Botox
Botulinum toxin (often known by the brand names Botox®, Dysport® or Azzalure®) is a natural protein and is used against wrinkles, headaches and migraines, excessive sweating and teeth grinding.
Botulinum toxin
In conventional medicine, botulinum toxin has been used for many years to relax spastic muscles or to combat chronic headaches. In cosmetic medicine, Botox® is used to reduce muscle activity and thus the active wrinkle formation in, for example, the forehead, frown or the area around the eyes.
We use Botox® not only to soften wrinkles, but also against excessive sweating in the armpits, hands or feet, against headaches, migraines and against teeth grinding.
Botox® can have a significant effect on more than just wrinkles.
Intake
The first step is always a consultation with the cosmetic doctor. During this consultation our method, your wishes and the realistic possibilities are discussed.
Customized treatment
During the consultation, the doctor inspects the area to be treated. Because every skin and every form of wrinkling, headaches, teeth grinding and excessive perspiration is different, we draw up a personal treatment plan for each client. The exact price per treatment and the number of treatments required therefore also differ per person.
A consultation with the cosmetic doctor costs € 50,-. These costs will be deducted from the costs of the treatment, provided that the treatment takes place within 6 months of the consultation date.
Botox® can be used against wrinkles, excessive sweating, headaches and teeth grinding.
Over 20 years of experience
Because Botox® has been used in the medical world for many years, the long-term effects are known and the product is considered as safe. However, it is important that Botox® is administered by a qualified physician in order to achieve the most optimal results in a safe manner. We now have over 20 years of experience with botulinum toxin and have therefore treated a wide variety of skin, wrinkles, headaches, teeth grinding and excessive perspiration. Our cosmetic doctors are therefore extremely capable of configuring and performing the most effective treatment.
Each treatment is tailored to the type of complaint and your wishes.
Pre-care
No precautions are required for a treatment with botulinum toxin. Any make-up is removed prior to the treatment. There are a few situations in which we cannot treat you with Botox®: if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have a muscle disease or a certain immune disease. Also, if you want to become pregnant in the first 6 months after treatment, it is better to postpone a treatment with Botox® until after pregnancy.
The duration of the treatment depends on the size of the area you want to have treated and varies between 15 to 30 minutes. Most people do not experience the injections as painful.
Wrinkles
“Don’t look so angry!” is something too many people are told wrongly. Facial expressions, such as frowning, can permanently carve wrinkles into the skin over time. This makes it seem as if someone is constantly looking angry, while that is not the case.
Many wrinkles are caused by the tension of certain muscles in the face. Crow's feet (laugh lines) are caused by the tension of the sphincter muscle around the eye, the frown by looking angry or stern, and the wrinkles in the forehead by looking surprised. The nose and the area around the mouth are also classic examples where wrinkles often form.
Botox® is used to partially relax these muscles in the face. Botox® is injected directly into the muscle using a small injection needle, which ensures that the nerve can no longer activate the muscle in question (temporarily). When these muscles can no longer be used to such an extreme extent, the wrinkles will no longer be actively formed. The wrinkles are still visible immediately after the treatment - compare it to folds in a piece of paper. If the paper is no longer actively folded, the folds themselves are still there. Only over time, with the renewal of the skin, the wrinkles will visibly soften.
Botox® is mainly used for shallow wrinkles. In the case of deeper wrinkles, there may be a loss of volume and a filler may be necessary. Often a Botox® or filler treatment in combination with a skin rejuvenation treatment gives the best result. The Botox® and fillers soften wrinkles, while the treatment with the IPL and laser method rejuvenate and refresh the skin.
Excessive sweating
Excessive perspiration, also known as hyperhidrosis, can be effectively treated with Botox®. Excessive sweating usually occurs in the armpits, but can also occur on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the forehead.
By treating these areas with Botox®, the transmission of stimuli from the nerve endings to the sweat glands is blocked, causing them to produce no, or less sweat.
The treatment of excessive perspiration is local, and does not affect sweat production elsewhere in the body. Therefore, there is no total prevention of sweating on the body. The effect of Botox® is noticeable within a few days after the treatment. Sweat production is maximally reduced or even virtually stopped after 2 weeks.
With a hyperhidrosis treatment of the armpits the result lasts longer, on average 3 to 6 months. If the effect starts to weaken, the treatment can be repeated without risk.
Reducing excessive sweating can have a huge impact effect on your daily life.
Headache
Everyone suffers from headaches every now and then. However, when headaches are very frequent and the pain is very intense, they can be called tension headaches or migraines. The treatment of migraines and tension headaches requires expertise and varies from person to person.
Botox® blocks the transmission of stimuli from the nerve endings to the muscles responsible for the headache or migraine. The effect of the treatment is noticeable within a few days. The headache symptoms are minimized and are maximally reduced after 2 weeks. Studies into the effectiveness of Botox® for migraine showed that the migraine frequency decreased on average from almost 7 days per month to less than one day per month.
Migraines can have a big impact on your daily life. A little Botox® can put a stop to that.
Teeth grinding
When Botox® is injected into the chewing muscle (masseter) the complaints of teeth grinding and jaw clenching will decrease. The treatment ensures that the chewing muscle can no longer be tensed as intensely. This protects the teeth and makes the jaw feel less tense.
Aftercare
Usually the skin looks normal after a treatment with Botox®. After a treatment the following practical matters are important:
- You may return to work immediately after the treatment; you may resume sports after 4 hours.
- After the treatment, some swelling and redness may occur. This will disappear by itself.
- Bruises (blue spots) may also occur. These will remain visible for several days to weeks, generally as long as you normally have bruises.
- The first 6 weeks you should protect the treated area well from the sun with a good UV protection factor (SPF 30). Any bruises should definitely be well-protected with a sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher).
Results
The effect of Botox® becomes noticeable 4 to 5 days after the treatment and is optimal after 2 weeks. If necessary, a check-up can take place in the 3rd or 4th week after the treatment.
In general, Botox® is active for 3 to 4 months. During this period, you will notice that the treated muscles can no longer be tensed as actively. With a treatment against wrinkles, the wrinkles will slowly soften and fade over the course of months as the skin renews. In the case of teeth grinding, headaches and excessive perspiration, Botox® will ensure a weakening of these effects during a period of 3 to 4 months.
Treated conditions such as headaches and excessive sweating will be noticeably less during the period that Botox® is active.
Follow-up treatment
The duration and exact result of the treatment differ per person. In general, Botulinum toxin works for 3 to 4 months, after which it disappears. This means that after this period you can actively form wrinkles again, or for example start noticing headaches, teeth grinding or excessive sweating again. After these 3 to 4 months, the treatment can be repeated without any problems. Treatments often give an even better and long-lasting effect when repeated. However, there must be at least a period of 3 months between treatments, otherwise you can start to produce antibodies against Botox®, resulting in a reduced effect of the product.
Treated wrinkles will slowly soften and fade over the months following the treatment.
Price
A customized treatment with botulinum toxin starts at € 200,-
The exact price will be determined together with your personal treatment plan during the consultation with the cosmetic doctor.
A consultation with the cosmetic doctor costs € 50,-. These costs will be deducted from the costs of the treatment, provided that the treatment takes place within 6 months of the consultation date.