BOTOX® Cosmetic

Are frown lines and crow's feet making you look older?

Relax them with BOTOX® Cosmetic

Have you started to notice:

* Frown lines?
* Crow's feet?
* Forehead creases?

These facial wrinkles are caused by repetitive muscle action. BOTOX® Cosmetic offers you a quick, easy way to get rid of those wrinkles by relaxing the muscles that cause them.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the U.S., according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In 2007, American women and men received 2,775,175 BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments.

What is BOTOX® Cosmetic and how does it work?

BOTOX® Cosmetic, made by Allergan, Inc., is an injectable treatment made from a purified protein, botulinim toxin type A. When injected into facial wrinkles caused by muscle action, BOTOX® Cosmetic blocks the release of acetylcholine, a chemical that signals muscles to contract. The result is a more relaxed, refreshed look.
How long does a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment take?

Botox is a lunchtime procedure-the treatment takes only a few minutes, and most patients go right back to work or their normal activities afterward.
Does BOTOX® Cosmetic work instantly?

Usually it takes 24 to 72 hours to see the effects of a Botox treatment.
Dr. Azar answers some frequently asked questions about BOTOX® Cosmetic

Q. How useful is BOTOX® Cosmetic?

A. "I think Botox is an absolutely spectacular treatment option. For a surgeon to endorse a simple injection when we have all these other modalities at our disposal means a lot."

Q. Do you administer BOTOX® Cosmetic injections yourself?

A. "Yes. I do not have nurse injectors or aestheticians inject my Botox patients; I perform Botox treatments myself."

Q. Why have BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments done by a plastic surgeon?

A. "Having your Botox injected by a plastic surgeon has some tremendous advantages. Plastic surgeons have an active knowledge of the facial muscles and how they interact with one another to create facial expressions. We can actually adjust the shape of the eyebrows by doing an eyebrow lift with Botox. Plastic surgeons understand how Botox affects the facial expression."

Q. Which areas do you most often treat with BOTOX® Cosmetic?

A. "The areas I treat regularly are the glabella, which is the area between the eyebrows, and the forehead. I'm a big fan of treating around the eyes. Patients of Mediterranean descent seem to benefit even more from Botox injections around the eyes because they get a bit of a brow lift from it."

Q. Which other areas can BOTOX® Cosmetic improve?

A. "Botox can also treat:

* Smoker's lines in the upper lip
* The procerus-the horizontal ‘bunny lines' that appear when you crinkle your nose
* Frown lines on the chin
* Bands on the neck"

Q. How many injections are involved in a typical BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment?

A. "There's an average of four to six injections per area. I tend to do little injections."

Q. How do you make injections more comfortable for your patients?

A. "I use ice and numbing cream to minimize any pain and swelling. Also, I'm very gentle. I take my time. If you inject more slowly and you change needles often, you get less pain, less swelling and a better result."

Q. Why do you change needles during a treatment?

A. "Most people don't know that when you put a needle in the skin, after about the third time, if you look at the needle under a microscope, it's got a big ‘J' hook on it-so when you put it in the skin, it's like taking a shredded poker to your skin because it tears it. That's why I change needles after every third injection."

Q. How else are you improving BOTOX® Cosmetic technique?

A. "I've developed a new type of needle I'm patenting for Botox administration. It basically helps distribute the substance throughout the face more evenly and makes it safer."

Q. How safe is BOTOX® Cosmetic?

A. "Botox is a purified protein that scientists have known about for many years. When I applied for my patent on the Botox-related needle, I had to go back to 1905 reviewing articles on Botox-so it's been around for a long time. We've been using it in medicine for 20 years. It's been used in aesthetics for a little bit less than that."

Q. Does the body get rid of BOTOX® Cosmetic?

A. "Yes. After about three months, your body breaks down Botox and it's eliminated by enzymes in your body."

Q. Will I need to keep getting BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments?

A. "Yes-but the effects will last longer with each successive treatment. I put my patients on a regimen where, for the first year, they get a treatment about every three months. The second year, they need a treatment every five months or so. By the third year, they need a treatment only every six to eight months.

"The longer you get Botox treatments, the less you need, but it's also important to get treatments regularly because if you let the muscles start working again, the lines come back."

Q. Can BOTOX® Cosmetic help prevent new wrinkles?

A. "Yes. It's important to know that Botox is both a preventive and a treatment. You're treating today's wrinkles, but also preventing the formation of new ones."

Q. How else do you use BOTOX® Cosmetic?

A. "I am pioneering the use of Botox to improve skin texture and prevent acne-and am in the process of securing a patent for it."

Q. Is BOTOX® Cosmetic used only on the face?

A. "No. Botox can be used to treat excessive perspiration, or hyperhydrosis. We can treat the underarms, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. This usually requires a higher does than we use for the face, but it usually lasts about six months. It can get someone through the summer months when they might want to wear a tight-fitting t-shirt and not be soaked in sweat."

Improve the texture and tone of your skin with BOTOX® Cosmetic. Contact our Thousand Oaks cosmetic surgery office today to schedule a private consultation.