Botox injection -The procedure

Botox is available as ‘single- use’ vials, which means that a vial of Botox is meant for the use of a single patient during one session. Once opened and diluted, the Botox in the vial should be used up within four hours.

Botox comprises of a purified protein of the Botulinum Toxin A. Botox is mixed well with saline and injected into the muscle with the help of a small needle. One vial of Botox has 100 units of botulinum toxin A. In typical conditions, only 20-60 units are used. A patient may receive 5-10 injections per sitting.

Slight pain, resembling an insect bite, may occur during the procedure but it will soon go away. After the procedure there is usually no pain. The patient may return to normal routine on the same day, but care must be taken to keep the head upright and not to massage the injected area.

The treatment is considered safe when carried out by trained professionals. Besides only miniscule quantities of the toxin is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously and not intravenously. The FDA recommends a frequency of once in three months with the lowest effective dose.

Effect of Botox injection takes place in about a week and lasts for 3 to 8 months

Injections take effect three to seven days after the treatment. The effects usually lasts for 3-4 months. With repeated treatments, atrophy or thinning of the muscles occurs and this results in the effects lasting longer. If the wrinkles are caused due to sun damage or because of gravity, they will not respond to Botox.

The effects of the treatment is not permanent. They last only upto 3-8 months. With each new treatment, the results tend to last longer. Being a drug, not everyone may benefit from the use of Botox. It is therefore essential to consult a doctor and learn all the details thoroughly before the treatment.

The high profile marketing of Botox has popularized it greatly. In the United States and in other affluent settings Botox parties are being carried out to economise the treatment and also to promote it as a social event. This may help to alleviate the tension that a patient might be experiencing.

However, administering Botox is not like giving an aspirin. It is an extremely dangerous prescription drug, and therefore it is important to carry out the treatment in medical settings that are capable of handling emergencies.

As in the case of any cosmetic procedure, this treatment also runs the risk of going wrong. In an unprofessional setting the patient may face the risk of unsterile conditions, improper techniques or the administration of the wrong dosage.