Concise Botox Overview for People around California

The most popular cosmetic procedure in the US is Botox - California being the state with the highest number of Botox injections per capita. The drug was first introduced in the late '80s and was originally used to treat eye or optical muscle disorders. Today, it's in play to eliminate or prevent facial wrinkles, particularly those caused by repeated expressions.

How Botox Works

Essentially, Botox works by paralyzing your facial muscles. The subtle poisons in every Botox injection stop your muscles from a producing a chemical called acetylcholine. This chemical is what allows your muscles to contract and create facial expressions. By stopping your muscles from contracting, Botox is not only limiting their ability to make existing wrinkles appear more pronounced, but it's also preventing new wrinkles from forming.

How Well Botox Actually Works

After Botox injections, patients usually see about an 80 percent improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. The drug has also been independently tested and approved by the FDA as an effective wrinkle treatment, meaning it works. However, it's not permanent and will only last for up to 5 months, and perhaps only 3.

Step-By-Step Guide to Getting Botox Injections

For Botox, patients typically receive their injections right inside the privacy of their doctor's office. There is no anesthesia involved, though some practitioners may administer a dab of numbing cream designed to minimize the discomfort associated with each injection.

Your Botox treatment will start once your doctor begins to locate each injection point and marking them with a pen. After this, the physician will disinfect the treatment area and obtain the needed amount of the Botox drug to administer the treatment.

Your doctor will then inject Botulinum Toxin Type A, the actual name for the Botox drug, into each injection point. The poisons then target the muscles and eventually cause them to stop producing acetylcholine. It takes about 7 to 10 days for Botox to become visibly effective.

Actual Botox Treatment Procedure Length

For Botox, users can typically expect their treatments to last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of preparation required and the size of the treatment area. Typically though, it's not a lengthy procedure.

After Care for Botox Injections

Recovery is fairly simple after Botox - patients typically resume normal activities immediately after treatment. However, these individuals should stay out of the sun, so pack a sun hat or sunglasses with you to wear after your treatment is completed.

Cost of Botox

Costs for Botox treatments will vary significantly, depending on the size of the area to be covered, your region and of course the doctor. The average cost for Botox injections are about $150 to $400 per treatment - California having some of the highest rates in the country. Don't count on your medical plan covering the procedure.

Finding a Certified Doctor

If you're looking for a certified doctor who can provide injections of Botox, you should try either the American Academy of Dermatology (aad.org) or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery.org).