To botox or not to botox?

Botox: the designer toxin

To botox or not to botox?

Botox was once targeted towards the 50+ generation who already had wrinkles and wanted smoother, younger looking skin.
But now, botox is targeted towards 20-39 year olds, a far younger age group who are turning to Botox to prevent wrinkles before they materialise.
As 98% of Exclusive Londons users and members are within this age group, we thought we should shed some light on this designer toxin and ask to botox or not to botox?

Botox is a cosmetic protein derived from a toxin called botulinum toxin A. It is an injectable solution used to reduce or eliminate frown lines, forehead creases, crows feet and thick bands in the neck. These are known as dynamic wrinkles (wrinkles seen only when you are smiling, raising your eyebrows or otherwise animating your facial expression).

When injected into the skin, botox reduces dynamic wrinkles by blocking the nerve impulses that tell a muscle to contract. This temporarily paralyses the muscles that cause wrinkles while giving the skin a smoother, more refreshed appearance.
Wherever there is muscle contraction, there is the potential for dynamic wrinkles so if there is little or no muscle contraction in the face, there are no wrinkles seen! Simple.

Injections take effect about three to seven days after treatment and the effect lasts between 3 to 4 months. A treatment (one syringe) costs around £200.

To botox...

There are many benefits of having botox

The procedure is quick and painless. There's no need for sedatives, or local anaesthetic. Botox is injected in several places with a very small needle, directly into the muscles being treated. Treatment takes about 15-30 minutes, and you can go back to normal daily life immediately, you can even get it done in your lunch hour. There may be some minor bruising afterwards so take a concealer with you.

3 to 7 days after your quick and painless treatment, you will have smoother, younger looking skin. Rumours of totally expressionless faces are a myth (unless you actually want that look); the treatment will give you line free skin for up to 4 months

If you have repeated treatments, you may find that lines and wrinkles in those areas become less deep, and you can leave longer intervals between treatments as it produces longer lasting results. With continued use, you will also need less of the product.

Studies have also suggested that botox is effective in relieving migraine headaches, excessive sweating and muscle spasms in the neck and eyes.

Not to botox...

As with every cosmetic procedure, there is a small element of risk involved in having botox but generally there have been no severe complications or allergic responses reported by botox users. Possible risks include:

While the chances are very slim, a possible complication of botox injections is droopy eyelids from the botox leaking into nearby muscles or from being injected in the wrong place. However, all qualified physicians who perform botox injections regularly are fully aware that if too much botox is injected on the outside of the forehead or too low close to the eyebrows one can end up with a droopy eyebrow affect. They will always take particular care in those areas.

If you regularly take antibiotics or muscle relaxants then this procedure may not be for you as you are more at risk for an adverse reaction to the product. Always be clear about any medication you are taking during your initial botox consultation.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are advised to not to have botox until their babies are no longer dependant on them for nutrition.

Leading experts claim that people who have botox injections may unconsciously recreate facial expressions in the area where the facial muscles have been paralysed. This can sometimes cause other nearby muscles to compensate, which in turn can create new wrinkles. However, to date, no cases of this nature have been reported.

So there we have it, all the pros and cons are listed. Before you decide, you can find out more information on aesthetic surgery by contacting:

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
c/o The Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PE
Advice Line: 020 7405 2234
E-mail: info@baaps.org.uk
Website: www.baaps.org.uk