Questions & Answers

• 1. How do I know if I am a good candidate for BOTOX?

  BOTOX treatments are customized for each patient, and there is no single method that fits all facial types. There are a lot of elements that need to be taken into account, such as whether the face is male or female, eyebrow shape, facial structure, dimension and length of forehead. The talented medical injectors at Skin Vitality have experience in treating hundreds of thousands of patients with different backgrounds using specific techniques that result in a natural result.
  BOTOX works best for certain individuals in facial rejuvenation. It’s been designed, mainly, for people that do not have any history of neuromuscular disease (like multiple sclerosis and others) and are consenting adults. Candidates that can benefit most from BOTOX treatment are physically and mentally healthy and willing to deal with the side effects that can arise following their procedure (like temporary swelling or drooping at the injection site). Patients should also be able to comfortably spend the money that undergoing a properly-administered BOTOX treatment requires.

  The ideal candidate also understands the limitations of the treatment and can go into their procedure without harbouring unrealistic expectations. For example, it may not be effective in areas where a permanent crease has already formed, such as a nasolabial fold, or if added volume is desired, as is the case of lip augmentation.

  BOTOX effects can vary from person to person and patients that expect a sudden, drastic resolution to their skin problems may be disappointed if their treatment’s results don’t live up to expectations. An ideal BOTOX candidate should be patient and willing to undergo follow-up sessions that allow them to enjoy the results they desire.

• 2. Who should not have BOTOX?

  Botulinum toxin should not be used in pregnant or lactating women, as well as people who have had a previous allergic reaction to the drug or any of its ingredients. If you were allergic to Dysport, then there is a high chance of being allergic to BOTOX as well because of how similar these drugs are with each other.

  Check with your doctor regarding the medications you’re currently taking as well. Certain products may interfere with BOTOX results and, if these medications can’t be temporarily halted, the procedure may not be right for you.

  Most of us want to be as prepared as possible for any type of procedure — even one as routine and speedy as a BOTOX injection. Learning about the subject beforehand makes it easier to dismiss fears and ensure that you’re moving forward with the best plan of action for your situation.

  There are a few physical attributes that can make for a non-ideal BOTOX candidate. Treatment isn’t recommended for people with thick facial skin, drooping eyelids and eyelid droop (a condition called ptosis), weakness in the muscles to be injected, extremely deep scars on the face, facial asymmetry and the presence of skin disorders or conditions in the areas where BOTOX is to be targeted. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, like Lambert-Eaton syndrome, BOTOX may not be suitable for you.

  Patients that choose to undergo a BOTOX treatment must also be prepared to experience a few side effects. If the idea of mild to moderate inflammation, swelling or minor procedural pain cause you to doubt your plans for treatment then it may be worthwhile to consider whether these temporary, negative aspects of BOTOX outweigh the benefits it can have for your appearance.

  

• 3. What to do before your appointment?

  At your consultation: It’s a good idea to bring a few questions along to the consultation. Because BOTOX is a prescription drug, you’ll meet with a licensed physician to discuss your goals for the treatment. You can ask for a description of the day of the treatment to get a good feel for what to expect. The area to be treated will be examined to make sure BOTOX is right for you.

  Although BOTOX injection treatments are extremely safe, it does have the potential to create side effects after its use. Your injector will be able to explain what to expect (the most common side effects of BOTOX are swelling and temporary, localized discomfort – all related to the injection rather than the product itself) and how to deal with any problem that arises. You may also be advised to avoid strenuous activities for a day before the injection or apply an ice pack to the procedure site before and after your visit to ward off swelling.

  Prepare for your treatment by avoiding any medications that thin the blood about one week before your injection. You can also take Arnica pills a couple of days beforehand to help with bruising. Another product that helps with bruising and inflammation is pineapple.

• 4. How is the procedure performed?

  It’s normal to be a bit frightened or worried on the day of your first BOTOX treatment but, if you’ve followed the steps outlined above, there’s really no reason to be. After all, it’s not cosmetic surgery – it’s a routine non-invasive injection treatment.

  When you arrive at Skin Vitality Medical Clinic, you’ll be asked to lie in a reclining chair and your injector will ask you to contract specific muscles around the injection site so they can mark the targeted areas. A topical numbing agent can be applied. The BOTOX injection itself feels much like an insect bite so, unless you have a very low pain tolerance, you’ll be fine with only slight numbing with local anesthetic, in the form of a topical cream. The procedure itself then takes place and only lasts around ten to twenty minutes.

