Botox
Botulinum toxin or Botox is a liquid that works by weakening or paralyzing muscles.
In small doses, its use can reduce skin wrinkles and help treat several medical conditions, one of which is nerve problems.
Botox fluid is a protein made from botulinum toxin, produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
This is the same toxin that causes botulism or poisoning.
In Indonesia, this liquid has been officially registered as a hard drug to relax muscles.
Its use must be in accordance with recommendations and under the direct supervision of a doctor.
Benefits of Botox
Botox offers a variety of benefits for beauty and some medical conditions. The procedure works by blocking signals from nerves to muscles.
This way, the muscles that receive the injection cannot contract, making the wrinkles relax and become softer.
One of the benefits you can get in beauty is making your nose sharp.
The Purpose of Botox
The main purpose of using this injection procedure is to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles.
In fact, Botox is the most popular cosmetic procedure in some countries.
The effects are temporary, about 3 to 12 months, depending on the type of treatment.
Doctors will usually inject fluid into the following areas of the face.
- Wrinkles between the eyebrows or frown lines, glabellar lines or elevens.
- Wrinkles around the eyes.
- Horizontal folds on the forehead.
- Lines at the corners of the mouth.
- Chin wrinkles.
In addition, doctors also often recommend this procedure for certain medical conditions.
Most disorders that are treated with injections affect the neuromuscular system, such as:
- Upper extremity flexibility.
- Crossed eyes or strabismus.
- Severe underarm sweating or hyperhidrosis.
- Prevent migraines in people with chronic migraines.
- Reducing symptoms of overactive bladder due to neurological conditions if anticholinergic drugs do not help.
- Eyelid spasm or blepharospasm due to dystonia.
- Neurological movement disorder or cervical dystocia that affects the head and causes neck pain.
Meanwhile, some people also undergo this procedure to address the following complaints or health problems:
- Alopecia.
- Cyanorrhoea, a condition where there is too much saliva production.
- Psoriasis.
- Dyshidrotic eczema affecting the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
- Anismus, dysfunction of the anal muscles.
- Post-herpetic neuralgia.
- Vulvodynia, pain and discomfort in the vagina without an obvious cause.
- Raynaud’s disease affects the body’s circulation.
- Achalasia, a problem with the throat that makes it difficult to swallow.
Botox Dosage Rules
The dosage of botox varies depending on the patient’s condition. Therefore, doctors can prescribe or give different doses to each person.
The following Botox dosage is adjusted to the patient’s condition:
- Chronic migraine. This condition requires a dose of 155 units divided into 7 points on the head and neck.
- Stiff muscles. This condition requires a dose of 75 to 400 units and is divided into several points of the stiff muscle. For this condition, each injection point receives a maximum of 50 units.
- Wrinkles on the face. Requires a dose of 4 units at each injection point and is injected into 3 to 5 wrinkle areas on the face.
- Excessive sweating in the armpits. Requires a dose of 50 units in each armpit and 10 to 15 points per armpit.
- Strabismus. This condition requires 1.25 to 2.5 units as an initial dose. In this condition, the maximum dose is 25 units in each muscle around the eye.
- Eyelid twitching. This condition requires 1.25 to 2.5 units in each eye and is given at 3 points around the eye.
- Uncontrollable urge to urinate. This condition requires a dose of 100 units given at 20 points on the bladder muscle.
Botox is more recommended for adults. However, if children are advised to use Botox, consult a doctor first to prevent unwanted effects.
What is the Difference Between Botox and Filler?
In fact, both Botox and fillers are beauty methods that use injections, not surgery.
Botox is a treatment procedure that helps facial skin look smoother and firmer by utilizing proteins derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
Meanwhile, facial fillers aim to add volume to certain parts of the face, such as the cheeks or lips, by inserting soft tissue under the surface of the skin.
Another difference you can notice is the durability of both. Botox procedures can last up to 3 or 4 months after the procedure.
Meanwhile, filler procedures offer longer durability, ranging from 4 months to 2 years depending on the material you use.
When to Get Botox?
You can do a Botox procedure when you experience annoying wrinkles.
However, make sure to consult a dermatologist first to find out about safety and possible side effects.
For medical purposes, the procedure can only take place on the recommendation of a doctor. Usually, the doctor will suggest this procedure if other treatments do not help. Of course, after weighing the benefits and risks.
Botox Procedure
The Botox procedure only takes a few minutes and generally does not require anesthesia.
The doctor will use a small needle to inject Botox into a specific muscle. Here is the full explanation:
Before the procedure
Although not necessary, sometimes doctors apply anesthetic cream to the injection area.
This step aims to provide a numbing effect. The effect is immediately felt within 15 minutes.
During the botox procedure
After the skin is numb, the doctor will prepare equipment, such as needles and fluid in the form of botulinum toxin into the lower layers of the skin.
This liquid is available in two forms, namely:
- Type A. This type of fluid has the main function of treating wrinkles on the face. There are several types of type A fluids, namely onabotulinumtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA, incobotulinumtoxinA, daxibotulinumtoxinA, and prabotulinumtoxinA .
Type B. This type of fluid is effective for treating neck spasms. The type is rimabotulinumtoxinB.
After the procedure
It takes patients 7 to 14 days to get the effects of Botox.
During this period, it is best to avoid During this period, it is best to avoid touching, massaging, or pressing the area of the face that received the procedure so that the fluid does not spread to other parts of the face.
In addition, patients must also stop taking certain types of drugs, such as aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs.
This step aims to prevent bruising from occurring after the procedure.
Patients also need to avoid friction on the injection skin area for 24 hours.
This step is intended to prevent the fluid from spreading to other areas. Finally, sit upright for 4 hours after the injection.
The effects of the injection will last 3 to 6 months. After that, lines and wrinkles will reappear in the injection area.
When this condition occurs, the patient needs to undergo re-treatment.
Although they appear, fine lines and wrinkles on the skin’s surface are not as severe as before.
Because the injection triggers shrinkage in the muscle. For maximum results, do this treatment once every 3 months.
Just adjust it to the recommendations of each doctor.
Botox Side Effects
Botox procedures are considered safe as long as they are carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Don’t forget to choose a licensed facility with skilled workers.
Otherwise, this medical procedure risks causing side effects according to its intended use, namely:
Side effects for treating migraines:
- Neck feels sore.
- Dizzy.
Side effects for treating stiff muscles:
- Pain appears in the hands or feet in adults.
- Respiratory tract disorders, such as flu in children.
Side effects for treating excessive underarm sweating:
- Pain or bleeding at the injection site.
- Sweating on other parts of the body.
Side effects for treating uncontrollable urge to urinate:
- Urinary tract infections in children and adults.
- Urinary retention in adults.
Side effects for treating eye twitching and strabismus:
- Dry eyes.
- Drooping eyelids or crooked eyebrows.
Meanwhile, some common side effects that can occur are:
- Pain, swelling, or bruising at the injection site.
- Asymmetrical smile.
- Saliva comes out by itself.
- Infection at the injection site.
In rare cases, the fluid can spread to the surrounding area. At this stage, the patient will experience symptoms such as:
- Muscle weakness.
- Vision problems.
- Difficulty speaking or swallowing.
- Respiratory problems.
- Allergic reactions.
- Loss of bladder control.
