Botox®
Botox® is a relatively new, though commonly known and popular method for treating frown lines between the eyebrows, crow's feet, and forehead wrinkles.
Botox® Cosmetic, the commercially available physician-administered aesthetic treatment, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002. The chemical agent, Botulinum Toxin Type A, provides temporary treatment for moderate to severe frown line. Results vary, but can last from four up to six months.
Botox® treatments are non-surgical and can be administered in brief sessions in the doctor’s office. Typically, the doctor administers several small injections directly into the muscles that cause the frown lines between the eyebrows. No anesthesia is necessary, though the skin’s surface is sometimes numbed with an icepack or topical anesthetic cream.
The improved appearance is maintained through regularly scheduled treatments; otherwise, the appearance will revert to its pre-Botox® state.
Like all medical procedures, you should advise your doctor of certain health issues. You should not use Botox® if you have an infection at the injection site, are allergic to any of the ingredients in Botox®, or are pregnant or think you are pregnant. Also, you should tell your doctor about any medications you might be taking.
While Botox® is a safe cosmetic treatment, it can cause certain side effects in some people. The most common side effects include temporary eyelid droop, difficulty with lid closing, and tearing following the injection, as well as localized and temporary post-injection pain, inflammation, swelling, tenderness, or redness.