AESTHETICSINFOCUS FACIALAESTHETICS
can certainly be used alone or integrated with other non-surgical modalities to begin to build a non-surgical business. It’s best to start off simple, stay safe and of course get as much practice as possible. Good training courses are available, and remember it’s very natural to feel apprehensive about your first injections. However, with good clinical practice, experience and mentoring, administering this revolutionary treatment will become second nature.
Different brands of botulinum toxin will have different strengths Vistabel is the only botulinum toxin in Britain to be licensed for use in the glabella. Complications may include bruising, non response of the muscles, headaches etc. Once mixed botulinum toxin is usually delivered using a 0.5ml - 1ml gauge 30 needle (simple diabetic syringe). Typically anaesthetic is usually not necessary. However, it may be beneficial in those patients who are extremely nervous. Botox is most commonly used in reducing dynamic lines - those produced in facial expression in the upper third of the face. The most common areas treated are: 1. Glabella 2. Forehead lines 3. Crow’s feet. It can also be used in areas such as the perioral, naso-labia, nasalis, dimpled chin and the bands of the neck. The glabella or ‘legs eleven’ lines are due to the hyperactivity of the muscles procerus, corrugators and orbicularis oculi. The development of horizontal forehead lines is associated with the elevation of the brow by the frontalis muscle. Good Botox treatment should be to partially relax the muscle evenly and avoid complete paralysis. The brow position may
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be altered by balancing toxin treatments between the glabella, forehead and crow’s feet dependant on the individual result required. Bunny lines appear on the side of the nose as a result of the transverse portion of nasalis. This may appear when the crow’s feet are treated and hence a small dose in the nasalis will prevent this. Perioral lines are vertical lines which may appear around the mouth as a result of ageing, smoking or loss of teeth. Botox may be used in small doses to decrease muscle activity and hence cause atrophy. If this is repeated every three months fantastic results can be produced long term. Platysmal bands on the neck occur with ageing and laxity. Botox can be utilised to reduce unevenness and appearance. Hyperhydrosis or excessive sweating can be treated successfully using Botox. It works at the end organ level where it prevents the sweat glands from secreting by blocking the release of acelychldrine.
CONCLUSION Botox is an effective treatment with results which are normally seen in three to five days. Patient satisfaction is high and with a low rate of adverse effects it is a treatment that
FACTFILE: BOTULINUM TOXIN Advertising As a prescription-only medicine, Botox or botulinum toxin may not be advertised to the public in any form under the CAP code rule 12:12 stating, ‘Prescription - medicines or prescription only medical treatments may not be advertised to the public.’ A lot has been written about advertising of Botox on websites etc but basically it is not allowed. In my opinion simply find another term ‘anti-wrinkle treatment, anti-wrinkle injection etc’. The consumer is savvy - they know what it refers to and I feel as always it’s better to comply with the authorities. Supply and Administration Botulinum toxin is a licensed medicinal product for specific medical conditions. The MHRA has not licensed these products for general cosmetic procedures. An excellent resource on who can prescribe, who can administer and use these products can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk.
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