If you've ever watched an episode of The Real Housewives or flipped through an issue of UsWeekly, you probably know a thing or two about Botox. Celebrities have been using it to prevent aging and lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for years and regular folks have started to incorporate it into their beauty regime, too.
But, Botox has gotten somewhat of a reputation of being dangerous or risky, so a lot of people will avoid it because of the potential toxicity. If you're wondering what the truth about Botox is, read on, since I'm going to break down the dangers of Botox, as well as the benefits, in order to give you some context on the procedure.
How Does It Work?
Essentially, Botox prevents the signal from the nerves to the muscles in your face from going through, which prevents muscles from contracting and stops the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crow's feet.
How Should I Prepare For The Procedure?
Preparing for Botox is actually very critical to doing it safely. First, you shouldn't take aspirin, St. John's Wort, anti-inflammatory medications, or high doses of Vitamin E one week prior to your appointment- doing so can increase your risk of bleeding and/or bruising. You also shouldn't drink one week before and after your injection, which can lessen the impact of your results.
What Ingredients Are In Botox?
Botox includes the ingredients of Clostridium botulinum type A neurotoxin complex, Albumin Human, and sodium chloride. It's essentially produced using a fermentation process, which gives its ingredients the stunning amount of power they have. Please consult with your doctor to make sure you don't have any conflicting allergies with the ingredients of Botox.
Botox is FDA approved and has been so since 2002, so you don't have to worry about it being unregulated.
Who Should Be Administering It?
In the US, each state has laws around who can administer Botox injections, so make sure to check into your state's laws so that you know what qualifications are required of doctors. However, it's advised that you go to a board certified physician for maximum safety and results, rather than a salon or spa.
What Are The Side Effects?
Side effects include pain at the site of injection, swelling, fatigue, rash, redness, itching, dizziness, fainting.
You can and should take some precautions to lessen your risk of getting side effects, which includes not lying down 3-4 hours after treatment, avoiding contorting or touching your face with your hands (ex: applying makeup) and make sure to also avoid sunbathing or tanning until all redness and swelling have subsided.
Now that you know how to get the procedure safely administered, go forth and get Botox, if you so desire.