Westwood Village - 1033 Gayley Ave., #104
Los Angeles, CA 90024
888-722-SPAS (7727)
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Botox ® Cosmetic is effective for relaxing the muscles of the forehead, brows and eyes in order to decrease or even erase forehead "worry" lines, brow "frown" lines and eye "crow's feet" wrinkles and lines. Botox injections are also very effective at relaxing the muscles of the upper lip, thereby reducing vertical lip lines. Botox injections into the midpoint of the chin reduces the "orange peel" dimpling of the chin. Botox injection can also be used to raise the lateral corner of the eyebrow, giving a "chemical brow lift." Botox is also used to flatten the lines at the corners of the mouth, known as "marionette" lines.
Botox ® Cosmetic is not a poison. It is a purified protein, extensively tested for safety and administered in miniscule quantities into very specific muscles to weaken them and relax wrinkles. Botox has been used for several decades and there is excellent data showing the safety and sucess of using Botox in a medical facility, even when it is used repeatedly over long periods of time. There is some concern about the safety of Botox injections related to recent incidents of botulism poisoning in Florida and other areas. The practitioners involved have been arrested and analysis showed that the substance injected was not Botox ® Cosmetic, but raw, high concentration botulism poison. Needless to say, Dr. Rivkin uses nothing but the real Botox ® Cosmetic product.
There are several creams on the market that advertise themselves as "Botox alternatives" or "Better than Botox." At this point in time, there is no true Botox ® alternative. These creams effectively hydrate the skin and result in a transient reduction of very fine wrinkles.
Dr. Rivkin has been using Botox ® Cosmetic for many years and is an expert in the most advanced methods of the Botox injection.
For more information or to schedule a complementary consultation with Dr. Rivkin, give us a call anytime.
WHAT IS IT?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified component of Clostridium Botulinum bacterium toxin. It is manufactured from the bacterium in much the same way that penicillin is manufactured from a mold. BOTOX® Cosmetic is not a poison, but a naturally occurring protein that is prepared under exacting laboratory standards. The protein is diluted to such a degree that its effects are restricted to the area injected.
HOW DOES BOTOX WORK?
Dynamic facial wrinkles, the most prominent visible signs of aging, result from repeated contraction of certain facial muscles. Botox Cosmetic® is administered to the muscle that creates a wrinkle. Botox Cosmetic® temporarily blocks the nerve impulse from reaching that area and, as a result, weakens the muscle. As the muscle relaxes, wrinkles in the skin gradually soften and often disappear completely.
WILL MY FACE BE FROZEN?
The goal of Botox Cosmetic® treatment is relaxation, not paralysis, of the injected muscles. We are very careful to always preserve the expressive ability of the face.
WHO IS A CANDIDATE?
During the initial consultation, we will discuss your specific medical history and determine if you are a good candidate for Botox Cosmetic®. In general, the only people that are not good candidates are those with neuromuscular disorders or women who are pregnant or nursing. Otherwise, any man or woman who is concerned about the appearance of their:
-frown lines
-forehead wrinkles
-crow’s feet
-horizontal “bunny” lines across the bridge of the nose
-lip lines, eyes and eyebrows (lifts the brow and opens the eye)
-corner of the mouth (lifts the corners of the mouth)
-irregular, mottled chin (smoothing effect)
is an excellent candidate.
WILL I EXPERIENCE ANY NUMBNESS?
Botox Cosmetic® does not affect sensory nerves, so you will not experience any numbness.
ARE THERE ANY DANGERS OR SIDE EFFECTS?
Botox Cosmetic® is one of the most widely tested and studied medications in the pharmaceutical industry. Its safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in countless studies over the past 20 years. This research has clearly established that Botox Cosmetic® has no long term side effects and earned Botox Cosmetic® the full approval of the FDA. The protein remains in the treated muscle and disappears completely after 3 to 6 months without traveling into the body or leaving any residual trace. Mild, short term side effects include:
-Mild bruising at the injection site
-Mild, brief headache
-Infrequently, treated muscles will be incompletely or unevenly weakened, requiring small touch-up injections
-Very rarely some drooping of the upper eyelid is seen after forehead injection.
-This happens to one out of every two hundred patients, lasts for one to two weeks and is easily and fully correctable using specific eye drops.
-Over time, a small set of patients become resistant to the effects of Botox Cosmetic® because they have built up antibodies to the protein. These patients may then require higher doses to achieve the same effects as before.
HOW IS THE TREATMENT PERFORMED?
We inject Botox Cosmetic® into select facial muscles using the finest micro-needle available. The amount injected is very small. The entire series of injections usually takes less than 15 minutes to perform, depending on how many areas are treated.
DOES IT HURT?
No. The area to be treated is cooled with an ice pack prior to injection. This pre-treatment, the ultra-fine needle and the small amount of Botox Cosmetic® injected assure minimal discomfort.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTERWARDS?
Any mild discomfort experienced during the procedure resolves very quickly. You may resume your daily activities immediately afterwards. For optimal results, we encourage you to exercise your facial muscles throughout the day of injection to better distribute the Botox Cosmetic® throughout the injected muscles. We also ask that you remain upright (you can sit or recline, but please do not lie down) and refrain from rubbing the area on that day.
WHEN DO I SEE RESULTS?
Most commonly, visible results take 2-3 days to be first noticed. The muscles become more and more relaxed over the next one to two weeks. Optimal results are visible two weeks after injection. It is at this time that we recommend for you to come in for re-evaluation and touch-up injections, if necessary. Continued use of Botox Cosmetic® often result in longer lasting effects, up to 8 months, with smaller doses.
HOW LONG CAN I BE TREATED WITH BOTOX?
Long term studies have shown that you can receive BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments for many years without fear of adverse effects. |
