Botox

Botox is an injectable treatment that reduces visible signs of facial aging, such as creases, crow’s feet, and fine lines. This treatment is a neuromodulator, meaning that it helps relax the muscles to diminish the appearance of lines while simultaneously preventing new ones from forming. Botox is the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the country, ⁽¹⁾ with injectors performing over 9.4 million treatments in 2023 alone. ⁽²⁾

Eric P. Bachelor, MD, FACS, is a nationally recognized, board-certified plastic surgeon here at East Bay Aesthetic Surgery. Dr. Bachelor has been recognized as one of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. With experience performing over ten thousand facial rejuvenation procedures, in addition to the countless number of plastic surgery procedures performed, he has built a reputation for providing his clients with consistent results and high-quality care.

To schedule your Botox appointment, please call our Pleasanton or Danville offices at (925) 462-3700 or fill out our contact form, and a team member will respond as soon as possible.

About Botox

Botox is an injectable treatment used to help reduce visible signs of aging by relaxing the facial muscles. This treatment is formulated from a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin A. ⁽¹⁾ When administered, the formula blocks the neurotransmitters responsible for muscle contractions. By eliminating the contractions and suspending the muscle in a relaxed state, we can prevent new lines and wrinkles from forming, leaving patients with a smoother, more refreshed appearance.

Benefits of Botox

Botox helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the face, restoring a more natural and youthful appearance. This non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment takes less than half an hour to complete, making it a short procedure with long-lasting results and minimal downtime. This means that patients can return to their daily routines once their injection session is completed.

To learn more about how Botox might benefit you, please call our Pleasanton or Danville offices at (925) 462-3700 or schedule a consultation online.

Ideal Candidates

The ideal candidates for Botox injections are adults interested in improving and minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Patients interested in Botox should be in good overall health and hold realistic expectations about the results of their treatment.

Botox is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as anyone who may be allergic to one or more ingredients in the formula. ⁽³⁾ It is also not a viable treatment option for patients with certain muscle or nerve conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Personal Consultation

Before each Botox treatment, patients are asked to schedule a personal consultation at either our Pleasanton or Danville offices. The individual consultation is a chance for our team to meet each patient and further understand their goals. After discussing each detail of the procedure and the patient’s medical history, our nurse specialist will examine the skin to determine each patient’s candidacy and establish a treatment plan. The full cost of each procedure will be disclosed to each patient at this time, as well as preparation and recovery instructions. We encourage patients to prepare questions for their consultation, as well as voice any potential concerns regarding their treatment. Botox can be combined with other procedures to achieve a deeper level of rejuvenation. To learn more about the other procedures that can be combined with Botox, please visit Dr. Bachelor’s blog.

Botox Preparation

To prepare for Botox treatment, patients should follow any instructions provided by our nurse injectors or another member of our team. Preparation instructions will be provided for each patient at their personal consultation once their individual treatment plan is established.

Before their appointment, patients should cease the use of medications and supplements with blood-thinning properties, as well as harsh skincare products such as retinol or exfoliants. Sun protection should be used each day leading up to the procedure, as sun damage can lead to the postponement of the treatment itself until the skin fully heals. On the day of their appointment, patients should arrive with a clean face, free of any skincare and makeup.

Procedure

The nurse injector will begin the procedure by cleansing and sanitizing each patient’s treatment area. A topical anesthetic may be used to improve comfort. However, many patients find the use of numbing cream rarely necessary. Using a thin needle, the expert injector will administer the solution to the facial muscles that are contracting and causing lines and wrinkles to form. Botox injections typically take less than 30 minutes, making it an ideal treatment for busier patients. Some patients may benefit from multiple injections per area to achieve their ideal results.

After Your Treatment

Immediately following their injections, patients can return to their daily schedules. Our nurse injector will provide post-treatment instructions for each patient, ensuring they understand how to be mindful of their injection sites. Recovery is quite minimal overall, with patients being instructed to avoid rubbing, touching, or putting any pressure on their treatment area following their treatment. Patients should avoid physical activity and other intense and strenuous tasks for 24 hours. Light redness and mild bruising may be seen in treated areas, but these effects will gradually subside on their own, and any experienced discomfort can be alleviated through the use of over-the-counter medications.

Results

Patients will be able to start noticing the results of their treatment after about three to four days, with the full results appearing after 10-14 days once the injections have effectively relaxed the targeted facial muscles. ⁽⁴⁾ Patients will be able to notice a more youthful appearance and improved facial aesthetics as their wrinkles, creases, and fine lines are minimized and new signs and symptoms of aging are simultaneously prevented from forming. The full results of the treatment can last for 3-6 months before wearing off.

We recommend that patients continue to take care of their skin to prevent accelerated aging. Sun exposure is responsible for approximately 80% of skin aging, so it is important to wear sun protection and SPF whenever you plan to be in the sun. ⁽⁵⁾

Corresponding Procedures

There are many procedures offered for patients interested in complementing their Botox injections. Dermal fillers are a popular injectable treatment that consists of filler being deposited beneath the skin to help restore lost facial volume, enhance contours, and smooth wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. We offer multiple types of dermal fillers, each with its own unique benefits. Some of our most popular dermal fillers include Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane, Voluma, and more. These work in different ways, but all will stimulate collagen production and/or help the skin retain moisture. When combined with Botox, patients see wrinkle reduction and volume rejuvenation effects that help contribute to a more youthful appearance.

Cost of Botox in the San Francisco Bay Area

The cost of each patient’s Botox treatment is dependent upon multiple factors, such as the amount of Botox needed and the number of injection sessions required to help each patient achieve their ideal outcome. As each treatment plan is fully customized to each patient, it can be difficult for our team to give an accurate quote before their consultation.

The full cost of each patient’s treatment plan, in addition to our accepted payment methods, will be provided at each patient’s consultation after our nurse injector has examined the treatment site. We are currently partnered with multiple reputable lending companies to help our patients finance the cost of their procedures.

To explore the cost of your Botox treatment, please call our Pleasanton or Danville offices at (925) 462-3700 or submit our online contact form to schedule a consultation.

FAQ

References

1. Small R. Botulinum Toxin Injection for Facial Wrinkles. American Family Physician. 2014;90(3):168-175. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2014/0801/p168.html
2. American Society of Plastic Surgeons ® Endorsed Partner.; 2023. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2023/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2023.pdf
3. Padda IS, Tadi P. Botulinum Toxin. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557387/
4. Witmanowski H, Błochowiak K. The whole truth about botulinum toxin – a review. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postȩpy Dermatologii i Alergologii. 2020;37(6):853-861. doi:https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2019.82795
5. Guan LL, Lim HW, Mohammad TF. Sunscreens and Photoaging: A Review of Current Literature. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2021;22(6):819-828. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-021-00632-5