Posts Tagged ‘Botox injections Charlotte’

Optimizing Results of Botox and Dysport for My Patients in Charlotte

Monday, August 27th, 2012

Botox and Dysport are powerful and complicated tools for a facial plastic surgeon. As a Charlotte Botox and Dysport expert, (Botox and Dysport are essentially the same product in the context of this article) I use the product in a variety of ways including aesthetic and functional reasons. In this blog, I will focus on using the product for aesthetic concerns most notably referred to the frown lines, forehead lines, and crows feet. Wrinkles in these areas are caused by repetitive muscle movements that eventually create creases in the skin. Botox and Dysport are directly injected into the muscle to weaken or paralyze the muscle. By weakening or paralyzing the muscle, it will prevent the creasing of the skin and allow time for your body to repair the damage caused by the continued movement. Overtime, the creases of the forehead, frown lines, and crows feet will continue to smoothen to become barely noticeable.

Charlotte botox Logo Optimizing Results of Botox and Dysport for My Patients in CharlotteCharlotte Dysport Optimizing Results of Botox and Dysport for My Patients in Charlotte

 

Botox has become very prevalent in the media, is often heard in many conversations when speaking about plastic surgery, and likely your friends have been injected.  Due to its popularity patients underestimate the technical, medical, and artistic considerations in using Botox. There are injectors that give the identical amount and location of Dysport and Botox for all of their patients. While this will generate improvements for their patients, I believe this technique will not create the best results.

When I am evaluating a patient for Botox or Dysport, the most important aspect of the entire process is asking what their goals and concerns are. Some patients are scared that they will not have enough expression on their face while others do not want even the slightest movement in their forehead. I can use the product in different locations and amounts to tailor the results. Some considerations that a patient should consider and requests that they should mention to their injector of Botox or Dysport in Charlotte are:
- The amount of movement you would like to remain in your face
- The level of your eyebrows. Would you like them higher? Less arched? More arched?
- The position of your low eyelid. If the lower eyelid is loose, injecting Botox in the area can cause changes to the shape of the eye or cause fluid to accumulate.
- How long until you should see results? Deeper creases will take longer to smoothen.

I hope people understand the power, technical, and artistic consideration of undergoing a Botox procedure in Charlotte. Although it is very safe in the proper hands, it remains a medical product that is injected into the face that should be taken seriously. Botox and Dysport in Charlotte are a non-invasive procedure that have shown to create a rejuvenated face with little to no downtime that has resulted in many happy patients.

The First Botox Bar Opens in Beverly Hills

Friday, June 1st, 2012

When we were growing up, bars were popular in college to throw back a few drinks, gain liquid courage, and meet new people.  That definition of a “bar” might be changing.  In the Mecca of plastic surgery, they opened the first “Botox bar” in Beverly Hills.  You can get your Botox as a walk-in appointment.

While this makes for interesting news, Botox and Dysport are powerful medications with risks and side effects.  As a Charlotte area Botox and Dysport specialist, I always recommend patients do their research and go to a qualified injector, such as a facial plastic surgeon.

Self-Proclaimed Barbie Called Dreadful and Kicked Off National Television Show for Giving Her Child Botox

Friday, May 25th, 2012

The self-proclaimed human Barbie, who has spent over $400,000 on plastic surgery, was on Anderson Cooper, aka “the silverfox,” the other day.  They were discussing giving Botox to her 15-year old daughter to prevent her from sweating during her dance classes.  Rarely do you see a professional on a national news channel lose his cool and call his guest “dreadful”.

 

http://www.eonline.com/news/anderson_cooper_slams_human_barbie/318757

Do Research Before Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon in Charlotte

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Many doctors today are hopping on the bandwagon of the world’s most popular cosmetic procedure, Botox. Legally, Botox can be injected under any type of doctor’s supervision.  This means a radiologist, urologist, or pathologist could be your Botox injector and you would not even know it!  Before undergoing any cosmetic surgery procedure including Botox in Charlotte, it is most important to research the doctor you are considering.   I believe facial plastic surgeons, general plastic surgeons, and dermatologist are the most qualified to inject Botox.

According to this article, in 2007, a Toronto woman underwent liposuction by a non-qualified cosmetic surgeon and ultimately passed away due to complications. This is one single case that emphasizes the importance of safety in cosmetic procedures and importance of checking the credentials of your cosmetic surgeon in Charlotte.

The Botox Bandit was Found!

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Last week, a woman in a Huntersville, NC  medical spa walked out on a $1,500 Botox and salon services bill. While at the register, the woman claimed to have an emergency call from her child and left the salon. She said she would be back shortly, but she never returned.  The salon took photos of the woman before her Botox treatment, which police used to identify her.  Yesterday, she was found!  Three different businesses have recognized the woman and have said she has come in for Botox treatments, but has always left without paying.

Grinding Your Teeth May Be Painful and Cause Injury – But There May Be a New Treatment…Botox!

Monday, April 30th, 2012

If you can believe it, grinding your teeth, or bruxism, occurs in about 50% of the population. For 80% of sufferers it does not cause a problem but in the other 20% it can cause significant discomfort, including:

1)  Morning headaches and neck pain

2)  Potentially serious damage to your teeth

3)  Jaw pain/soreness

4)  Earaches

 

Bruxism Botox as a treatment in Charlotte Grinding Your Teeth May Be Painful and Cause Injury   But There May Be a New Treatment...Botox!Botox or Dysport Injections in Charlotte may be an effective treatment for teeth grinding

There are many treatments for bruxism.  One is as simple as training yourself to keep your tongue between your teeth to relax your jaw during the daylight hours.  Another option is to consult with a dentist, who can create a custom mouth guard, potentially a very effective treatment.  In my Charlotte office, I highly recommended a talented dentist named Dr. Patrick Broome, who can create custom night guards for patients with bruxism.

