Fine lines and wrinkles on your forehead have a way of piling years onto your face. A lifetime of making expressions, both happy and sad, can create dynamic wrinkles and deep wrinkles, and treating the forehead can be tricky since dermal fillers usually aren’t appropriate. Fortunately, the experts working with Steven H Dayan, MD in Chicago, IL know that Botox in Chicago is one of the best treatments for forehead frown lines.
What Is Botox in Chicago?
Botox is a neurotoxin injectable treatment that is designed to help relax the muscles in the face to diminish the visible signs of aging, most notably fine lines and wrinkles. Botox is made with a special neurotoxin that helps smooth away wrinkles on the forehead and between the eyebrows. Recently, Botox has been used on other areas of the face as well, including above the top lip.
How Does This Treatment Work?
Botox is formulated with botulinum toxin A, a neurotoxin that essentially blocks the transmission of signals between the brain and the muscles where this injection is made. By blocking nerve signals, the muscles in the face will no longer move, and without tension in these muscles, your skin will smooth out. Relaxing your facial muscles will also relax the appearance of wrinkles.
This treatment is particularly useful for dynamic wrinkles, which are the deeper wrinkles on the face that are associated with facial movements. Wrinkles caused by expressions and muscle movement can be particularly tricky to treat with dermal fillers since continual facial movement will continue to deepen the appearance of the wrinkles. Luckily, Botox injections both reduce the appearance of these wrinkles and also prevent these wrinkles from getting worse.
Will You Be Able to Feel Your Face?
Yes, you will still be able to feel your face after this treatment. It’s a common misconception that Botox treatment will make your face number and totally immobile. In reality, your face will still retain the ability to make most natural facial expressions, albeit more subtly than before. And there will be no numbness in your face associated with this treatment.
The reason for this is the fact that there are two different nerves in your face; those that control motor function and those that control sensation. Botulinum toxin A is a neurotoxin that only affects the nerves that are related to motor function, which means the nerves associated with sensation will still function normally.
How Much Botox Will You Need?
The amount of Botox necessary for your treatment will depend on how many areas of the face you are treating and how severe the conditions of these areas are. For example, those who only have mild to moderate wrinkles on the forehead may only require 50 to 100 units, which is an entire vial. Those who have moderate to severe concerns, on the other hand, may require up to two vials, or 200 units, to achieve their aesthetic goals.
We will determine the number of units that are appropriate for your treatment. In general, the fewer units of Botox used is better since this makes it more difficult to build up a tolerance from the neurotoxin. Sometimes, wrinkles on the forehead only require 20 units of Botox, and so 20 units are all that we use.
What Should You Expect From Your Treatment?
Your treatment will involve several injections made into the muscles of your face, which generally takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Your treatment will not be painful or uncomfortable, particularly if we apply a topical numbing cream before your treatment begins. The goal of your treatment is to produce natural-looking results so that you can feel younger and more confident about your appearance.
How Long Will Your Results Last?
The results of Botox generally lasts for about three to four months at a time. For those who are using Botox for the first time, your results may only last for three months since your body will try to break the neurotoxin down more quickly; for those who have used Botox before, your results may last four months or longer since your body has acclimatized to the treatment.
How Frequently Should You Have This Treatment?
This treatment can be safely performed up to three times a year to enjoy seamless results. This is a general frequency, however, and you may find that you require this treatment less often based on how long the results of your treatment will last.
Do You Need to Think About Tolerance?
When neurotoxin injectables are discussed, we also tend to talk about tolerance. Tolerance is essentially your immune system coming to recognize the proteins in the Botox formula and finding a way to tolerate these proteins, which means that your treatment will be less effective. Generally, tolerance build-up only happens after several consecutive treatments over the course of several years, which means you should not have to think about developing a tolerance for a while.
However, if you are invested in prolonging the results of your treatment, then you may want to alternate Botox treatments with another neurotoxin so that your body doesn’t become acclimatized to the Botox formula. Many patients alternate between Botox and Dysport to prevent tolerance build-up. Xeomin is another good neurotoxin to alternate with.
Who Is This Treatment Right For?
Botox in Chicago is an ideal treatment for those in the area who have moderate to severe fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead, between the brows, and on other areas of the face. This treatment is especially appropriate for those who have dynamic wrinkles that can’t be successfully treated with dermal fillers. Generally, the patients who use this treatment are 40 and older. You are a good candidate if you are not allergic to botulinum toxin A.
Say Good-Bye to Wrinkles With Botox
Fine lines and wrinkles may want to prematurely age you, but with the right treatment, you can fight back against these visible signs of aging. Botox treatments are an ideal solution for many anti-aging woes. Dr. Steven Dayan and his team are ready to help you feel more confident with Botox in Chicago.
