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Anti-ageing and medical treatment

Botox injections in Sevenoaks, Kent

Botox is a brand name for botulinum toxin, produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. When injected into muscles, it temporarily prevents them from contracting. It reduces the appearance of wrinkles caused by muscle movement over time. Botox is very safe, and the NHS even uses it for patients with migraines. It can also be used to treat a gummy smile, migraines, excessive sweating and teeth grinding

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What is Botox and what does it do?

Are you considering Botox to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles or to treat a number of medical conditions such as teeth grinding and migraines? If so, it's essential to understand what exactly Botox is and how it works. It's also important to be aware of this treatment's potential risks or side effects.

What is Botox?

Botox is a brand name for botulinum toxin, produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. When injected into muscles, it temporarily prevents them from contracting. It reduces the appearance of wrinkles caused by muscle movement over time. Botox is very safe, and the NHS even uses it for patients with migraines.

At her skin clinic in Sevenoaks, Dr. Paulina Charlesworth only uses the highest-grade botulinum toxin product/?medicine purchased from authorised UK pharmacies, limiting potential complications. She will also tailor the best type of Botox to achieve your desired look or treat your medical concern.

How Does BOTOX Work?

Typically, your brain sends electrical messages to your muscles so that they can contract and move. The electrical message is transmitted to the muscle by a substance called acetylcholine. Botox blocks the release of acetylcholine, so the muscle does not receive the message to contract. 

The muscle movements that cause wrinkling then stop or are significantly reduced after using Botox. Muscles that don't move over a prolonged period decrease in size, which also helps lines and wrinkles to flatten and become less visible.

What does BOTOX treat?

  • As we age, our skin begins to show signs of ageing such as wrinkles and lines. Botox is a popular treatment that can help reduce the appearance of these signs by temporarily paralyzing the muscles in your face.

    Botox is an injectable form of botulinum toxin type A which blocks nerve signals from reaching certain facial muscles. This prevents them from contracting which helps relax the muscle and smooth out any existing wrinkles or lines on your face.

    The results are usually visible within 3-7 days after injection but may take up to one month for the full effect.

    The most common anti-ageing areas botox treats are:

    Upper face: 

    • Frown Lines or 11 lines
    • Forehead Lines
    • Glabellar Lines – Vertical lines between the eyebrows aka 11 lines 
    • Bunny Lines – Lines across the bridge of the nose.
    • Crow’s Feet – Lines on the upper two thirds of the lateral eye
    • Brow Lift – Creates a lifting effect of the brow.

    BOTOX can also often treat lower eyelid wrinkles by injecting into the lower eyelid to soften them and help open the distance between the upper and lower eyelid, creating a more pleasing rounded and open eye shape. It can also help to eliminate "jelly roll" under the eye. 

    However, this treatment is not recommended if you have prominent eye bags with excess skin under the eye caused by weakened fatty tissue.

    Lower face: 

    • Marionette lines
    • Lipstick lines (around the mouth)
    • Jawline 
    • Mentalis Dysfunction – ‘Dents’ in the chin.

    Sagging Neck and neck lines: Botox is also used in non-surgical neck lift to treat a sagging neck, such as Nefrettiti neck lift. Injections into neck lines stop the muscles from working and smooths the overlying skin.

    Can Botox go wrong?

    As Botox relaxes muscles, it may cause muscle weakness near the injection site such as:

    • a droopy eye lift, when injected into the forehead;
    • difficulty in closing your eye, if injected into wrinkles around the eye; or
    • a droopy mouth, if injected incorrectly near the eye or near the mouth.

    In order to decrease your chances of the above complications, it is therefore best to have the injections performed by an experienced and qualified healthcare professional, who can analyse your features and tailor the treatment to your needs.

  • Teeth Grinding Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a common problem that can cause pain and discomfort. Fortunately, there are treatments available to help reduce the symptoms associated with teeth grinding. One such treatment is botulinum toxin (Botox) injections.

    What Is Bruxism? Bruxism is a condition in which an individual grinds or clenches their teeth unconsciously during sleep or while awake. It can lead to headaches, jaw pain, earaches, tooth damage, and other issues if left untreated.

    How Does Botox Work To Treat Teeth Grinding? Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections work by relaxing the muscles around the jaw area that are responsible for causing teeth grinding. This helps relieve tension in these areas and reduces involuntary muscle contractions that may be contributing to bruxism symptoms.

