If you plan on getting a botox treatment, it is best to be prepared for your appointment. Learning what botox is can help you to understand your results. Additionally, you should know what to do before your appointment to make your results last longer.
What Is Botox?
Botox comes from a bacteria known as botulinum toxin. If you encounter this outside a medical setting (improperly canned foods), you can experience nausea, face drooping, or paralysis. However, getting Botox from a medical professional is completely safe. This can include a physician or a nurse practitioner. Medical or cosmetic Botox may be made from botulinum toxin, but it is entirely safe for you.
Botox is a multi-functional treatment. While it can help reduce wrinkles, it can also treat several medical conditions. Botox can benefit those with chronic migraines and neck spasms. Botox works by blocking nerve activity in the targeted muscle area. Essentially, Botox freezes the area so that it cannot move. If you have neck spasms, Botox will stop the muscles from being able to move. Therefore, your pain symptoms are temporarily stopped.
For cosmetic treatments, Botox will paralyze the muscles, typically in your face. This will keep them from moving, which will minimize the look of wrinkles. Since the targeted muscles cannot move, you don’t continue to create wrinkles. Botox administers target key areas that cause deep-set or fine-line wrinkles. Botox does not freeze your entire face—just the areas you designate.
The effects of Botox are temporary. If you ever are unhappy with your results, rest assured that the effects will fade. Unfortunately, you will need to return if you want to continue the cosmetic or medical procedure. Botox typically only lasts about three months.
Before Botox
To prepare for your Botox treatment, you want to avoid taking certain medications or supplements. In the week before your appointment, avoid taking anything that will thin your blood. For example, some pain medications, like aspirin or ibuprofen, can create a blood-thinning effect. Additionally, you should avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol. This will help to reduce the bruising you may experience.
Other things that you might want to avoid include ginger, cinnamon, green tea, and fish oil. These can affect your ability to clot and increase the fragility of your blood cells. This means that you will be more likely to bruise.
You will want to plan ahead when it comes to making your appointment. If you have an event that you want to attend, be sure to plan your Botox appointment around it. This is because you can develop mild bruising that you don’t want to affect your events. Additionally, Botox can take a few days for you to begin seeing the stalling effects.
After Botox
After your treatment, you should be prepared to slow down. You should avoid exercising or lying down to ensure the best results. This can lead to the Botox spreading and bruising.