Botox (botulinum toxin)

Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is a therapeutic product widely used in aesthetic medicine for many years to eliminate wrinkles and in the treatment of excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), teeth grinding (bruxism), and migraines. It works by blocking nerve-muscle connections, leading to the weakening of the injected muscles’ contractions.

The treatment with botulinum toxin is the most effective procedure in aesthetic medicine used to eliminate facial expression wrinkles caused by frequent and sometimes excessive muscle activity. This particularly applies to individuals with expressive facial features, such as those who frown heavily or smile broadly.

Muscle relaxation contributes to the gradual reduction of wrinkles and the smoothing of folds, allowing the face to regain a younger and softer appearance. The best results are achieved by injecting wrinkles of a dynamic nature, meaning those that disappear during muscle relaxation—hence the preventive action of botulinum toxin. Smaller doses injected at the right time into selected muscle areas (known as “baby Botox”) limit the formation of wrinkles, and there’s no need to fear the “frozen face” effect.

The action of botulinum toxin is safe because small doses of the product are injected, and the effects are completely reversible. Depending on individual patient characteristics, the duration of the toxin’s effects ranges from 3 to 6 months. After this period, due to the formation of new nerve-muscle connections, muscle function returns, and it’s advisable to undergo another treatment to maintain the achieved results.

Procedure Overview:

The botulinum toxin type A product is injected with a thin needle into the muscles requiring relaxation. The procedure is brief and virtually painless, so it does not require anesthesia. The effect appears after about 3 days and builds up over approximately 2 weeks.

Indications for the Procedure:

  1. Frown lines (lion’s wrinkle – the vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows).
  2. Horizontal forehead wrinkles.
  3. Crow’s feet (fine lines and wrinkles that form on the outer corners of the eyes).
  4. Bunny lines (horizontal wrinkles on the nose bridge).
  5. Drooping corners of the mouth.
  6. Overactive mentalis muscle causing an “orange peel” effect on the chin and contributing to marionette lines.
  7. Gummy smile (excessive display of gums) and disproportion between the tooth zone (white zone) and the gum zone (red zone), making the smile less attractive.
  8. Masseter muscle hypertrophy, often accompanied by excessive teeth clenching, teeth grinding, headache, and neck pain (bruxism).
  9. Excessive sweating of the armpits, hands, and feet.