Learn 7 things to know before having Botox from Dr. Rory McGoldrick, Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at Dubai Cosmetic Surgery. 

Botox is one of the most popular minimally-invasive cosmetic anti-aging treatments and it seems to get more popular year after year. And it’s not only for women who want to erase a wrinkle or two, men have also developed a liking to it, renaming it ‘Brotox’ (Botox for Bros). In fact, most men who get injected do so to look more relaxed and maintain more competitiveness in an increasingly ageist workplace, according to an interview of the president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASPS) by HuffPost. But what you need to know about Botox does not end there.

Botox Dubai Cosmetic Surgery

The ASPS statistics show that among the 15.7 million cosmetic minimally invasive procedures performed in 2017 worldwide, Botox (Botolinum Toxin Type A) was leading, with 7.23 million procedures, up 2 percent from 2016.

Dr. Rory McGoldrick Dubai Cosmetic Surgery

Dr. Rory McGoldrick, Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at Dubai Cosmetic Surgery, says that Botox has many uses from diminishing wrinkles and softening nasolabial folds, to treating underarm excessive sweating and migraines among others. “Although this minimally-invasive procedure sounds pretty straightforward, there are things candidates need to know before taking up the injections,” he notes.

Dr. Rory has listed 7 important things one needs to know before undergoing the wrinkle-changing non-surgical procedure.

1. Botox is not permanent: There is always a section of people who assume that once you have a Botox treatment; it will stay forever or for years. The truth of the matter is that Botox lasts for about 3 to 4 months depending on one’s lifestyle and the amount of Botox injected. But then again, if you have the treatment and you don’t like the results, then you’ll have to wait for about 4 months until it wears off because it cannot be reversed or dissolved like some dermal fillers.
2. The results are not immediate: Thinking that Botox will erase your wrinkles immediately after injection is wrong. After 48 hours you can see a slight difference, but the best timeline to see full results in 5 – 7 days.
3. Botox does not add volume to the lips: Most people who have not had Botox injections are always misinformed when it comes to how the injectable works and what it does to the face. Botox paralyzes the muscles of where it’s injected by blocking signals from the nerves to the muscles. This leaves the injected muscles unable to contract, which makes the surface of the skin appear smooth and relaxed. And if you need to add volume to your lips, dermal fillers will do just fine.
4. Negative side effects can occur: If you are worried about the minimal bruising that might occur if the needle hits a blood vessel, then that should be the least of your worries. When Botox is not injected by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon or dermatologist, then a lot of things can go wrong, but the most important to note is paralysis of the wrong muscles, anywhere from the eyes to the throat. This is because there are strategic areas where the injection should happen, and not just anywhere. Remember, as mentioned above, Botox cannot be reversed and there is no known antidote to Botox. Your best chance will be to wait it out until it wears off. So, always go for a board-certified and experienced plastic surgeon or dermatologist.
5. Botox is not a one-time investment: In short, Botox requires upkeep. To maintain that smooth and relaxed look that Botox gives, you have to do the Botox injections at least every 3-4 months, because the effects of Botox are temporary, and that wrinkle you paralyzed will resuscitate itself after the Toxin wears off.
6. Do your research: It might sound like a cliché but you really need to research the doctor as well as the facility where you plan on getting injected. This is because you need a practitioner who not only knows how and where to inject but one who will deliver natural results because let’s face it; no one wants to have that frozen plastic look!
7. Finally, don’t bend after injection: This means you should not bend forward for the next 4 hours, even if it’s for a second. This is solely to avoid any potential consequences that might occur if the injected Toxin were to shift from the target area to undesirable areas like the eyes before absorption, due to increased blood circulation.