How Long Does Botox Last?
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Botox is a toxin used for wrinkle reduction, how long does botox last is typically answered by saying 4 months. Your treatment location, type of treatment, weight, body type and age all play a factor in how long it will last. Areas with strong muscles and deep wrinkles can cause it to wear off faster than areas where the muscles are weak and the wrinkles more shallow. The more you need the treatment, the less it will last.
Dependent on how Botox is stored and mixed by the cosmetic surgeons before your treatment can also have an affect on how long your results will be. How it is injected can also play a part in the amount of time you will experience results. For these reasons it is important to go to a qualified doctor that can provide quality, lasting and safe treatments.
The effects will take a few days to take place and then slowly wear off, the wrinkles will slowly reappear as it dissolves. It will take about three months for the effects to wear off and by the fourth month they will be entirely gone. If you are having repeated treatments the effects will tend to last longer, but this is not necessarily good.
The continual freezing of a muscle will weaken it and make it thinner. This will cause the muscle to be less resistant making the treatments last longer and it can also result in a severely weakened muscle. There are other options for long term treatment like more permanent fillers.
Botox is a toxin produced by a bacterium called Clostridium boutlinum and in large amounts it can cause botulism or food poisoning. One of the most serious complications of botulism is paralysis and this has been used to our advantage when small, diluted amounts are directly injected into specific muscles to cause controlled weakening. The FDA approved this procedure in the late 1980’s when it was discovered that it could stop such conditions as blepharospasm or uncontrolled blinking and strabismus or lazy eye.
Cosmetic doctors have been using it for years to treat facial creases and wrinkles. In 2002 the FDA approved it to treat moderate to severe frown lines between the brows called glabellar lines and it is used in other areas of the face successfully. Botox blocks the signals from the nerves to the muscles so that the muscle can no longer contract causing wrinkles to soften and relax, it is most used on frown lines, crow’s feet and on the forehead. Wrinkles caused by gravity and sun damage are not affected by injections.
It only takes a couple of minutes and you do not need anesthesia. It is injected with a fine needle into a muscle and there is a little discomfort. It will take a few days for it to take full effect and prior to treatment it is best to avoid alcohol. Anti-inflammatory medication and aspirin should be stopped at least 2 weeks before to reduce bruising.
Some of the side effects will include temporary bruising. Headaches can occur for a day or two but they are rare. Some patients will have eye drooping but it subsides in a couple of weeks, do not rub the area as migration of Botox is the reason this occurs. No allergies have been reported to date. How long does botox last will depend on your personal health history and the area you are using it on.