As we age almost all of us begin to see signs of our skin changing. Fine lines, wrinkles and even deep furrow marks appear on our faces and as our skin slowly loses its elasticity and youthful firmness. Lifestyle factors, such as excessive sun exposure, an unbalanced diet, lack of regular exercise and smoking can also become contributing factors in the change of our appearance. Often our jobs require us to sit in front of the computer for long hours on end, squinting at the screen and using our facial muscles much more than normal. Unfortunately the result of our everyday lifestyle is tired, haggard looking skin that in no way matches how we feel about ourselves on the inside. The aging process and the loss of the skin’s youthfulness is not the only problem that can lead patients to seek Botox treatment. Excessive underarm sweating can be an extremely embarrassing and often unpleasant predicament and many people suffering from this problem feel that their quality of life could be significantly improved if they can address and stop this issue. Thankfully, Botox treatment can be a fairly painless, minimally invasive and cost effective solution for reversing the aging process and to stop unwanted excessive underarm sweating.

Gilbert Perfect Skin in Gilbert, AZ serving the Phoenix metro area, specializes in Botox procedures and Dr. Keefe is fully board certified and a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Osteopathic Association. As such patients can be sure of effective and safe Botox treatments.

Botox – a brief history

Botox, or botulinum toxin has come a long way since its first use. This therapeutic toxin was first purified in 1928 by Hermann Sommer and P. Tessmer Snipe and it was only in 1949 that Arnold Burgen first discovered the incredible medical potential of Botox. It was first used to help patients with persistent muscle spasms and in 1980 doctors began to use Botox to treat patients suffering from uncontrollable blinking and crossed eyes. Finally, in 1994 Botox was used to treat patients with excessive sweating, the first time the toxin was used in a way that exploited its qualities other than relaxing muscles. In 1989 Botox became a fully FDA approved treatment and its career in cosmetic procedures began. Since the early nineties Botox has been used to tackle deep lines on the forehead, “crowfeet” wrinkles around the eyes, deep lines between the mouth and nose and the small “spider” wrinkles around the mouth area. Now Botox treatment is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures around the world, by 2018 the Botox market in the US is predicted to be worth an astonishing $2 billion. Botox’s unstoppable popularity is due to the combination of excellent results, a relatively pain free treatment and unprecedented value for money.

What is Botox and how does it work?

So what is Botox and what makes it so effective? In fact Botox is one of the most poisonous substances that we know of today, as little as a few kilos of Botox could wipe out the entire population of our planet. Though it is a toxin, it is important to remember that in its medical usage Botox, just like almost any other drug, is only used in an incredibly diluted form and in very minute quantities, transforming it from poison to a beneficial drug. Botulinum toxin works by stopping signals travelling from the nerve cells to the muscle cells thus paralyzing the muscle. The muscle doesn’t contract and the skin above the treated area doesn’t fold. In essence, the less the muscle moves the less wrinkles will appear in both the deep and surface layers of the skin. Similarly to wrinkle treatment, when injecting Botox to tackle excess sweating, the aim is to stop the signal between the nerve endings and the sweat glands that our located in our skin. In both cases botulinum toxin acts as a wall between the nerve cells and the muscle cells / sweat glands, in effect paralyzing them. The result is smoother, more youthful skin and the reduction of embarrassing underarm sweating.

Who can benefit from Botox injections?

In the cosmetic world Botox injections can help with a number of problems. The most frequently targeted areas of the face include the forehead, the eye area, the mouth area and the brows. One of the most common problem areas is the area between the eyes, the glabella, where vertical frown lies can appear even in younger patients. Unfortunately these vertical wrinkles can make people look tired, angry and unfriendly. However, a short Botox treatment of the area ensures that patients’ appearance transforms from down beaten and exhausted to open, well-rested and radiant. The eye area can also suffer from the passing of years. As we smile the sensitive area around our eyes folds and crowfeet wrinkles can appear. Botox can help smooth out even the most sensitive skin. Similarly, Botox injections can lead to excellent results when tackling the age-telling fine lines surrounding the mouth. The treatment can also help with low brows. By strategically injecting Botox around the eyebrows the area can be lifted and a more open, more alert look can be achieved. On the other side of the spectrum, Botox can provide a solution to patients suffering from extremely high, “Spock-like” brows. In addition, Botox can make an incredible difference in the lives of patients complaining from excessive sweating. Injecting the area with Botox helps to control sweating and makes the embarrassment associated with excessive sweating a thing of the past.

What happens during a Botox treatment?

One of the wonderful things about Botox treatment is that it doesn’t take up a lot of time and can easily fit into even the busiest of schedules. In most cases a topical anesthetic ointment is applied to the treated area to numb the skin and make the procedure less painful. After that the treated area is cleaned with an antiseptic and the injections are performed. Patients are sometimes asked to frown to see where their wrinkles and lines appear naturally. The length of the procedure depends on the area treated but typically takes around 20-30 minutes. After the procedure patients can return to their normal day to day activities. Typically the results of the treatment will start showing in a few days and will last several months. Although Botox injections are incredibly safe, as with any medical treatment there are risks and possible side effects that may occur. These include bruising, redness and headaches amongst others.

Book a consultation to day with Gilbert Perfect Skin and Dr. Keefe will ensure that you get the best, most effective Botox treatment available.