Botox® injections dramatically reduce the appearance of your most visible, deep wrinkles: frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead furrows. But the results you get depend on the skill of the person administering the injections.
Theresa Durchhalter, DO, FAAD, at Allure Dermatology combines extensive experience with her in-depth knowledge of facial structure to precisely inject the appropriate Botox dose. Here, she lists four reasons why her expertise makes a difference.
Botox comes in a freeze-dried form and must be mixed with sterile water or saline solution before it’s injected. The amount of water affects the spread of Botox after it’s injected. This isn’t a task you want to be done by an inexperienced person.
A shot of Botox is referred to as a unit. The number of units (shots) you receive is one of the primary factors determining the quality of your results. (It also establishes the cost of your treatment.)
Though there are recommendations for the number of shots for each facial area, every person is different. You may need more or less to get the results you expect.
If you get too few shots (receiving less Botox), your wrinkles won’t disappear as much as you expected. Injecting too much can cause unwanted results. For example, using too much Botox when treating forehead furrows can make your eyebrows droop. Excessive Botox injected anywhere in your face will stop too many muscles from moving and make your face look frozen.
This decision is the responsibility of the person administering your Botox shots. If you want to be happy with the results, you want to be sure a very experienced dermatologist performs your Botox treatment.
Choosing the optimal number of shots is crucial, but it’s not the only one that affects your results. Even if you get the right number, the shots must be precisely injected into specific muscles to get results you’ll love. And every shot must be administered to the appropriate depth.
Botox works by blocking the chemicals that make muscles tighten. The medicine must go into the muscles that produce the wrinkles you want to eliminate. Also, multiple injections must be accurately placed in the group of muscles.
Injecting the wrong muscles or injecting the medicine too deep (or not deep enough) ruins your results and may cause serious side effects. An inexperienced person may place the injection in different places on each side of your face, creating a lopsided appearance.
The person administering your shots must have an in-depth knowledge of facial anatomy so they can accurately locate each muscle. And they need to have plenty of experience injecting into the targeted muscles at the right depth.
One of the possible side effects of a Botox injection is called the distant spread of the toxin effect. It means that Botox can spread from the injection area and interfere with swallowing and breathing, potentially resulting in a life-threatening condition.
The nuances of a high-quality Botox treatment (the steps described above) determine your risk of distant toxin spread. Who administers your Botox determines your risk.
If you’re considering Botox, you can depend on the skilled care provided at Allure Dermatology. Call the office or request an appointment online to learn more about Botox and if it’s a good choice for you.
