Cosmetic treatments can be a bit of an enigma for most of us. Just how painful are they? Is it worth it? What could I actually be putting my face through? We ironed out all of these anxieties and more with cosmetic nurse Georgie Collins from Spire Hospital.
Here's 12 reasons why Botox has become so mainstream.
1. There's no anaesthetic
No anaesthetic is needed during this treatment as you will only feel a small prick from the needle. After your skin is cleaned and disinfected, small needles will be used to inject the muscle relaxant or derma filler in the areas of your face that require the most amount of attention - normally around the eyes and lips. Small needles…we can deal with that.
2. Results are visible after a few days
You can expect to see the results of your treatment anywhere between a day to three days after the injections.
So you’ve had the treatment, when will people start showering you with compliments? Well lucky for you girls you can expect to see the results of your treatment anywhere between a day to three days after the injections. Let that just sink in for a moment; 72 hours until your skin will be enjoying a whole new lease of life.
3. It will make your skin look smoother and younger
Ok, now to fully understand the science of what we’re injecting into our face. Botox is made from the botulinum toxin, a neurotoxic protein produced by a bacteria that can be extremely poisonous. It's produced commercially for medical, cosmetic and research purposes, and has two types of A and B.
Type A is widely used in medicine - for example, for relaxing muscles in spasm, or movement disorders such as muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s - and for cosmetic treatments in reducing the movement of facial muscles, leading to smoother looking skin.
4. It's super quick
Botox is quick, non-surgical and makes people feel much more refreshed, so much so that Georgie likens it to, “going to the hairdressers but for the face”. Anti-wrinkle injections take about 15 minutes to administer, but this can vary depending on the number of wrinkles treated.
5. You can wear makeup straight away
Make up can be applied immediately (and normally) after treatment, as long as there is not excessive pressure put upon the treatment area. Phew.
6. You don't have to look 'frozen'
Like every treatment, different patients want a different look. “Some patients like the frozen look which makes it more obvious they have had treatment, whereas other patients want something far more natural and subtle”, says Georgie. The great thing about this procedure is that the result can be tailored to the individual and their needs.
7. There's no downtime
As Botox is a non-surgical anti-wrinkle treatment by injection, there is virtually no recovery time: “You can normally fit in your injections with your day-to-day activities, so you won’t need to take any time off work,” says Georgie.
8. It's semi-permanent
Botox results don’t last forever so if you’re thinking about getting a cosmetic treatment ahead of an important event, your wedding day or purely because you’re intrigued to see how it changes your skin, then rest assured whatever the result it won’t be irreversible. A more relaxed and smoother appearance normally lasts on average for three to four months and patients will need to have treatments around three times a year to maintain the results.
9. You can even inject under the eye area
Hate your laughter lines? Botox can be very effective at smoothing out the fine lines and wrinkles that occur in the creasing of the eye.
10. It tackles your frown lines
If you’re concerned about static lines (the wrinkles that remain when you’re not moving your face), Botox probably isn’t the best option. “Botox works best for dynamic lines, the lines which appear when you frown, smile or look surprised. It doesn’t work as well on static lines, though it can soften these lines slightly,” explains Georgie.
11. It's not as expensive as you might think
Cosmetic treatments can be pricy but Botox is charged per area, which means it could work out cheaper than you first thought. Georgie breaks it down for us: “The 3 areas where people usually have Botox is between the eyebrows, forehead and crow’s feet. One area usually costs £199, 2 areas £250 and 3 areas or full face £350.”
12. Symptoms (if any) are completely bearable
If you’re more concerned about getting back to work quickly than the treatment itself then it might be useful to be aware of some of the symptoms you could experience post-procedure, including bruising around the injection sites but this should only last for a short while. Sometimes your face may feel slack after the treatment – particularly if you had injections around the eyelids. This should wear off after a few hours.
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