What is Botox Used For?: Wrinkle Reduction and Younger Looking Skin

What is Botox Used For? Many people have heard of Botox, but what is Botox used for? It's a cosmetic procedure that has many health benefits. From managing migraines to reducing wrinkles, the cost of Botox is often worth it. Prices will vary depending on individual treatments. With the right online keyword searches, it's easy to find affordable options. There are a lot of reasons why someone may decide to get Botox injections. Whatever the reason, though, most people are concerned with the cost. Since it is a cosmetic procedure, it is not exactly cheap. You should always do your research beforehand and ask questions to ensure you understand what exactly you are paying for, and what to expect. Why Do People Get Botox? People get it for a number of reasons. While there are a number of applications where Botox is used to treat medical conditions, the procedure is known for cosmetic purposes. These patients undergo Botox injections in order to get rid of stubborn wrinkles and soften out their faces to give it a more youthful appearance. Some of the most popular sites for cosmetic Botox treatment injections include: Forehead: to target worry lines. Lips: to ease out the corners of the mouth. Eyes: to reduce crow’s feet. Cheeks: to even out the skin. When not being used to give the skin an elastic appearance, it may also be recommended in order to treat crossed eyes, eyelid spasms, cervical dystonia and excessive sweating. A number of research studies are currently being conducted to further expand this list. How Does Botox Work? How does one simple substance accomplish all of this? For this, we can revisit the neurotoxins of clostridium botulinum. When this bacterium produces enough toxins in rotting food someone eats, it can actually cause paralysis. While the Botox you get injected into your skin hardly cases any dangerous side effects, it is still a paralyzing neurotoxin. When you inject it into specific parts of the body you can target which muscles you want to paralyze. It actually helps make tightened muscles relax a bit, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It is important that you do not confuse Botox injections with fillers. While fillers are injected into you to fill up space, Botox merely blocks signals and does not add any extra girth where it was not naturally present. The substance blocks chemical signals which allow the cells to communicate. By blocking stiffening muscle contraction you get an appearance of more relaxed and elastic skin. Pros and Cons of Botox This is an amazing way to try to get your youthful appearance back. It is relatively easy, with very minimal recovery time. The differences in your appearance will be noticed immediately. Unlike many other cosmetic surgeries, you do not have to wait it out in the hospital or even be put under. The short, out-patient treatment will not leave you hiding in your home for weeks wrapped in bandages. However, be prepared because you need to pay for it out of pocket. Unfortunately, insurance plans hardly cover any associated costs, so it is up to you to foot the bill. Additionally, Botox does not last forever. While it does not disappear overnight, it will lose its effect over an extended period of time, leaving you with the choice to stick with your old appearance or get additional treatments. How Long Does Botox Last? The duration of effectiveness varies. It can last anywhere between three and 12 months. Your results do not vanish overnight. Instead, they will slowly break down a bit over time as the Botox wears off. Normally, your first treatments last the smallest amount of time. As you continue to do regular treatments, you can expect the Botox to last longer and longer. Even after countless treatments, though, it will not last forever. If you want to keep up your appearance, many patients make an appointment once every six months. This way, you get your injections completed before your results have completely worn away. This keeps the changes in appearance much less obvious. If you no longer want to do Botox treatments you do not have to. It is not as though Botox changes your original appearance. If you are not happy with the results (or no longer wish to keep up with treatments), you can just let them wear off. How Much Does Botox Cost? As we stated earlier, Botox will likely not be covered by your insurance policies. Luckily, it is not an incredibly expensive treatment to get. Treatment costs vary greatly depending on where you decide to get injections. Your cost is generally measured by the number of units you use. This means larger areas are typically more expensive than smaller ones. The average cost of treatment is $550. This number can drop below $50 or exceed $1,150, depending on what you are going for. If you are interested in Botox, consider talking to your doctor today. A licensed physician can offer you expert medical advice on the subject.