BOTOX® COSMETIC - FURROWS (Glabella Area) -Botox

Click here to view before and after photos of BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments of furrows (glabella area)

BOTOX® Cosmetic virtually erases the furrows that form in the glabella region. There are three sets of muscles in the glabella region that cause the appearance of an "11" or an upside down "Y" to form. These are the corrugator muscles, the procerus muscles and the obicularis oculi muscles. These muscles work together to pull eye brows together when frowning or squinting, and are responsible for the vertical furrows in the area between the eyebrows. To adequately cosmetically treat this facial area, all three sets of muscles need to be treated. In many individuals these muscles are very strong and the dose and sites for injection must be evaluated by someone with experience and knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of this area. Dr. Edwin Williams, a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon in Albany NY, and his staff of Cosmetic Nurse Specialists in the Williams Rejuva Centers have the experience and training necessary to provide patients with excellent results in a safe, serene environment. When deep facial furrows develop from years of over active muscle contraction in this area, the furrows are evident while at rest. When this occurs, an additional cosmetic treatment with a soft tissue filler such as Restylane or Juvederm may be needed to erase or soften facial lines or furrows at rest.

A Botox injection of the glabella is a simple procedure that often take place in a medical office such as the Williams Rejuva Centers. Because there is minimal discomfort involved, no anesthesia is required though a topical anesthetic may be used if desired. Botox is a natural, purified protein that is produced by the Clostridium Botulinum Bacterium and it is administered as a very low dose with a few tiny injections directly into the facial muscle responsible for wrinkles and lines. These are simple procedures that take about ten minutes per area treated. Patients can typically return to work and other normal activities immediately after treatment, though some localized swelling or bruising may occur at the injection site. Improvement in the treated area can be seen within three to seven days after treatment. The results of Botox can last up to four months.

There are few complications associated with a Botox injection of the glabella . Localized numbness, a burning sensation, bruising or swelling may occur at the injection site and a very small percentage of patients may experience no improvement with treatment.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is FDA (food and drug administration) approved for the treatment of furrows and wrinkles located in the Glabella region. The Glabella is the region of the forehead directly between the eye brows and above the bridge of the nose. Prior to the FDA's approval of BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments, BOTOX® had been used for several different medical conditions including muscle contractions caused by cerebral palsy, incontinence caused by bladder spasms, and migraine headaches caused by forehead tension.

For many people facial wrinkles are caused by everyday muscle activity. As we age our skin loses its elasticity (tightness) and the collagen under our skin thins, causing lines or "wrinkles" where the skin creases. For many, BOTOX® Cosmetic virtually "erases" these lines. Unlike surgery, BOTOX® Cosmetic is fast, simple, and minimally invasive, with no downtime or recovery. Within days, they report looking more natural and relaxed.

Any authorized health care professional can administer BOTOX® Cosmetic injection of the glabella, but Dr. Edwin Williams, recommends those seeking to receive a Cosmetic treatment should be treated by a health care professional with experience. Cosmetic physicians and cosmetic nurse specialists are generally more experienced professionals. Dr. Edwin F. Williams has more then 15 years of experience with BOTOX® Cosmetic. Our Cosmetic Nurse Specialists are highly trained registered nurses practicing under the direction of Dr.Williams. The Williams Rejuva Centers perform high volume of BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments daily. We are a National Teaching Center for both BOTOX® Cosmetic and Restylane (a facial soft tissue filler).

Currently, the FDA has only approved one cosmetic application for BOTOX® Cosmetic (the treatment of furrows in the glabella region). Dr.Williams believes BOTOX® Cosmetic is a safe non-surgical cosmetic treatment that provides his patients with a natural, more youthful appearance. The Williams Rejuva Center Cosmetic Nurse Specialists are able to treat many other areas of your face with BOTOX® Cosmetic. The Williams Rejuva Center staff believe in educating and informing our patients about the other areas BOTOX® Cosmetic can treat wrinkles that have not yet been FDA approved. Allergan, the company that produces BOTOX® Cosmetic, has recently announced that "In 2003 alone, 2,270,080 people were treated with BOTOX® Cosmetic" . Dr. Edwin Williams has been using BOTOX® Cosmetic "off label" (for non FDA approved applications) for more than 15 years.

To administer a BOTOX® Cosmetic injection of the glabella region it will take about ten-minutes to treat. Within a few days (3-7) the BOTOX® cosmetic treatment relaxes the muscles that cause those wrinkles to form. Most people return directly to work or normal activity following the cosmetic treatment.

BOTOX® Cosmetic remains in the treated glabella muscles for only 2 hours. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment results are dramatic and apparent within days. A BOTOX® Cosmetic injection of the glabella area will keep the glabella relaxed up to four months. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of the men and women surveyed rated the improvement in their brow lines as moderate to better. For many, BOTOX® Cosmetic virtually "erases" these lines. Unlike facial cosmetic surgery, Botox® Cosmetic is fast, simple, and minimally invasive, with no downtime or recovery. Within days, they report looking more natural and relaxed. With BOTOX® Cosmetic, they'll know you've done something, they just won't know what.

Good candidates for Botox injection of the glabella include physically healthy men and women who are looking to improve the appearance of facial wrinkles. It's important that patients have realistic expectations because Botox may not be able to completely eliminate all lines present, particularly in patients with very deep furrows. Botox may not be appropriate for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant soon.

Allergan, the company that produces BOTOX® Cosmetic and Prevage MD, preformed a study asking thousands of users how it feels to have a treatment. Most patients that received a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment compare the treatment to a bug bite, similar to the feeling of a mosquito bite. We pride ourselves in providing BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments with minimal or no discomfort. We have researched methods for optimum results with nearly pain free injections.

The Cosmetic Nurse Practitioner Specialist which consults with you will help to determine your treatment plan, with their experience they will be able to determine the optimum dose and injection sites to provide an excellent result. We discuss the desired outcome with each patient and individualize the treatment accordingly. Some patients want absolutely no movement, while others prefer a more natural result from BOTOX® Cosmetic we call this Baby Botox. We provide the patient with the minimum dose to achieve the desired result. Our philosophy is to maintain the muscle control over time to eventually decrease the dose necessary for optimum results.

Botox is associated with virtually no downtime or recovery. Though some patients may experience some localized swelling or bruising at the injection site, most patients are nevertheless able to immediately return to work and other normal activities. Patients report a more relaxed, natural appearance to the facial skin within three to seven days after treatment. Most patients are able to return directly to work or other normal activities right after treatment.

BOTOX® Cosmetic directly decreases muscle activity which causes facial lines and wrinkles. It may soften, but not eliminate lines that are present "at rest" or when the muscles are not contracting. Over time, if treatment is continued, muscles will atrophy and these areas have been shown to re-morph or change appearance of the muscle, eliminating the lines present at rest. Some patients with deep furrows may require additional cosmetic facial treatment with a soft tissue filler such as Restylane to eliminate lines present from years of over active facial muscle use. These limitations and realistic expectations will be discussed with the professional administering the BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment at The Williams Rejuva Center . We want each patient to understand the cosmetic facial treatment and what to expect from BOTOX® Cosmetic.