Skin Care Tips, Notes & More

Cosmetic procedures have become immensely popular throughout the US. The most sought is Botox - even more so than the traditional favorite, face lift - with California being the state with the highest number of Botox injections per capita.

Botox was first introduced in the late 1980's and was used at the time as a way to treat eye muscle disorders. Today, the drug is injected to prevent wrinkle formation while making patients appear younger.

How Botox Works

Every time you make a facial expression or move your facial muscles, those muscles release a chemical known as acetylcholine. Essentially, Botox is injected into the facial muscle and inhibits the release of acetylcholine, therefore paralyzing the muscle and stopping the contraction.

How Well Botox Actually Works

After Botox injections, patients usually see about an 80 percent improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. The drug has also been independently tested and approved by the FDA as an effective wrinkle treatment, meaning it works. However, it's not permanent and will only last for up to 5 months, and perhaps only 3.

Step-By-Step Guide to Getting Botox Injections

Botox is injected while in your doctor's office, so there is no need to visit a hospital or receive any in-patient treatment. The drug is typically administered without anesthesia, though some physicians may apply a small amount of topical numbing cream to the treatment area.

Your Botox treatment will start once your doctor begins to locate each injection point and marking them with a pen. After this, the physician will disinfect the treatment area and obtain the needed amount of the Botox drug to administer the treatment.

Following your doctor's preparation, he or she will then inject the Botox, or Botulinum Toxin Type A, into your skin. At this point, the toxins attach themselves to your muscles' nerve endings, eventually stopping the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles.

Actual Botox Treatment Procedure Length

For Botox, users can typically expect their treatments to last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of preparation required and the size of the treatment area. Typically though, it's not a lengthy procedure.

After Care for Botox Injections

After a full treatment of Botox, patients can normally go about their day-to-day activities. However, they should avoid extended sun exposure or laying down for at least a few hours. Some individuals may experience mild bruising at their injection sites, but this will go away in a few hours.

Expense of Botox

Costs for Botox treatments will vary significantly, depending on the size of the area to be covered, your region and of course the doctor. The average cost for Botox injections are about $150 to $400 per treatment - California having some of the highest rates in the country. Don't count on your medical plan covering the procedure.

Finding a Certified Doctor

If you're looking for a certified doctor who can provide injections of Botox, you should try either the American Academy of Dermatology (aad.org) or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery.org).

When it comes to plastic surgery procedures in Colorado, Botox is by far the most popular. Thanks to its low cost, non-invasiveness and rapid recovery time, the drug has quickly become a mainstay at most Colorado dermatologist and plastic surgeon offices and is a great alternative to a facelift.

Botox, also known as Botulinum Toxin Type A, was first used by ophthalmologists to treat muscles around the eye, but was then approved by the FDA in 2005 as an effective anti-wrinkle treatment.

To learn more about Botox and the injection procedure in Colorado, keep reading.

How Botox Really Works

Basically, every time you move or contract your facial muscles, the muscles release a chemical called acetylcholine that allows them to make that contraction. Unfortunately, those contractions are also the cause of most wrinkles.

Botox stops your muscles from producing and releasing acetylcholine, essentially paralyzing the treated area, preventing the contractions that deepen the appearance of existing wrinkles and preventing the formation of new ones.

Botox Has Been Proven Effective

In monitored clinical studies, most patients saw an 80 percent reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. However, Botox is not permanent, and Colorado Botox patients typically needed refresher injections once every 3 to 5 months to maintain their results.

Step-By-Step Botox Injections

The typical first appointment for a Colorado Botox patient is simply an introduction and informational discussion with their practitioner or doctor. In this first appointment, they'll talk about risks, results, costs and what to expect.

The second appointment for a Colorado Botox appointment is the actual treatment. It starts with your doctor finding and marking every injection point and then disinfecting the treatment area. Next, your plastic surgeon or dermatologist will measure out the required amount of Botox.

The Botox is then injected into the skin. Most of the time, there is no anesthesia used. However some doctors apply a moderate numbing cream to reduce discomfort for patients undergoing an extensive treatment. The Botox will then attach itself to the muscles, at which point full results become visible within 7 to 10 days.

The average Colorado Botox treatment lasts between 5 to 10 minutes, not including preparation time.

After Your Botox Treatment

After your Botox injections, you can go right back to work or your regular, everyday activities. Most doctors ask that you avoid laying down and try to stay out of the sun.

Finding a Practitioner

To locate a doctor who administers Botox, try the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' website at plasticsurgery.org. Their website offers a searchable database, allowing you to limit your search to Colorado Botox suppliers and certified doctors.