarded by most having received the patient as a low impact situation.
As with any treatment, pick a surgeon who is certified and well recommended to do Botox treatments. S of the power nature of this treatment, a careful choice is vital. The first thing a qualified surgeon will tell you is that Botox must not be given to a pregnant woman or lactating women. What is more, a surgeon will carry out a careful workup to ensure that you are a qualified candidate for this treatment. The surgeon will do some assessment to make sure there’s no incidence of specific neurological illnesses.
Conclusion
Botox is a very popular treatment that can help eliminate wrinkles and other signs of aging. However, the result is not long term. It would help if you underwent continuous treatment to stop wrinkles from occurring. It is also essential to work with a qualified surgeon to maximize the results it offers.
