Botox

Botox is made from botulinum toxin A, a neurotoxin produced by an organism known as the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botox is one of many neuromodulators that use botulinum toxin A.

The specific bacteria that Botox is made of inhibits nerve signals to the muscles where it’s injected and forces the muscles to relax. In turn, this reduces the depth and visibility of wrinkles and fine lines.

Additionally, since the muscle is unable to contract, it reduces the formation of wrinkles and fine lines.

Yes, Botox injections are very safe, especially when administered by a board-certified dermatologist, like those at Brentwood Dermatology. Our dermatologists are experienced in facial anatomy and can safely administer Botox injections for optimal results.

Additionally, if you’re worried about the safety of Botox when hearing its main ingredient is a neurotoxin, it’s important to know dermatologists only use a tiny amount of neurotoxins to achieve the desired effect for Botox treatment.

Botox is most commonly used to treat deep wrinkles and fine lines. For instance, horizontal lines on the forehead, glabellar lines between the eyebrows, crow’s feet around the eyes, and smile lines around the lips and chin.

Additionally, Botox can be used to reduce excessive sweating, alleviate migraine headaches, and help with severe TMJ.

In our experience, we find most patients who receive Botox treatment see significant results within seven days. Depending upon the depth of your wrinkles and your goals, it may take more than one treatment to reach your desired results.

This depends on the patient, as everyone’s body metabolizes Botox at a different rate. That said, we find our patient’s Botox results last between three and four months.

The difference between Botox and fillers is how they work to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Botox smooths out wrinkles by relaxing muscles and limiting their movement, whereas dermal fillers restore or add volume to areas of the face.

In other words, fillers work by “filling in” wrinkles and can also be used to add volume to other areas of the face, such as the cheeks or lips, while Botox “freezes” muscles to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

Read more about the difference between Botox and fillers in this Brentwood Dermatology article.