Ask the Doctor: Telling more about Botox and Facial Fillers

You may have read about Botox Cosmetic in advertisements, blogs and celebrity gossip magazines, or heard about it from your friends. In this blog post you’ll find the answers some of the most frequently asked questions our patients at Avane Dermatology Clinic, Nairobi- Kenya about these cosmetic facial injections. The topic of injectables can be quite extensive, but for an introduction to this popular and highly-requested treatment, will answer the most commonly asked questions our Avane dermatology clinic patients ask:

Q: What is Botox?

Doc: This injectable treatment is a purified man-made protein that are injected directly into the muscle, which allows the muscle to relax so lines in the skin appear smoother. Botox is used for three main purposes: muscle spasm control, severe underarm sweating and cosmetic improvement. Botox Cosmetic is used for the temporary smoothing of "frown lines," which are the lines between your eyebrows that can make you look tired, unhappy or angry.

It is FDA-approved for this use on forehead lines, crow's feet, marionette lines at the corners of the mouth and smoker's lines around the lips.

Q: Why is Botox so popular?

Doc: According to reports Botox is the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the world. This is because it is quick, minimally invasive, almost painless and it has little-to-no downtime. Not to mention, it works really well and patients review the procedure as an excellent solution.

In addition to reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles within days, it is also preventative over time. This allows us to ensure wrinkles don’t get deeper, so while it reverses the appearance of lines facial injectables also help to prevent additional creases from forming.

Q: Has the use of Botox reduced the need or demand for facelifts?

Doc: Generally speaking, yes. Using injectables can help patients avoid or delay more invasive surgical procedures. It is very dependent on the individual patient. Here at Avane Dermatology Clinic, every patient is evaluated and provided with a personalized cosmetic treatment plan.

Q: Whats the duration of the procedure?

Doc: Botox injections are usually performed in a doctor's office with  an hour. Your doctor uses a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of botulinum toxin into your skin or muscles. The number of injections needed depends on many factors, including the extent of the area being treated. Botox injections are usually done in a doctor's office

Q: How long does it last?

Doc: In general, Botox and fillers last four to six months. It depends on the product chosen, and a patient’s own response. It is important to understand that fillers and most other injectables are not permanent. If you are happy with your result (and most are!), you will typically need to be treated two-to-three times per year to maintain your improvement.

Q: When should a patient begin Botox?

Doc: This is a very personal decision. The average age for people beginning to explore these treatments is typically between 30 and 50 years old.

Q: Where is Botox used on the face?

Doc: Botox can be used in numerous areas on the face as well as the neck and jawline. The top three most common areas we treat are:

• Between the brows (frown lines) also referred to as “the elevens”
• Horizontal forehead lines
• Crow’s feet (around the eyes)

Q: What are fillers?

Doc: Filler injections rejuvenate facial skin by reducing or eliminating wrinkles, raising scar depressions, enhancing lips and replacing soft-tissue volume loss. Starting at age 30, we lose approximately 3cc of volume in our face a year. If you stay healthy and fit, you tend to notice this volume loss at a greater rate.

Q: Where do you use fillers?

Doc: The areas we can treat and use fillers is never-ending but our most common are:

• Smile lines
• Chin area
• Lips
• Cheekbones
• Under eyes (to correct “bags”)

Q: How do I make sure I don’t look “overdone”?

Doc: This is where having an experienced injector is hugely important. Botox injections should be given only by a trained medical professional, even when used for cosmetic purposes.To ensure optimal results, facial injectables should be performed by a Doctor preferably registered with Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board. All fillers cannot, and should not, be used in the same areas. I have seen patients come in with injections by untrained “friends” with terrible, and occasionally permanent bad results and they ask me to fix the issues. Many times I cannot. You should have your face assessed by a licensed, board-certified dermatologist. This allows you to create an overall treatment plan that will give you the best results for a natural and refreshed look. The purpose is to subtly refresh a patient’s appearance and not to have someone notice and ask with concern, “what have you done to your face?”

Q: Do men do these treatments?

Doc: Majority of our patients requesting Botox and fillers are women. However, these treatments are an amazing option for men, too. Increasingly more male patients are coming to our facility wanting to learn how they can look more youthful in the workplace. Yes, men are open to trying injections. They walk away with great results.

Q: How long does it take for you to see results?

Doc: With injectables, the typical time period we expect to see maximum results is two weeks. With some patients, the visible results are faster.

With fillers, patients will typically see an immediate result however, there is also a higher chance of bruising or swelling. Due to this increased risk of bruising we recommend that our patients also consider a two-week rule to see optimum results. So, if patients are planning for weddings or big holiday parties, family photos or other special events, two weeks or more prior to these engagements is a safe window of time to schedule fillers and facial injectables.

Q: Are there any side effects?

Doc: Botox and fillers are  perfectly safe—as long as it's made and administered by a licensed professional. However, if  you get to have signs of an allergic reaction to Botox: hives, itching; wheezing, difficult breathing; feeling like you might pass out; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Q. How much does it cost?

Doc: The cost of Botox Cosmetic injections varies from one place to another and from one practitioner to another, so you'll need to ask your practitioner what he or she charges but a range of ksh 25,000- 35,000 per injection section.