Botox Treatment Miami
About Botox
Botox is actually an umbrella term for a variety of different types of botulinum toxins that result in limited muscle paralysis for a short time. The injections are generally safe when administered by a trained medical professional. Botox has many different applications beyond just treating wrinkles.
Botox injections can help mitigate excessive sweating by paralyzing sweat glands, help keep a lazy eye from drifting and also help with painful, continuous muscle spasms. Even chronic migraine sufferers can experience relief with the use of Botox, as it’s been shown to decrease the amount of migraines patients suffer over a period of time.
How Botox Works
Botox injections are outpatient procedures and are offered by a wide variety of medical professionals. While the discomfort is typically minimal, some patients opt to apply a numbing cream to minimize any pain or discomfort. There are medications that can complicate Botox injections (you may need to pause any blood thinners, for example, to avoid any possible bruising or excessive bleeding), so it’s very important that the patient be forthcoming when disclosing their current medications.
As with any procedure, there is a minor level of risk involved. Possible side effects can include things like headaches, irritation around the injection site (bruising and/or swelling) and tearing. However, if Botox is administered by an experienced medical professional, the risks remain minimal.
There are different brands of neurotoxins, like Botox, that have been developed in the years since its introduction to the marketplace. Dysport is another injectable available that reduces the amount of overall muscle paralysis that some patients experience with Botox. If Botox is used on the face to deal with crow’s feet, frown lines or brow creases, sometimes it can give the appearance of a more motionless visage than a patient initially desired. Since Dysport only effects the exact muscles targeted by the injection, this side effect is avoided. Patients should consult their physicians to see which option is best for their particular needs.
Prior to treatment, patients should undergo a thorough consultation with their medical provider. During this time, the provider will evaluate the patient’s needs and confirm that they are a viable candidate for the procedure or would be better served by something else. Initial consultations are important, not just to avoid possible complications, but also to enable the medical professional and patient to discuss expectations. It’s possible that what a patient expects from Botox would be better delivered by something else entirely.
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Preventative Maintenance with Botox
Botox is not only used to dull the appearance of lines and wrinkles that have already appeared. It can also be used as a preventative measure to minimize the development of said lines and wrinkles. If a patient has yet to experience any of the symptoms of the aging process, Botox injections can be used to delay the onset. Many patients start getting the injections early citing the fact that while they may not need them at the moment, stopping lines and wrinkles before they start can make preventative Botox more effective at delaying aging than waiting to use it until after the aging process has already started.
The Botox Procedure
Botox injections are simple procedures that take less than a half hour to complete. First a numbing agent is applied to the appropriate area, then a skilled doctor will use very thin needles to inject the Botox. Afterward, the patient can expect some pain, discomfort and swelling at the injection site, but for the most part, patients feel normal after three to five days. All in all, it is a minimally invasive set of injections that many people undergo without any complication whatsoever. The relative simplicity of the procedure contributes to its popularity.
Recovery
The only thing a patient really needs to avoid after a Botox injection is anything other than the lightest touch to the affected area. Heavy massaging could result in a migration of the Botox to a different, unintended spot that could cause unpleasant results. Recovery time is typically minimal, but as mentioned before, if a patient is on blood thinners, they may notice bruising or excessive bleeding at the injection site. The best strategy, if possible, is to discontinue use of the medication a few days before receiving Botox injections. As with any procedure, patients should consult with their doctor and disclose any and all medications or medical conditions that are in any way relevant.
About the Surgeon
Julio F. Gallo, MD, FACS, has received extensive advanced training in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures like Botox. He is an injectables trainer for Allergan, and is also extremely well-versed in energy-based skin rejuvenation, non-invasive fat reduction and scar removal. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of medicine, and completed a facial plastic surgery fellowship with Dr. Robert L. Simons, an internationally renowned plastic surgeon and an expert in rhinoplasty.
Contact Gallo MD
in Midtown Miami
Address
115 NE 32nd Street, Suite
102-A, Miami, FL 33137