    Benefits of Using Botox For Teeth Grinding:

    Pain Relief: The relaxation of facial muscles caused by Botox injections helps reduce tension in the jaw area which leads to less pain from clenching or grinding your teeth at night or when you’re awake.

    Improved Sleep Quality: By reducing muscle contractions due to bruxism during sleep time allows individuals who suffer from this disorder get better quality restful nights without any interruptions caused by involuntary movements like clenching/grinding their jaws together throughout the night .

    Reduced Tooth Damage: Reducing stress on your gums and mouth through regular use of botulinum toxin injections prevents further wear down on enamel leading up to fewer cavities over time as well as preventing chipped/cracked teeth due to excessive force being applied onto them when sleeping/awake .

  • A gummy smile is when the upper lip rises too high, exposing more of your gum line than usual. This can be an embarrassing issue for many people and can make them feel self-conscious about their appearance.

    Fortunately, there are treatments available to help reduce or eliminate this problem. One such treatment is botox injections which have been proven to effectively treat a gummy smile with minimal side effects.

    Botox has recently become popular among dentists for use in correcting dental issues like overbites, underbites, crossbites, and even gummy smiles caused by excessive muscle activity around the mouth area.

    How Does Botox Work To Correct A Gummy Smile? When injected into specific areas around the lips and cheeks near where they meet at each corner of your mouth (known as “the orbicularis oris”), it relaxes these muscles so that they don't pull up excessively when you talk or laugh - thus reducing the amount of gum tissue exposed during those activities. The result is a much less noticeable gummy smile!

    Benefits Of Using Botox For A Gummy Smile: Using botox injections to correct a gummy smile offers several advantages compared to other methods such as surgery or orthodontics:

    • Quick results – Unlike traditional braces which take months if not years before any visible changes occur; most patients see improvement within just two weeks after receiving their first injection!
    • Minimal discomfort – Most patients report only mild pain from having small amounts of liquid injected directly into their facial muscles; far less than what would be experienced through surgery or wearing braces all day long!
    • Long lasting effect – Depending on individual factors like age & lifestyle habits; one set of injections could last anywhere between 6-12 months before needing another round done again!
    • Cost effectiveness – Compared with surgical procedures & orthodontic treatments; getting regular sessions done with botox tends to cost significantly less overall while still providing excellent results without compromising safety standards either!
  • Excessive sweating can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable condition to live with. Fortunately, there is a safe and effective treatment option available: Botox injections.

    How Does Botox Work To Treat Hyperhidrosis? When injected into areas that are prone to excessive sweating, such as armpits or hands, Botox blocks signals from nerves which tell your sweat glands when they should produce sweat. This reduces the amount of sweat produced in those areas significantly – up to 80%. The effects usually last for several months before another injection may need to be administered again.

    Benefits Of Using Botox For Hyperhidrosis Treatment:

    • Safe & Effective: When performed by a qualified professional who uses sterile techniques and high quality products, Botox injections are very safe and have minimal side effects compared with other forms of treatment like surgery or medication. Additionally, studies have shown that over 95% of people treated with Botox experienced significant reduction in their symptoms after just one session.
    • Long Lasting Results: As mentioned above, results typically last between 3 - 6 months depending on how quickly your body metabolizes the toxin; meaning you don’t have worry about having regular appointments every few weeks/months like some other treatments require.
    • Cost Efficient: Compared with more invasive procedures or medications prescribed for hyperhidrosis treatment, Botox is relatively inexpensive making it much more cost efficient than many alternatives out there today.
  • If you are someone who suffers from migraines in Sevenoaks, you have probably tried a number of remedies to alleviate your symptoms. While there are a variety of options available, one treatment that has become increasingly popular is Botox injections.

    What is Botox and how does it work for migraines? Botox is a medication that works by relaxing muscles. When used for migraine treatment, it is injected into specific areas around the head and neck. By selectively targeting and relaxing the muscles responsible for migraine headaches, Botox can help to reduce their frequency and intensity.

    Is Botox for migraines safe?Yes, Botox for migraines is considered safe based on numerous clinical studies, including a large-scale clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. However, as with any medical procedure, there may be some risks or side effects that patients should be aware of. These can include pain or discomfort at the injection site or bruising.