One of the main uses of Botox or Dysport in my Charlotte practice is in the treatment and/or prevention of facial wrinkles.  These medications are injected into different muscles of the face to weaken them.  A weakened muscle is therefore not able to create the line or wrinkle.

We can also use the effects of Botox, a muscle weakener, in the treatment of teeth grinding.  If the muscles that were responsible for teeth grinding were weakened, it should theoretically improve the condition.  In two new studies, Botox was injected into the masseter and temporalis muscles, the two major muscle groups causing the teeth to grind.  The study found that weakening these muscles was a safe treatment of bruxism.  Two patients experienced a temporary cosmetic change in their smiles.

Another common use of Dyport or Botox in my Charlotte office is to shrink an enlarged masseter muscle.  I believe the masseter muscle is commonly enlarged in patients that grind their teeth.  Many of these patients have the signs or symptoms of bruxism.  An enlarged masseter creates the appearance of a large and wide jaw that creates a masculine appearance.   In females, I commonly inject the masseter to shrink it in order to create a more proportional feminine face.

.

 

Major muscles that cause teeth grinding that were injected with Botox1 Grinding Your Teeth May Be Painful and Cause Injury   But There May Be a New Treatment...Botox!Botox injected into these muscles by a Charlotte specialist may be an excellent treatment option for teeth grinding.

 

 

 

Does Botox Help Prevent Chronic Migraines?

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Everyone has suffered from a headache.  There are many types of headaches, including tension, cluster, and migraine to name a few.  Botox has been shown to be effective in preventing chronic migraines.  Chronic migraines are defined as a headache that:

1)  Occurs at least 15 days per month

2)  Lasts more than four hours

3)  Occurs for three consecutive months

About 3.2 million people suffer from chronic headaches in the United States.  This condition can greatly affect the quality of one’s life.  As a facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Dr. William Binder was the first to report the use of Botox in the treatment of headaches during the early 1990′s.  Since that time, Botox has only been found to be effective in treating chronic migraines.  In patients with chronic migraines, Botox has been shown to:

1)  Decrease the frequency of their migraines at least 50% of the time in 50% of the patients after the first dose.  After 3 doses, almost 70% of the patients experienced a 50% decrease in their frequency of migraines.

2)  Decrease the overall severity of their migraines

3)  Decrease the longevity of each migraine

Traditionally, chronic migraine prevention has consisted of Topiramate and Topamax.  When compared to Botox, Topiramate has more side effects and a lower tolerance rate, but it is significantly cheaper than Botox.

Botox injections have not been proven effective in treating episodic migraines or tension headaches.

Where is the Botox placed to prevent chronic migraines?

In the medical community, there is not a consensus on the best location and dosage for Botox migraine injections.  The best and largest study, known as the PREEMPT study, was focused on the treatment of chronic migraines and injected Botox into the forehead, temples, and the neck muscles.  Based on the evidence presented in this study, I believe that this represents the best technique.

How do I know if Botox would be a good treatment for my chronic migraines?

Chronic migraines are a complicated medical condition that require an evaluation by a headache specialist.  There are many treatments available for this condition.  The headache specialist will determine if Botox is an option for you.  If you need to make an appointment with a headache specialist, please contact our office and we will refer you.  If you and your headache specialist decide that Botox would be a good treatment option, I would be honored to provide your treatment.

What is the Difference Between Botox and Dysport?

Monday, March 12th, 2012

What are Botox and Dysport?

Botox Cosmetic and Dysport are the two most popular injectable forms of Botulinum Toxin Type A.  Botulinum Toxin Type A is a naturally occurring toxin produced by a bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum.   Botox and Dysport work by temporarily paralyzing the specific muscle injected.  In aesthetics they are used for two objectives, which are to eradicate current wrinkles and to prevent the formation of new ones.

How do Dysport and Botox work?

Muscles normally move by neural stimulation.  The nerves use neurotransmitters that are taken up by the muscles and cause them to contract.  Botulinum toxin prevents the nerve endings from releasing the neurotransmitter acytelcholine to the muscles, and therefore they no longer move.

how botox in Charlotte works1 What is the Difference Between Botox and Dysport?

 

How do Dysport and Botox differ?

Studies have shown that Dysport may work faster.  Normally, results are seen in 1-2 days as opposed to 3-5 days with Botox.

Studies have also shown that Dysport may last longer.  Dysport typically lasts between 3-12 months while Botox may last 3-6 months.   Dysport has less protein in the solution,  which may cause a silent immune reaction in which the body produces antibodies against it.  These antibodies may prevent Botox from working as well in the long term. Less antibodies = longer lasting results.

Some studies have shown a slightly decrease in pain during the injection of Dysport when compared to Botox.

Botox has been shown to be more effective in treating excess sweating when compared to Dysport.

Dysport contains trace amounts of cow protein.  Any patient with a serious allergy to milk protein should not use Dysport, but may use Botox.

Botox and Dysport are both equally safe with similar side effects.

One of the main differences in the products is how they are used.  If a patient wants to have Dysport or Botox in Charlotte they should consult with a qualified injector.  As a facial plastic surgeon in Charlotte, I have intimate knowledge of the facial anatomy and function and strive to get fantastic results for my patients.