In a treatment session lasting 10 minutes or so, tiny amounts of botox are carefully injected into the individual facial muscles responsible for the lines you wish to get rid of. In the case of the glabellar frown lines 5 to 7 sites around the central brow are injected and in the case of crow's feet, 3 or 4 sites just outside the eyelids are used. The injections are made using the smallest needle and syringe available and are virtually painless. The injection site may sting or burn for a short time afterwards. The injection site is also prone to bruising - you will probably be asked to apply a cold compress over the injection site for afterwards and it is a good idea to avoid Aspirin or anti-inflammatory tablets ( Nurofen, Voltarol or Ibuprofen) for 7 days prior to treatment. When you leave the Clinic you will be asked to deliberately exercise the muscles( but not to massage ) the treated muscles every 15 minutes for about 2 hours as this increases the uptake of toxin in the muscle and helps speed up the onset of it's effect. Also you should stay upright for 3-4 hours after treatment i.e. no lying down. This prevents the injection spreading too far from its injection site

Do the Injections hurt?

Most patients find the injections only cause mild, temporary discomfort.

How many treatments will I need?

Repeat treatments are usually needed every 3-6 months over a 12 month period. After this it is likely that further treatments are only required once or twice per year. We cannot guarantee how long your Botox will last as this can vary from 6 weeks up to 9 months in some people and this cannot be predicted prior to treatment. It is important to realise this to avoid disappointment.

How does Botox® work?

The botulinum exotoxin in the injection is taken up into the nerve/muscle interface ( neuromuscular junction ) and causes a reduction of release of the nerve transmitter, acetylcholine, normally responsible for muscle contraction. This occurs 3-5 days after injection and therefore the onset of muscular weakness is delayed until this time. You will leave the clinic looking no different from when you came in. It is only 3-5 days later, as the muscles relax, that you will notice any change. The muscle will not be paralysed, there will always be some residual movement. This change is maximal after 2 weeks and wears off after 3-6 months when the muscle function returns to normal.

Contraindications to Treatment with Botox® Generalised disorders of muscle activity (ie multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, etc), when amino glycoside antibiotics (gentamicin) have been used recently, bleeding disorders, pregnancy or breastfeeding are all contraindications to treatment with Botox®.