Botox® is arguably one of the most effective, non-surgical ways to temporarily smooth unsightly expression lines and dynamic wrinkles. You can start having Botox® from the age of around 20 and many people keep it as their mainstay in aesthetic treatments, simply because it works. If you are interested in having Botox® and have been researching this injectable treatment online, you might have seen some very confusing information, such as advice that it can leave you with one eyebrow lower than the other, that it can make you look older than your years, or even that you can be poisoned by the medical drug! Although it’s advisable to research any non-surgical injectable treatment thoroughly before having it, the internet can be a scary place with lots of misinformation. At Dr Anita Dhunna’s clinic in South Woodford, we want to inform and educate all of our patients, to be well-versed with accurate facts and data, so that they can make the right decision as to whether Botox® is a suitable treatment to undergo.
Here are some of the common myths about Botox® and the true facts surrounding these myths..
1. Botox® can poison you – in fact Botox® (Botulinum Toxin Type A) is one of the most deadly substances known to man, but this is if it is ingested in its raw form. When diluted, highly purified, FDA approved and injected in the tiny doses that it is, when administering a cosmetic treatment using Botox®, the substance has little to no side-effects. One might feel a little light headed, or have mild flu-like symptoms for a few hours, but this is all very normal and these symptoms will subside very quickly. As for poisoning, there have been no known cases of serious side-effects from an injectable anti-ageing treatment using Botox® recorded to date.
2. Botox® injections make you look like Spock – As with any prescribed drug, Botox® needs to be respected and administered by a fully-qualified medical expert, such as Dr Anita Dhunna. When used properly, in the right facial areas and by a true professional in facial anatomy and beautification, Botox® will not make you look like Spock, permanently surprised or older than your years. It will simply reduce the amount of expression lines present on the forehead, between the eyebrows (Glabellar lines), the sides of the eyes (crow’s feet) and even down the sides of the nose. An eyebrow lift can sometimes be achieved with Botox® but the treatment needs to be given by someone who understands the unique intricacies of the facial muscles, where the Botox® is to be placed and how the muscles will relax and respond to the treatment. It’s a scary thought that some non-medics are practicing Botox® injections and usually this is when mistakes and mis-judgements of how the outcome will be, can happen.
3. If I stop having Botox® I will look older – Botox® will prevent your wrinkles from worsening when you maintain your treatments (usually once every 4 to 6 months is advised). However, Botox® will not worsen the formation of wrinkles but instead, if you stop having the treatment, the wrinkles will slowly return to how they were, prior to the treatment.
4. Botox® is only for older people- Botox® can actually be beneficial to even younger patients in their 20’s as it can help to prevent the formation of expression lines and wrinkles.
5. Using anti-ageing creams is just as good as having Botox® – No anti-wrinkle cream is ever going to be as effective at smoothing dynamic lines and wrinkles as Botox®, as these creams do not penetrate and act on the facial muscles, like this medical injectable treatment.
6. Botox® is expensive – in fact, Botox® is one of the least expensive of the injectable wrinkle-smoothing treatments and compared to plastic surgery, is excellent value for money. Many of our patients here at Dr Anita Dhunna’s clinics save monthly for their Botox® injections, as they can experience real results which last for months at a time. But be mindful of ‘cheap’ deals and online vouchers. Botox® should not be seen as a ‘quick fix’ and needs to be carefully considered and only administered by a medical professional.
7. Botox® is addictive – it’s true that many of our patients here at Dr Anita Dhunna’s clinics would not go without their Botox® treatments, twice to three times per year, for the simple reason that it offers superb results that are clearly seen. However, we always manage the expectations of our patients and would never treat someone more than 3 times in any 12 month period with Botox®. If you have a healthy and realistic view of Botox® and the results it can achieve, you won’t need more treatments than three times per year and will be happy with the results that it can achieve. Botox® offers no clinical or physical addiction and is a lifestyle choice.
8. The results from Botox® should be seen immediately – this is a myth, as it takes between 24 hours and 2 weeks for the effects of Botox® to be seen. This is why, after a 2 week period, we offer our patients the opportunity for a review appointment, here at Dr Anita Dhunna’s clinic for any alterations or ‘top ups’.
9. Anyone can have Botox® – this is not actually the case, as there can be contraindications to this medical drug and its use for wrinkle smoothing. Therefore, before we agree to treat anyone with Botox® here at Dr Anita Dhunna’s clinic, we will ask that you attend a pre-treatment consultation, to check your medical history and discuss the results you are looking to achieve, so we can manage your expectations accordingly.
If you are considering Botox® injections it’s sensible to ask questions and get all the facts before going under the needle. This is why we offer our consultations with no obligation, so that you can ask Dr Anita all the questions that you need to and so she can make a professional, medical decision on whether Botox® will not only give you the results you want, but will be a safe option for you too.