  The BOTOX Cosmetic is administered using a super-fine needle to avoid any pain, bruising or swelling. The BOTOX is injected directly into neuromuscular tissue and it takes 24-72 hours for it to take full effect. In some very rare cases, it may take as long as five days for the full effect to be observed — it all depends on how your body reacts to the treatment, and whether there is any swelling that could be hiding your results. That’s why we usually ask our patients to assess their results at about the one to two week mark. A followup appointment can be booked with your injector to review your results.

• 5. How long does the procedure take?

  It’s normal to be a bit frightened or worried on the day of your first BOTOX treatment but, if you’ve followed the steps outlined above, there’s really no reason to be. After all, it’s not cosmetic surgery – it’s a routine non-invasive injection treatment.

  When you arrive at Skin Vitality Medical Clinic, you’ll be asked to lie in a reclining chair and your injector will ask you to contract specific muscles around the injection site so they can mark the targeted areas. A topical numbing agent can be applied. The BOTOX injection itself feels much like an insect bite so, unless you have a very low pain tolerance, you’ll be fine with only slight numbing with local anesthetic, in the form of a topical cream. The procedure itself then takes place and only lasts around ten to twenty minutes.

  The BOTOX Cosmetic is administered using a super-fine needle to avoid any pain, bruising or swelling. The procedure only takes around 10-20 minutes. Once injected, it typically takes about 72 hours for the product to start taking effect and the full effect can take up to 2 weeks — it all depends on how your body reacts, and whether there is any swelling that could be hiding your results. That’s why we usually ask our patients to assess their results at about the one to two week mark. A followup appointment can be booked with your injector to review your results.

• 6. Will everyone be able to tell?

  After a proper BOTOX treatment, your friends and colleagues should not be able to immediately tell that you’ve had BOTOX, but they should notice something more refreshed, relaxed and attractive about you.

  One of the most common reasons for avoiding BOTOX treatments is that patients are afraid they will fall victim to classic signs of “over-Botoxing”. We’ve all seen celebrities that look noticeably altered by improperly administered treatment and want to make sure that we never experience these problems ourselves.

  Sign 1 – “Frozen” Look

  Since BOTOX works by blocking neuromuscular transmissions, it’s possible to overdo treatments and create a “frozen” look where facial expressions become unnatural or stiff. This occurs as a side-effect of BOTOX’s intended effects – namely, the partial relaxation of a targeted area. That’s why it’s important that the medical professional performing your treatment has the experience, knowledge and credentials to inject the right amount of product in the right spot.

  Sign 2 — Droopy Eyelids

  BOTOX® may be injected too close to the eyebrows or eyelids and create a drooping effect. Again, accurate injection placement, technique and amount are critical.

  Sign 3 — Excessive Bruising and Inflammation

  All injections will cause some inflammation or light bruising, since the injection is made into the soft tissue. However, one common sign of excessive (or improperly administered) BOTOX can be found in patients with severe bruising, redness and inflammation. Because any injection irritates the skin it is important to have an experienced medical professional perform treatments.

  How Can a Good Medical Professional Prevent These Signs?

  An experienced and skilled medical professional can work with you to ensure that you don’t suffer from an “over-botoxed” appearance. A “frozen” look can be avoided by agreeing on a cautious treatment schedule that is appropriate for you. Avoiding excessive therapy is also essential for keeping the face as natural looking as possible.

  Bruising, inflammation and droopy eyelids usually aren’t a concern when you’ve been treated by a pro who knows their stuff, and has the experience to back their claims. Just as needles are less painful when administered by a skilled medical injector, side effects are dramatically reduced altogether as well.

• 7. How long does BOTOX last? Is it permanent?

  No – BOTOX Cosmetic is not permanent. Within two or three days after your injections, the muscles that produce frown lines lose their ability to contract. For the next three months or so after you’re treated, you can’t frown even if you try. After that, the effect gradually decreases until muscles return to normal about six months after the treatment, which can then be repeated. If you follow the directions given to you and book your first 3 appointments promptly every 3 months (without waiting in between!) you can eventually increase the duration results of each treatment. There are no long term effects.

• 8. Where does the Botox go once it is injected?

  Botox Cosmetic will stay local to the muscle where it was injected. However, there is a very minimal risk of migration, particularly if the treated area is rubbed or excessively touched immediately after your injection. For that reason, it’s best to avoid touching the area in the first few days.

  After your Botox Cosmetic treatment, the product is simply metabolized and broken down into a natural by-product in the weeks and months after your injection.

• 9. What happens when the treatment wears off?

