Botox

Botox Cosmetic is a non-invasive wrinkle fighting injectable used by plastic surgeons and dermatologists around the world. Here in the Bay Area, we routinely use Botox to treat frown lines, crow’s feet and other age-related skin conditions.

Whether you’re experienced with Botox or considering it for the first time, Dr. Eric Bachelor and his team can educate you about Botox and provide exceptional treatment.

About Botox

Botox is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment that helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Over time, everyday facial expressions and muscle contractions create wrinkles and deep creases that can make the face appear older. Botox uses the protein botulinum toxin to temporarily freeze these muscle contractions around the forehead, eyes, and mouth.

This relaxes the skin above the targeted muscles and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, and sometimes even preventing new ones from forming. Botox is not a permanent solution and does wear off over the course of three to four months, but continued treatment sessions can provide prolonged benefits.

Treatment Areas

While Botox has a long list of therapeutic treatments, we typically use it for cosmetic purposes. It can, however, be used to alleviate physical irritations such as excessive sweating. With an injection into strategic points on the forehead, our Bay Area expert injector can erase fine lines and wrinkles for three to four months. This brief and comfortable treatment can be completed during a lunch break, with no downtime required.

Botox can help correct:

• Facial lines and wrinkles
• Neck bands
• Excessive sweating
• Migraine headaches
• Muscle spasms
• Gummy smile

Benefits of Botox

Good Candidates for Botox

Botox is a good treatment option for patients who want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines or reduce a physical irritation. Unlike a facelift or fat grafting, Botox is appealing to patients who do not want to undergo a surgical procedure or commit to a permanent treatment. Candidates should have realistic expectations for the treatment and understand the limits what Botox can achieve; this will be explained during the initial consultation and all inquiries will gladly be addressed.

Botox is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is also not a viable treatment option for patients who have a muscle or nerve condition, including amyotrophic or lateral sclerosis. Contact our Danville or Pleasanton office to find out if you are a good candidate for Botox.

Botox vs. Facial Fillers

At East Bay Aesthetic Surgery, we offer a variety of facial filler injections including Belotero, Juvéderm and Juvéderm Voluma, Radiesse, Restylane, and Sculptra. Depending on the results desired, facial fillers may be a good alternative to Botox or a viable complementary procedure.

This makes them attractive to patients who do not have time to spend in recovery from a more invasive procedure or simply dislike the idea of a surgical procedure. While both Botox and facial fillers can take years off the appearance of the face, individual fillers work in different ways and therefore offer different results.

Below is a brief summary of what dermal fillers can provide:

Hyaluronic Fillers

Certain fillers like Belotero and Restylane use hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring matter already found in skin, to restore volume and smooth out fine lines and creases. Results appear immediately and typically last about six months to a year, depending on the product.

Juvéderm is also a hyaluronic filler, but it has specific sub-formulations that treat different areas of the face, including treating the appearance of hollowed cheeks or a sunken chin (Juvéderm Voluma XC), nasolabial folds (Juvéderm XC), and the lips (Juvéderm Ultra XC & Juvéderm Volbella.) The results are long-lasting, ranging from a year to two years, but will require touch-ups to maintain results.

Radiesse

Radiesse uses calcium hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring substance found in bones, to fill in fine lines and wrinkles. Compared to hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite is a much heavier substance that makes Radiesse a good option for filling in deeper facial creases like nasolabial folds and marionette lines. Results last about two years.

Sculptra

Unlike other dermal fillers, results from Sculptra do not show up right away. Sculptra uses poly-L-lactic acid that works underneath the skin to stimulate the production of collagen that, in turn, reduces the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and sunken features. Sculptra is administered in a series of two to four treatments spaced out over a few months and results will last about two years.

Since Botox works to temporarily freeze the movements that create wrinkles, it is sometimes injected as a preventative measure for candidates showing minor signs of aging. Yet, it will not function to fill out hollowed features that arise from a loss of volume in the face. It is also not effective at treating static lines and wrinkles that are still present when the face is completely relaxed. For these reasons and more, the best treatment plan may require a combination of both Botox and dermal fillers.

Botox vs Dysport

Consultation

During the initial Bay Area Botox consultation, Dr. Bachelor will speak with the patient about their areas of concern and what they hope to achieve from using Botox. Then, he will conduct a full examination to determine whether or not Botox would be the best treatment option. Depending on the desired results, Dr. Bachelor can recommend complementary or alternative treatments. At this time, he will work directly with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan and provide an accurate pricing estimate.

The Treatment

A Botox treatment involves a few simple injections. Numbing cream is rarely necessary but may be used to improve comfort in sensitive areas. Using a thin needle, the expert injector will administer the solution into the facial muscles that are contracting and causing lines and wrinkles to form. Patients may need several injections per area.

Muscles that are treated with Botox are relaxed, but will not be prevented from forming natural facial expressions. A treatment can easily be finished within 30 minutes, and may also be performed alongside other non-surgical treatments, especially dermal fillers.

Recovery

After Botox, patients can return to normal activities right away. They may notice some slight bruising or swelling at the site of injection, which can be covered with makeup. After injection, Botox blocks nerve impulses in the treated muscles. As a result, the patient will look younger and have a more relaxed facial expression, with fewer lines and wrinkles.

Botox results take about three to five days to become fully evident, and the correction is temporary. To maintain results, patients will need routine treatments every three to four months.

Millions of people have experienced the wrinkle-reducing benefits of Botox Cosmetic. Research on the drug’s safety and efficacy is extensive, but there are possible side effects that should be considered. Potential adverse events include bruising, swelling, redness or itching at the injection site. We’ll review Botox side effects in detail during the initial visit to either our Danville or Pleasanton office.

Alle Program

Earn points on Allē Brands and a variety of in-office products and treatments, including microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, and more. When you’re ready to use your points, simply inform your provider that you’re an Allē Member, and they will redeem them from your Allē Wallet. For every 100 points, you receive $10 in savings towards a future Allē product or treatment.

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