The Health Implications of Botox

Botulinum Toxin, or Botox as it's more commonly known has been around since the early 20th century, but it wasn't until the early 1990s that doctors started using it as an anti-wrinkle treatment.

Nowadays, getting an injection of Botox can be part of a maintenance routine for many women and men just like going to the hairdressers or the spa every few months. It can be an ideal solution to keep skin looking youthful and line-free, but is it entirely risk-free?

The risks

One of the main risks with getting Botox is that as with any other cosmetic procedure, if your doctor is not highly skilled or experienced, you could end up with the dreaded "botch job." As the Botox needs to be injected precisely in the face to paralyse the small muscles in the face that cause wrinkles, putting it in the wrong place can cause the wrong muscles to paralyse, meaning that you may end up with a droopy expression or frozen look.

While this may go away over time once the Botox has worn off, it can also last weeks or even months. So making sure that the person administering your cosmetic procedure is fully accredited and experienced is of upmost importance.

In addition to this, there are some side-effects of getting injected with Botox that will subside after a while including bruising, swelling, bleeding and headaches, which many people will experience but can be uncomfortable.

The right procedure

It's important to know before you book an appointment that not all wrinkles can be smoothed out with Botox too. While it's ideal for using on fine lines, those deep wrinkles that have been caused by the weight of sagging skin can't simply be made to disappear with an injection of Botox.

If you want your skin to be completely smooth, then a combination of Botox and wrinkle and line fillers may be the best solution for you. Botox works well on wrinkles which are caused by moving muscles, such as laughter or frown lines, whereas fillers can be used on immobile wrinkles where there are no muscles to paralyse.

The benefits

Of course, the benefits of having a Botox treatment is that it's one of the few anti-wrinkle treatments on the market that actually work. While it might be a hefty price to pay up-front, it beats having to buy endless supplies of anti-wrinkle cream, which probably don't work anyway!

With Botox the results are instant, the treatment usually takes minutes and doesn't require any surgery, and it's also long-lasting, usually needing topping up every three to six months.

It's also not just used for smoothing wrinkles: Botox can be used as an anti-sweating treatment by injecting it into the armpits, and it can also be used to relieve migraines and headaches.

So if you're thinking of getting this procedure done, make sure you talk to a cosmetic specialist before you jump in. They'll be able to explain whether the procedure is right for you and will talk you through the process so you can decide whether you want to use Botox or opt for another cosmetic procedure.

Andrew Weber