  BOTOX Cosmetic only “stops/slows” the clock of aging. When you stop getting treatments, the “aging clock” resumes like normal. At the very minimum, you will simply return to where you started. (A treatment won’t make you look worse once the results wear off, but some patients think they look worse because they got so used to how much better they looked and were shocked at how much of a difference it made!)

  If you continuously use BOTOX Cosmetic for a number of years and then stop, your muscles have been repeatedly relaxed and therefore you will look better than when you started. You’ll also look better then if you hadn’t had the treatments performed at all. That’s why it’s important to maintain the results of your treatment with touch-ups. This allows you to keep your appearance looking fresh and rejuvenated and delays the development of more wrinkles and creases.

• 10. How much does it cost?

  The cost of BOTOX treatment varies by each patient and only a personal consultation can give you a more specific amount. The cost can range from $100 and up depending on the amount of BOTOX injections required and the area being treated.

• 11. Will I look “plastic”?

  No. We will ensure that you get the look you desire – as natural as you want. In our experienced hands we can simply make you look more natural, relaxed and refreshed without anyone noticing you have had anything done. This is our primary goal!

  We do this by first assessing your facial anatomy so that we can accurately pinpoint the area that needs to be treated as well as discussing your expectations. A specific amount of BOTOX is then administered to the appropriate muscles causing your wrinkles. Usually, a series of injections is made in the area so that all the muscles are targeted. This allows for a more comprehensive approach to treating your wrinkles. So, for example, three injections may be made in the orbiculares oculi muscle on the outer corner of one eye to treat the crow’s feet there.

• 12. What are the side effects?

  Although very rare and not permanent, some people have a short-term headache after their treatment. This is a rare side effect that some patients may experience following their injection. To be on the safe side, do not take products containing aspirin prior to or within a day following your injection, even if you get a headache. Doing so can increase the rate of bruising and bleeding (if any). If you require relief, choose Tylenol. What can also help prevent a headache after treatment is to relax while you’re getting the injection. Breathe deeply and don’t be nervous – you’ve selected an experience and skilled medical injector at Skin Vitality to perform your procedure, so don’t worry! You’re in good hands.

  Some experience bruising (which can be covered with makeup) or swelling, and both are also temporary. Almost every patient is able to come out of their BOTOX treatment without feeling any lingering pain or discomfort. A good cosmetic doctor or nurse knows how to direct injections into only the muscle groups that require alteration, meaning that the only lasting effects should be confined to the area where the BOTOX was administered.

  How long any swelling and bruising lasts depends on your body’s ability to recover. If you find that it takes some time for you to heal from a bruise, then chances are you’ll need to wait it out a little longer. If your bruises heal relatively quickly, then you’ll most likely be able to enjoy the true results of your treatment quickly as well. Whatever you do, avoid rubbing or massaging the treated and bruised area following treatment to prevent the migration of product (which could cause temporary facial weakness if it comes into contact with muscles in another area). You want to keep the BOTOX all in the area it was injected to be the most effective.

  Despite this, there are still a few minor side effects that can arise after a BOTOX injection. One of them is the appearance of light bruising and tiny red dots after treatment. Don’t worry! Both of these symptoms usually begin to gradually fade then completely vanish after only a few hours have passed. The process can be sped up (or reduced in severity) by applying a cold compress to the area of the face or body that was treated. If you plan to return to your schedule immediately, applying makeup is often enough to hide these symptoms. Make sure to use an applicator that is clean to reduce the risk of infection.

• 13. Risks and dangers that you should be aware of before your treatment

  As with any cosmetic medical treatment, there are risks that are associated with BOTOX that you should know about. While the occurrence of these risks are rare, it’s important that you’re aware of them. Medical attention should be sought immediately if any of the following are experienced:

  • swallowing difficulties (especially if the platysma muscle has been targeted)
  • dizziness
  • feeling faint
  • speaking difficulties

  Some people believe that Botox is a poison, but it is not. In small doses, it is therapeutic.

• 14. Where is the treatment performed?

  Your BOTOX treatment will be performed in the safety and privacy of our medical clinic. You may choose any one of our 9 locations across the Greater Toronto Area, London and Kitchener – wherever is most convenient for you! Find out our clinic locations.

• 15. When should I get Botox before a big event?

  Patients often get Botox before an important occasion, so they can look their best. If you are planning to do the same, you should consider getting the treatment done a couple of weeks before the date. For example, you can get Botox 3 weeks before a wedding. That would give you enough time for any swelling and bruising to subside, if they happen to occur. About 5 days after your treatment, you should see some improvement, since it can take this long for the Botox to start to work.

• 16. I'm 4 weeks pregnant. Can I get Botox?

  It’s a good idea to refrain from getting Botox while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.