Botox® in Santa Barbara, CA
If you are ready to say goodbye to some of the telltale signs of aging that often develop long before you are prepared for them, Botox might be the right treatment for you. Botox Cosmetic is a prescription medication that can be injected into the muscles as a simple, nonsurgical treatment for some of the signs of aging that commonly appear on the upper face.
Botox, or botulinum toxin, is used to smooth active lines. Specifically, the frown lines that form between your eyebrows when you squint or scowl and the horizontal lines that develop across the forehead. It is also an effective treatment for crow’s feet that tend to appear when you smile and settle in the outer corners of the eyes over time.
The active ingredient in the Botox formulation reduces the kind of muscle activity that leads to moderate to severe lines on the upper area of the face. Injections are quick and relatively painless, and the positive results can last for many months.
Dynamic Signs of Aging
Botox is designed to minimize dynamic wrinkles, which are the lines that appear when you make certain facial expressions. These lines appear in the following areas: Horizontal lines across the forehead, Parallel vertical creases between the eyebrows, known as frown lines or the 11s, Small lines across the upper bridge of the nose, known as bunny lines, and subtle lines in the outer corner of the eyes, or crow’s feet
Botox does not work effectively on lines that are the result of volume loss in the face or the ones you see when you are not making facial expressions. These lines, which usually appear around the nose and mouth, are typically treated with dermal fillers rather than Botox.
Dr. Lowenstein’s nurse injector Stephanie is an expert in Botox injections in Santa Barbara and will recommend the optimal procedure for you based on your specific concerns and the results you hope to achieve. For some patients, a combination of dermal fillers and Botox may be needed.
Proven Formulation
Botox has been used for decades, both for medical and cosmetic purposes. As a medical treatment, Botox has been found useful in addressing symptoms of challenging conditions like blepharospasm (uncontrollable eye twitching) and a painful neck disorder known as cervical dystonia. Today, Botox continues to be a preferred medical treatment for these conditions, as well as chronic migraines, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and some types of urinary incontinence. Botox Cosmetic was approved by the FDA in 2002 to treat glabellar lines—the vertical lines between the eyebrows known as frown lines. Since this initial approval, clearance has been extended to the treatment of horizontal forehead lines and crow’s feet. The medication is also often used to reduce the appearance of bunny lines and produce subtle brow lift effects.
Quick Procedure
Botox injections are quick and do not take long to perform. In fact, Stephanie can perform most of these procedures in 30 minutes or less. The treatment is relatively comfortable, thanks to fine needles used to administer the medication. A topical numbing cream is rarely needed and patients can resume their daily activities the minute they walk out of our office. Side effects from Botox injections are minimal. A few patients may see mild bruising or swelling around the injection sites but these symptoms are not obvious and tend to be short-lived.
Quick Results
The Botox formulation works quickly on the muscles once it is injected, relaxing them almost instantly. The fast-acting treatment means you will see an improvement in your facial lines when you walk out of our office.
Those results will continue to improve in the days following your treatment. Patients can usually expect their Botox results to last for three to four months. At that point, you can schedule another treatment and maintain your youthful results indefinitely.
The quick results of Botox make this treatment an excellent choice for momentous events like reunions, weddings and vacations. You can schedule your appointment a few days before a special occasion and enjoy your improved appearance long afterward.
Botox is also a good option for patients that want to maintain their more youthful look over the long-term, as long as they are willing to adhere to a regular treatment schedule.
FAQs
Botox is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed today which might give you the impression you could visit almost any Botox provider and get similar results. However, the injections need to be carefully and strategically placed to ensure optimal results from the procedure.
At Montecito Plastic Surgery, board-certified Dr. Lowenstein’s aesthetic staff regularly perform botox injections in Santa Barbara for a wide variety of patients with various aesthetic goals, so you can rest assured that you’re in the hands of experts.
Originally known as a “lunchtime” procedure, a Botox injection at Montecito Plastic Surgery in Santa Barbara takes between 10 to 15 minutes to administer.
Because Botox is not injected deeply, there is no need to apply any topical numbing cream and wait for it to set in. Our injectors make these injections with a very small needle and patients equate the feeling to that of a pinprick.
Botox provides temporary results to the muscles, which means the results of the procedure are not permanent. Over time, the muscles will once again begin to function normally, which will lead to the formation of the previous lines and wrinkles. However, you can repeat your Botox treatment every few months to prevent those lines from recurring.
Some patients also discover that their Botox results might last longer than the standard three to four months usually associated with Botox injections. The theory behind this is that the muscles become trained to relax, postponing the formation of wrinkles for a more extended time.
It is normal for patients to be apprehensive about Botox injections due to their fear of needles or concerns the procedure might be uncomfortable. However, most of our patients at Montecito Plastic Surgery are pleasantly surprised to find Botox treatments are not painful.
The fine needle used for the injections coupled with expert injection techniques ensures the procedure is comfortable and produces positive results.
No, Botox is popular with both women and men. Men get crow’s feet, frown lines and forehead lines just as often as women do.
There is no specified age for Botox treatments and at Montecito Plastic Surgery in Santa Barbara, we treat patients in their 30s all the way to their 60s.
Some patients with a habit of pursing their lips or frowning choose to start Botox early as a preventative measure, while others opt for Botox treatments as soon as the signs of aging begin to show with the intent of minimizing those lines and wrinkles from an early age. Others wait until the lines become more prominent before they seek Botox injections.
Age doesn’t typically play a significant role in determining whether you are a candidate for Botox. Our expert aesthetic staff at Montecito Plastic Surgery will help determine if Botox is right for you during your consultation.
There is no specified age for Botox treatments and at Montecito Plastic Surgery in Santa Barbara, we treat patients in their 30s all the way to their 60s.
Some patients with a habit of pursing their lips or frowning choose to start Botox early as a preventative measure, while others opt for Botox treatments as soon as the signs of aging begin to show with the intent of minimizing those lines and wrinkles from an early age. Others wait until the lines become more prominent before they seek Botox injections.
Age doesn’t typically play a significant role in determining whether you are a candidate for Botox. Our expert aesthetic staff at Montecito Plastic Surgery will help determine if Botox is right for you during your consultation.
The botulinum toxin is the active ingredient in the Botox formulation, but the amount of the actual toxin in the formula is minimal. You will receive just enough of the substance to relax the muscles that cause the lines to appear on the upper face.
The formulation also produces temporary results, which means if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your procedure, those results will disappear naturally within a few months.
For a Botox treatment with natural results by one of our experienced nurse injectors in Santa Barbara, contact Montecito Plastic Surgery at (805) 969-9004 to schedule your consultation today.
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