Botox® is the brand name for Botulinum Toxin a natural purified protein, which relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles to create a smoothed, rejuvenated appearance.

When injected into the muscle it temporarily blocks the chemical signals that make the muscle contract. Only small quantities are used and only the injected muscle will be affected.

Botulinum Toxin has an excellent safety profile. It is used in a variety of therapeutic areas and is one of the few treatments that can be given to children over 2 years of age (for non-cosmetic purposes). It has been actively used for cosmetic procedures for over 15 years in tens of thousands of patients worldwide and has U.S FDA and European approval.

Very low doses of the toxin are injected into specific muscles. This relaxes the muscles and prevents contraction. It is the repeated contractions of these muscles that have caused the skin to crease and fine lines to appear.

The nerve impulse is blocked from reaching these muscles and the nerve simply relaxes or goes to sleep. This relaxation enables the skin to repair and the lines smooth away.

It can be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles and sometimes Migraine (migraine headaches), gummy smiles as well as excessive sweating (huperhudrosis).

Most side effects are short-lived and mild, the most common being mild bruising to the site of the injection. Some patients also report mild headaches shortly after the treatment, but these usually subside within 24 hours.

You should not have this treatment if:

• The injection site is infected
• You are allergic to any of the ingredients
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You have a neuromuscular disorder (e.g. myasthenia gravis).

We instruct you to do some facial exercises for a while after treatment. This improves the way in which Botox® affects muscle movement and helps maximize the effect.

You will have a follow up with the Doctor 2 weeks after treatment to review results. If the doctor needs to tweak or top up the Botox® then this is done without incurring an additional charge.

You should see the effect start to work from day 3 onwards and should be fully developed after 10 days.

For line and wrinkle treatment, the effects can last anywhere between 3- 4 months.

For excessive sweating treatment, effects can last up to 9 months.

Choose a qualified and experienced practitioner preferably who uses genuine, licensed products obtained from reputable sources.