What Is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum toxin (or botulinum toxin), marketed under the name BOTOX®, is known worldwide in the field of aesthetic medicine. Botox reduces facial expression lines.
As we age, facial muscle contractions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices lead to the appearance of permanent wrinkles. These wrinkles and fine lines can make a person look older and cause discomfort for some people.
Botox® is a natural protein derived from botulinum toxin, which is synthesized from Clostridium botulinum. It helps restore muscular balance by relaxing the facial skin to create a more relaxed appearance, while maintaining a natural expression for several months.
It should be noted that there are several brands of botulinum toxin: Botox®, Vistabel®, Bocouture®, and Azzalure®. All of these products are approved by the French National Authority for Health and are highly reliable.
Dr. Delobaux, a plastic surgeon in Paris, specializes in Botox injections. He is supported by a highly qualified team and provides top-quality care to ensure the best possible results for your face.
Goals of Botox for Facial Wrinkles
Botulinum toxin injections are used to treat forehead wrinkles by relaxing the frontalis muscle, which causes horizontal wrinkles; wrinkles around the eyes caused by the orbicularis oculi muscle; and the glabellar muscles, which cause frown lines (wrinkles between the eyebrows).
Candidates for Botox injections
No one is immune to the appearance of forehead wrinkles. Everyday habits—sometimes seemingly trivial ones—can even contribute to their formation, such as the contraction of facial muscles for various reasons, like when exposed to bright light or when straining to see. Wrinkles therefore appear at varying ages, depending on skin thickness and the individual, sometimes as early as age 25.
Which areas are treated with Botox?
Frown lines
Vertical wrinkles appear between the eyebrows; there may be one or several of them.
Forehead wrinkles
These are wrinkles caused by movement resulting from the contraction of various muscles in the forehead. Botox injections will therefore reduce them or even eliminate them entirely.
Lower eyelid
Botox injections will reduce wrinkles on the lower eyelid and the small, diagonal fine lines on the lower eyelid.
Lip Wrinkles
They appear when we make facial expressions. Botox is effective against these wrinkles caused by muscle contractions.
Nose wrinkles
Located on the sides of the nose and visible when you wrinkle your nose, Botox is also effective at smoothing out these wrinkles.
Cervical ligaments
These are caused by the contraction of the platysma muscle in the neck. Botox is just as effective here when injected into the neck muscles.
Eyebrow Lift
Botox injections are an effective treatment for sagging eyebrows.
Tip of the nose
The tip of the nose often droops when we talk or smile. Botox injections help reduce the contraction of the muscle responsible for causing the tip of the nose to droop.
A Touch of Bitterness
Hyaluronic acid injections are also used to treat marionette lines
Reduce the jaw
A Botox injection can reduce the width of the jaw
Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis of the hands and armpits
Botox is also indicated for the treatment of excessive sweating of the hands, feet, or underarms.
What to Expect During a Botox Treatment
Injections take 10 to 20 minutes per session, depending on the extent of the treatment and the amount of Botox® to be injected. This requires precision and must therefore be performed by an experienced practitioner. Before each session, Dr. Delobaux first analyzes the patient’s face during a consultation to balance the strength of the various muscles, enhancing certain muscles by inhibiting others. The result is a smooth, rejuvenated face that retains its expressiveness and natural appearance.
Before the Botox injection session
Appointments with Dr. Alexis Delobaux will take place during medical visits.
It is strongly recommended that you stop taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications 8 days before your Botox® injection.
You will also need to sign the estimate, the informed consent form, and the medical photographs, which will be taken as a matter of routine.
Between the initial consultation and the botulinum toxin injection, the patient will be given a 15-day reflection period.
Important Guidelines to Know Before Getting Botox Injections
There are instructions to follow before and after the injections.
Before the injections:
- No special preparation is necessary.
- You do not need to fast on the day of the injection.
- Makeup, on the other hand, should be removed before the injection.
- Aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications should be avoided for 15 days before the injections to reduce the risk of bleeding at the injection sites.
- The presence of contraindications (pregnancy, myasthenia gravis, etc.) precludes the use of Botox® injections.
After the injections:
- It is recommended that you do not lie down for six hours after the injection.
- For 24 hours after the injections, avoid:
- Manipulating the Face
- Massage the injection sites
- Participate in sports activities
- Keep your head in a downward position for a long time.
- After the injections, you can resume your normal daily activities.
The Botox injection session
The affected area will be numbed with an anesthetic cream.
Depending on the amount of Botox to be injected, the session will last 10 to 20 minutes.
The patient will be able to return home after the session.
Common Side Effects of Botox Injections
Botox injections usually proceed without complications. After the injection, a few slightly swollen marks may remain for 20 to 30 minutes and then disappear on their own.
Side effects of Botox are rare and temporary, such as:
- Redness: The injected area becomes red, but this rarely lasts more than 2 to 3 days.
- Bruising: The injected areas rarely turn bluish, and any discoloration fades within a few days.
- Edema: Often around the eyes, swelling may develop gradually over 1 to 2 days and then subside within a few days to a few weeks.
- Sensory disturbances: Depending on the injection sites, changes in sensation—such as tightness or stiffness in the forehead, mouth, or neck—may last for several days.
- Severe pain in the eyes or face: these have been reported in rare cases.
The results of Botox injections
Results will begin to appear gradually about 3 days after the procedure and will be fully evident about ten days later. Two weeks after the injection, an appointment will be scheduled to assess the results and the patient’s satisfaction, and to make any necessary touch-ups.
Botox® rejuvenates the face, giving it a relaxed, more confident, and rested appearance. These effects are reversible and last between 4 and 6 months, and the duration of the effects increases over the years. One to two maintenance sessions per year are usually sufficient to maintain good results.
What are the contraindications for Botox?
- Infection at the injection site.
- Some diseases that affect the nerves and muscles, such as myasthenia gravis.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: If you are pregnant—even if only for a few days—you must postpone the injections until after you give birth and stop breastfeeding, if applicable. If you have any doubts, you should talk to your doctor, who will know which tests to order.
- Known allergy to botulinum neurotoxin type A, serum albumin, and aminoglycosides (a class of antibiotics that includes Amiklin and Gentalline).
What are the risks of Botox?
Possible complications include:
- Complications in and around the injection site.
- Headaches: They may occur during the first few injections and last only a few hours to a few days.
- Drooping eyebrows (eyebrow ptosis): A moderate drooping of the eyebrows may occur, often because they were already drooping before the Botox® injection. This usually resolves within a few weeks.
- Abaissement des paupières (ptosis des paupières) : survient rarement (< 1% des cas), et revient à la normale en quelques semaines.
- Difficulty smiling and swallowing: Mild abnormal movements, as well as difficulty smiling, may occur following a Botox® injection into the lips, while an injection into the neck may cause difficulty swallowing.
- Dry eyes: Tear production may sometimes decrease, leading to keratitis, especially among contact lens wearers.
- Paradoxical muscle contractions and facial expression disorders: The muscles treated with Botox® may experience some spontaneous contractions a few days after the injection. This is not a cause for concern.
As for minor imperfections, the following are noted:
- A few remaining fine lines.
- Lack of symmetry: especially in cases of preexisting asymmetry (prior to the injection).
- As for general complications, they are rare:
- Allergies: skin rash, hives, systemic allergic reaction.
- Nausea, dizziness
- Fatigue, fever, flu-like symptoms (fever, runny nose, joint pain, muscle pain, migraines)
- Dryness of the skin or mouth.
Botox Injection Rates and Coverage
The cost of the treatments depends primarily on the type and amount of botulinum toxin used during the injections, as well as the doctor’s fees (expertise), the brand (quality) of the injected product, and so on…
You should expect to pay 380 to 400 euros per vial of Botox® injected by Dr. Delobaux.
