Albany Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures - Williams Center For Excellence

BOTOX® Cosmetic

Click here to view Before and After photographs of Botox Cosmetic treatments

You laugh, You frown, You concentrate
And over time, those facial expressions leave their mark upon your face. Until recently there wasn't really a lot you could do about it. BOTOX® Cosmetic is a simple non-surgical cosmetic procedure that can dramatically reduce even your toughest wrinkles within days.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may be used to treat furrows between the brows, forehead wrinkles, smiles lines or "crow's feet", fine wrinkles around the lips, wrinkling and dimpling of the chin, platysmal banding in the neck, and marionette lines. Botox has also proven effective in the treatment of migraines and hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating). For most 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' lines caused by muscle overactivity. Unlike surgery, BOTOX® Cosmetic is fast, simple, and minimally invasive, with no downtime or recovery. Within days, patients report looking more natural and relaxed.

Good candidates for Botox 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.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a natural, purified protein produced by the Clostridium Botulinum Bacterium, which works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the treated muscles. 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 (decrease in mass) and these areas have been shown to re-morph or change appearance of the muscle, eliminating the lines present at rest. The effects of Botox® Cosmetic are confined to the treated muscle. Botox® Cosmetic does not travel throughout the body.

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are simple procedures that take place in a medical office such as the Williams Rejuva Center. They are administered as a very low dose with a few tiny injections directly into the specific facial muscles responsible for wrinkles and lines. This is a simple procedure that takes about ten minutes per area treated. Due to the minimal discomfort involved, no anesthesia is required, although ice is used to briefly numb the injection site.

Patients can typically return to work and other normal activities immediately after treatment, although some 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 (such as Iraq veterans who have received immunizations for Botulinum prior to serving overseas). 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, with the majority of patients returning every three months for continuing treatment sessions.

Allergan, the company that produces BOTOX® Cosmetic and Prevage MD, performed 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.

Prior to the FDA's approval of BOTOX® Cosmetic, 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. 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's 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.

Any authorized health care professional can administer BOTOX® Cosmetic, but Dr. Edwin F. Williams, recommends those seeking to receive a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment 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 Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses practicing under the direction of Dr. Edwin F. Williams. The Williams Rejuva Center performs a high volume of BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments daily. We are a National Teaching Center for both surgical and non-surgical procedures including BOTOX® Cosmetic and Juvederm (a facial soft tissue filler).

Appropriate doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic will vary depending upon the area being treated and how active your facial muscles are. 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, this natural result can be achieved using Dr Williams' BOTOX® Cosmetic Concept. 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.

Only your doctor can decide if BOTOX^® Cosmetic is right for you. Notify us if you are taking any vitamin E, aspirin, aspirin like medications, (Celebrex, Advil, Naproxen) herbal supplements or alcohol consumption. Your doctor may recommend stopping any of those at least 2 weeks prior to a treatment to reduce the risk of bruising. Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you have any diseases that affect your nerves and muscles. These diseases may increase your chance of side effects with BOTOX^® Cosmetic treatment. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or are planning to become pregnant soon we recommend postponing any BOTOX ® Cosmetic treatments. You should also share with your doctor if you have ever had any surgery ie: Cosmetic or procedures medically necessary, in the areas you are having any cosmetic treatment. 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.

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