Boost Your Confidence with Botox

Aging brings with it many changes, perhaps nowhere more obvious than on your face. Fine lines and wrinkles are the first to develop, especially on your forehead, around your eyes, and near your mouth. At Center of Advanced Wellness, Dr. Kiran Mendha, MD, who specializes in Primary Care, Obesity Medicine, and Aesthetics, and her staff understand how self-conscious aging skin can make you feel, which is why they offer Botox® injections for their patients in the Alamo Heights and Stone Oak areas of San Antonio and Frisco, Texas. Here’s what you need to know about how Botox can restore your confidence in your appearance.

What are dynamic wrinkles?

Dynamic means “in motion.” Whenever you make a facial expression, such as smiling, frowning, or raising your eyebrows, the muscles underneath your skin contract, pulling at the skin above. After a lifetime of making these expressions, your skin doesn’t relax as quickly or as much as it did when you were younger. That leads to dynamic wrinkles, especially around your eyes and mouth, as well as between your eyebrows.

What is Botox, and how does it work?

Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is an injectable drug made from purified botulinum toxin that comes from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, naturally found in forests and lakes. It’s the same toxin that causes food poisoning (botulism), but in its diluted form and injected by a trained professional such as Dr. Kiran Mendha, MD, it’s completely safe. The FDA approved the use of Botox in April 2002 for cosmetic procedures, initially for treating brow furrows (glabellar lines). It’s now widely used to treat dynamic wrinkles anywhere on the face. The neurotoxin works by preventing nerves from signaling your underlying muscles to contract, temporarily paralyzing them. And when your muscles can’t contract, they can’t pull down on your skin. As your face relaxes, the lines and wrinkles fill in and disappear. Your muscles retain just enough function that you’re still able to make normal facial expressions, so you won’t have a frozen look. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAOS), most people see noticeable results within a week of treatment and as early as 24-48 hours afterward. And even better, there’s no downtime associated with the treatment, so you can go right back to your daily routine. Side effects are minimal and usually quickly dissipate. Results last from 3-4 months, at which point you can repeat the treatment. And if you want to tweak your results, just let us know, and we can customize your experience. You should be aware there are things Botox can’t fix, specifically wrinkles, creases, and hollows that result from the loss of collagen, a protein that strengthens skin and fat volume. Those are the domain of dermal fillers. If you’re bothered by the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and want to see just how much Botox can do for you, schedule a consultation at Center of Advanced Wellness today by calling any of our locations or requesting an appointment online.