    How often do I need to get Botox injections for migraines?Botox for migraines is typically administered every 12-16 weeks. However, the frequency of injections may vary depending on the individual patient and their response to treatment.

    Are there any restrictions on who can receive Botox for migraines?Botox for migraines is approved for adults who suffer from chronic migraines. However, there may be certain medical conditions or medications that could prevent someone from receiving this treatment. It is important to discuss your medical history and any potential contraindications with your healthcare provider before undergoing treatment.

    How effective is Botox for migraines? Several clinical studies have shown that Botox for migraines can be highly effective in reducing the frequency and severity of migraines. One large-scale study found that patients who received Botox injections experienced an average of 9 fewer headache days per month, compared to a reduction of 6.7 headache days per month in patients who received placebo injections.

Frequently asked Botox questions

  • Results tend to last 3-4 months after an injection and the recovery of some movement will begin from 8 weeks onwards.

    The repetition of treatment will deliver optimum results, as the muscle will begin to become weaker over time.

    The frequency of treatments may be reduced, depending upon your skin type and your response to treatment.

    Should you wish not to maintain the results achieved, you can simply not have any further treatment and your muscles and skin will return to their pre-treatment state.

  • For vertical lines between the eyebrows seen at maximum frown, you will usually see an improvement within the first week following treatment, and the maximum effect is achieved at 5 to 6 weeks.

    For fan-shaped lines from the corner of the eyes seen at maximum smile, you will usually see an improvement within the first week following treatment.

    For forehead lines seen at maximum eyebrow elevation you will usually see an improvement within the first week following treatment.

    For excessive sweating of the armpits, you will usually see an improvement within the first week following treatment. The effect on average lasts 4 to 7 months after the first injection.

  • All botulinum toxins are a 'Prescription Only Medication' and as such, can only be prescribed by doctors or healthcare professionals with higher prescribing qualifications and experience in using botulinum toxin and managing any potential complications.

    Botulinum toxin is generally considered safe, provided that you have a full medical assessment (which includes a review of your medical history) and an examination, undertaken by a doctor.

    It is also important that the medication is also administered by a trained healthcare professional, who would:

    • be fully trained in correct aseptic technique;
    • have passed professional medication calculation and preparation assessments; and
    • is trained in professional injection techniques.

    Healthcare professionals are bound by professional standards, such as the General Medical Council’s (the GMC) ‘Duty of Care’, and can he held accountable for their assessments, treatments and the quality of care provided.

    If a practitioner is not a prescribing healthcare professional, it is likely that the products have been sourced illegally or are counterfeit, as UK pharmacies require a prescription to sell Prescription Only Medication.

  • As with any injection, potential side-effects include: infection, pain, swelling, burning and stinging, increased sensitivity, tenderness, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising at the site of injection.

    As with any medication, it may cause an allergic reaction.

  • Most patients do not require anaesthetic cream if the injections are performed with the highest quality, fine needles. However, anaesthetic cream is offered, if required.

  • The minimum treatment period between treatments is recommended at 3 months.

    If you are given Botox too often or the dose is too high, you may experience:

    • muscle weakness;
    • side effects related to the spread of toxin; or
    • your body may start producing some antibodies, which can reduce the effect of Botox®.

    To limit these risks, the interval between two treatments must not be less than two or three months, depending on the indication.

  • It is important you tell your doctor about any medicines or dietary supplements you are taking.

    Some supplements and medicines can adversely affect the way the toxin works, or may increase your risk of bruising.

    The most common supplements and medication that can cause bruising or medicine interactions are: Vitamin A, C or E, Gingko Biloba, Garlic, fish oils, St. John’s Wort or some pain killing medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Please do let the doctor know in advance if you take any of these, as it may be advisable to stop taking them a few days before your treatment.

    It is also advisable not to drink alcohol the night before your treatment, and not to have treatment if you are feeling at all unwell.

    Makeup will need to be removed prior to the injections, and you will be advised not to reapply it for 12 hours following treatment in order to reduce the risk of infection and irritation at the injection sites.

  • You will be advised to keep the target muscles active for a few hours and to avoid extremes of heat or cold, vigorous exercise, lying down or leaning over for 4-6 hours following treatment.