BOTOX^® Cosmetic Injections

It seems like everybody is talking about BOTOX^® Cosmetic, the highly effective, nonsurgical procedure that can dramatically reduce your toughest wrinkle within 7 days. It's been reported in the news, in fashion, health and beauty magazines, and on TV. Or perhaps you've heard about it from your friends, and you want to know more. You want the whole story before you decide if BOTOX^® Cosmetic is right for you.

Do you always appear angry? Are you always frowning with your eyebrows? BOTOX^® injections can improve or eliminate these wrinkles and change your facial body language. BOTOX^® Cosmetic used around the eyes can also improve the "crow's feet" or wrinkles that form with aging.

The Cary Skin Center is one of a few National Training Centers for BOTOX^® Cosmetic. Timothy C. Flynn, MD is a national and international lecturer on BOTOX^® Cosmetic and has many scientific publications on BOTOX^® and its use. Clinical research on BOTOX^® is also performed at the Cary Skin Center. This provides you with one of the most experienced centers in the country.

Questions & Answers and Other Information
What BOTOX® Cosmetic Is?
What BOTOX® Cosmetic Is Not?
Who Should Administer BOTOX® Cosmetic?
What Areas Can Be Treated With BOTOX® Cosmetic?
Is BOTOX® Cosmetic Right For You?
What To Expect From BOTOX® Cosmetic
Who Is A Good Candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic?
What Exactly Is BOTOX® Cosmetic?
Are BOTOX® Cosmetic Treatments Painful?
Will My Lines Look Worse If I Choose Not To Continue Treatments?
How Long Does BOTOX® Cosmetic Last?
Is BOTOX® Cosmetic Expensive?
Are There Any Special Instructions To Follow After BOTOX® Cosmetic?

Before and After Photos

The results are dramatic and apparent within days. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of the men and women surveyed rated the improvement in their brow lines as moderate to better. For many, BOTOX^® Cosmetic virtually "erases" these lines.

Unlike surgery, BOTOX^® Cosmetic is fast, simple, and minimally invasive, with no downtime or recovery. Most people return directly to work or normal activity following treatment. Within days, they report looking more natural and relaxed. With BOTOX^® Cosmetic, they will know you've done something, they just won't know what.

What BOTOX^® Cosmetic is Not.
BOTOX^® Cosmetic is not magic. It's medicine, the result of years of careful research and testing. Allergan's BOTOX^® Cosmetic product is the only one of its type with over 10 years of success in treating patients with a variety of conditions. With dosing specific to treat frown lines, this same product is now available as BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic will not radically change your appearance or make you look "like you've had work done." It will not make you look twenty years younger. Because it's highly localized and administered intramuscularly, its effects are usually confined to the region of injection, and BOTOX^® Cosmetic does not remain in your body indefinitely.

Who Should Administer BOTOX^® Cosmetic?
The Cary Skin Center is one of a few National Training Centers for BOTOX^® Cosmetic. Timothy C. Flynn, MD is a national and international lecturer on BOTOX^® and has many scientific publications on BOTOX^® and its use. Clinical research on BOTOX^® is also performed at the Cary Skin Center. This provides you with one of the most experienced centers in the country.

What Areas Can Be Treated With BOTOX^® Cosmetic?
BOTOX^® is most commonly used to improve the "frown lines" around the eyebrows and forehead. Selectively using BOTOX^® in these areas can improve these frown lines. BOTOX^® is also used to improve the lines and wrinkles around the eyes known as "crow's feet". Selective use of BOTOX^® in these areas can improve the lines and wrinkles associated with muscle contraction.

Is BOTOX^® Cosmetic Right For You?
If doing all you can to look your best is important to you, BOTOX^® Cosmetic may be for you. If reducing those tough lines between your brows would make you feel more approachable, BOTOX^® Cosmetic may be for you. Thousands of appearance-conscious women and men have already discovered the benefits of BOTOX^® Cosmetic. Not just models and movie stars, but ordinary people - teachers, mothers, and business people from all walks of life.

What To Expect From BOTOX^® Cosmetic.
Your doctor will determine exactly where to administer several tiny injections to achieve the best results. No anesthesia is required, although he or she may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream prior to injecting. The entire procedure takes approximately ten minutes. Discomfort is minimal and brief - most patients compare the sensation to a bug bite. It is unlikely you will develop significant side effects, although some people develop slight temporary bruising at the injection site. Which can easily be covered by makeup. You may resume normal activity immediately.

Within days, you'll see a marked improvement which may continue to improve for as long as a week and should last up to four months. BOTOX^® Cosmetic relaxes the overactive muscles whose repeated contractions cause the lines between your brows to form. So you can frown, smile, or look surprised - without the furrows, creases, and wrinkles.

The most common side effects are headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop, and nausea. BOTOX^® Cosmetic should not be used if there is an infection at the injection site.

Who Is A Good Candidate for BOTOX^® Cosmetic?
Any image-conscious man or woman who is concerned about the appearance of their frown line can consider treatment. People from age 18 to 65 can use BOTOX^® Cosmetic. Your doctor can help you decide if BOTOX^® Cosmetic is right for you.

What exactly is BOTOX^® Cosmetic?
BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a natural, purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. Very low doses of BOTOX^® Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the overactive muscles that cause lines to form. BOTOX^® Cosmetic works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles. The effects of BOTOX^® Cosmetic are usually confined to the injected region; it does not travel throughout the body.

Are BOTOX^® Cosmetic Treatments Painful?
Discomfort is minimal and brief. Your physician may choose to use a local anesthetic cream or ice to minimize this. Once the injection is complete, there is usually no discomfort.

Will My Lines Look Worse If I Choose Not To Continue Treatments?
No. Your lines gradually revert to their pretreatment appearance.

How Long Does BOTOX^® Cosmetic Last?
BOTOX^® Cosmetic lasts up to four months.

Is BOTOX^® Cosmetic Expensive?
When considering your facial aesthetic options, BOTOX^® Cosmetic is quite affordable. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's 2000 survey, BOTOX^® Cosmetic is one of the least expensive facial aesthetic procedures, ranking seventh of the nine most widely used procedures in the United States. Like other appearance-related investments, such as hair coloring and cuts, teeth whitening, and chemical peels, the cost must be weighed relative to your expectations.

Are There Any Special Instructions To Follow After BOTOX^® Cosmetic?
Yes. Before leaving the office you will receive a patient instruction sheet.

1. Contract and exercise the muscles as much as possible for the first 3-4 hours after injection. The toxin is taken up by actively contracting muscles, and this exercise will improve uptake of the toxin in the desired areas.
2. Avoid manipulating the areas around the injection sites. Rubbing or pushing on the injection areas could cause the toxin to spread to unintended areas. Around the eyes this could lead to drooping of the upper eyelid known as ptosis.
3. Stay upright for the first 3-4 hours after treatment. The effects of gravity when lying flat can cause BOTOX^® to diffuse into the deeper tissues of the eye, and also result in ptosis.

These instructions are very important to your successful treatment with BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

Before and After Photos