It’s important to understand the difference between dynamic wrinkles and their counterpart, static wrinkles. While dynamic wrinkles are caused by the repeated stress on the skin due to repeated muscle movements, static lines tend to form due to collagen depletion, another natural and inevitable result of aging. As less and less collagen is available to the skin, the underlying structures that give the skin its tightness and tone tend to weaken, leading to a loose and sagging skin and lines and wrinkles.

The location of these symptoms is also different. Most of these aging signs tend to occur in the mid or lower portion of the face, around the nose, mouth and chin. While Botox will not improve these kinds of problems, you can improve them with alternative injectable treatments that you can have along with Botox during the same treatment session.

Dr. Birchall can help you select the ideal combination of treatments to help you achieve your facial rejuvenation goals.

For some patients, Botox can also be used to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the first place. If you have noticed deepening lines when you make certain facial expressions, Botox can reduce the stress your muscles have on the skin in these key areas, preventing new wrinkles from forming and keeping your existing lines from being etched even further into your skin. This injectable treatment offers patients multiple benefits and the chance to keep invasive procedures at bay for a long time to come.

Because Botox specifically targets facial muscles, it tends to be recommended for dynamic wrinkles, the lines that form with certain facial expressions.

Botox treatment areas include:

• Horizontal creases across the forehead
• Vertical lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines or frown lines)
• Subtle lines that feather out from the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet)
• Horizontal wrinkles at the top of the nasal bridge (bunny lines)
• An upper lip that exposes the gums above the teeth (gummy smile)

Dr. Birchall and the expert team at Dermacare Medical Aesthetics will evaluate your concerns and aesthetic goals to determine whether Botox is the best treatment for you. With a wealth of options in his arsenal, Dr. Birchall is prepared to tailor your treatment to your precise needs, ensuring the best possible results. If Botox will not give you the results you want, he has other nonsurgical treatments that can be customized to each patient.

Botox has been approved by the FDA to treat cosmetic concerns in adults (both men and women). You may be a candidate for Botox if you are between the ages of 18 and 65 and in overall good health. This injectable is categorized as safe for both cosmetic and other medical uses as discussed above. One of Botox’s many advantages is that it is safe for individuals of all skin tones and types, making Botox as versatile as it is effective.

Botox can also effectively treat many other conditions. You should talk to Dr. Birchall about these problems, if you have them, during your in-person consultation.

Issues that Botox can also address include:

• Headaches
• Backaches
• Dimples in the chin
• Skin bands around the neck
• Bunny lines (wrinkles appearing at the top of the nose)
• Muscle spasms
• Hyperhidrosis (excessive perspiration)

Botox, like any medication, has a few contraindications that patients should be aware of and discuss with Dr. Birchall if they are at risk.

Contraindications for Botox include:

• Allergies to any of Botox’s ingredients
• Diagnosed nerve or muscle disorders
• Women who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding
• Any active infection at the treatment site
• Past history with bleeding, swallowing or breathing
• Recent surgery or imminent surgery

Complications rarely arise from Botox treatments due to the comprehensive in-person consultation that you will have with Dr. Birchall prior to having your Botox treatment. Any possible issue with having Botox will be discovered and addressed and, if necessary, an alternative treatment can be planned to achieve your goals. Your safety, as well as your look, are in extremely well-qualified hands at Dermacare.

Our expert providers will assess the specific wrinkles you would like to have treated. Instead of focusing on the lines themselves, we will address the muscle responsible for creating those lines. We also strategically place injections into the skin where they will block the nerve impulses that cause the muscle to contract, relaxing the muscle and smoothing away the resulting wrinkles.

While Botox will not offer the same results as a facelift or brow lift, it will relax the muscles at about 75 percent, which leads to a marked improvement in the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Many of our patients have noticed reduced activity in the sweat glands of the forehead as well, which can be beneficial if you tend to sweat excessively in this area. The reduced sweat gland activity may also minimize acne flare-ups in some patients.

Botox is one of the most commonly available cosmetic treatments on the market today. You can have your Botox treatment performed by a doctor, dermatologist, surgeon or other trained cosmetic technicians. However, patients should always strive to choose a very highly qualified, trained and experienced medical professional when choosing to have Botox injections in San Diego or Orange County.

Ultimately, patients wish to achieve subtle improvements that enhance and complement their existing facial features and bring out their true personality. At Dermacare, we believe in helping our patients look refreshed, not frozen. A light and experienced hand is key – our expert injectors have decades of experience and can tailor and oversee an appropriate course of treatment to give patients these kinds of results.

Having Platinum Plus status with Allergan means a provider has extensive experience with Allergan products like Botox. Platinum Plus providers generally have the highest level of expertise with Botox at Dermacare, meaning they are skilled in its administration and know how to achieve the best results for a variety of patients while avoiding unwanted side effects.

Dermacare Medical Aesthetics in San Diego and Orange County is a Platinum Plus level provider of Botox, and our skilled injectors understand how Botox works with a person’s facial anatomy to achieve ideal results.

After Botox, you won’t need any downtime, but there are things to avoid to promote optimal results and minimize the risk of side effects. First, don’t lie down or bend over for more than a few seconds during the first three hours after your treatment, as this can cause the formula to spread and result in bruising. Avoid sweating and raising your body temperature and blood pressure by refraining from exercise, sunbathing and using saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and tanning booths for 24 hours.

Sweat can potentially irritate your skin at the injection site and cause an infection if it enters the puncture from the Botox needle before it heals. Heat can increase the chance of developing bruising in the treatment area.

As with any skin treatment, there are some risks associated with Botox treatment. However, these side effects tend to be very rare, since the amount of neurotoxin in the formulation is minuscule. You may see some slight swelling and bruising around the injection sites, which should subside within a few days and can be reduced by following our post-treatment recommendations. For any other severe reaction, patients should contact their provider and be seen right away.

After Botox, you can expect to see smoother, more youthful skin with reduced fine lines and wrinkles.

There is a common misconception that Botox will make you appear frozen, unnatural or plastic. However, that’s just what it is: a misconception. Botox relaxes the muscles in the treatment area, but this does not mean your face will look frozen or unnatural. In the hands of an educated, experienced provider, Botox results look very natural. You can look years younger and leave people wondering what your secret is.

There are cases where inexperienced practitioners perform Botox and bring on abnormal or even disastrous results. The media also tends to highlight celebrities who have had too much Botox or filler injected into their face, which a reputable cosmetic practitioner would refuse to do. This is why choosing your Botox provider wisely is essential to achieving the natural results you want.

Results from your Botox can become evident in as little as one to three days after treatment, although your outcome is likely to improve further in the days following your session. The quick results make Botox a good option if you want to spruce up your appearance before a special event without the worry of side effects that will reveal the fact you just had a cosmetic treatment performed.

Botox injections last anywhere from 3 to 4 months, as the body slowly restores the function of the nerve to allow for contraction of the muscle once again. Because the results are not permanent, you can rest assured that if you don’t like your new look, it will wear off rather quickly.

If you are pleased with the outcome of your Botox injections, you can maintain it by repeating your Botox injections every few months. Some patients find that with regular injections, they can begin to go a bit longer between treatments without compromising results. The longer period between sessions could be because the medication actually “trains” the muscles to relax, allowing for the positive, more youthful look to endure longer.

The total cost of your treatment will depend on how many units are needed to achieve your ideal results. At your personalized consultation, we can evaluate your concerns and provide you with the specific price of your Botox.