Posts

It’s become a favourite within the world of aesthetic tweakments and even used to treat such concerns such as migraines and jaw grinding. How safe is Botox, how long does it actually last for, whats the best age for Botox and can you become immune to Botox? We answer all in the following blog.

How Can it Be Safe?

Practitioners inject the popular treatment for reducing wrinkles, Botox, that contains botulinum toxin, directly into the facial area of their patients. You may wonder how this can possibly be safe. The secret is that manufacturers of Botox use purified, extremely small quantities of the toxin.
How Does it Smooth Wrinkles?

Botox works beneath the skin, targeting the muscles that underlie wrinkled facial areas. While it cannot erase existing lines or eliminate sagging, it temporarily immobilizes the muscles of the face where injected by blocking communication between nerve endings and the brain. By forestalling the normal contractions that take place during facial expressions, Botox makes wrinkled skin appear smoother and immobilizes its tendency to sag.

Botox is especially effective in the upper facial area, around the eyes and forehead where it can reduce crows’ feet, creases, and other wrinkles. Depending on the patient, the effects of a Botox injection last three to six months.

History of Botox Use

First utilized for facial applications by medical professionals in the 1970s to treat squinting in young children, British dermatologist Nick Lowe studied and developed Botox in the 1980s for treating frown lines.

The product received its licensing for general use in 1994, and since that time nearly 500,000 British citizens have undergone injection treatments.

While the best administrator for treatments is unquestionably a qualified professional, the rapid spread of Botox use has occasioned a similar growth in the sphere of application choices. After being approved for cosmetic use in the UK in the mid 2000s, beauticians, dentists, or the barber down the street may offer Botox treatments. If you are the practical sort, you can even purchase a do it yourself kit online.

How long does Botox last for?

The Allergan product Botox used in the suggested dose range is usually thought to last about twelve before having no clinical effect.

The action of Botox means that it is possible to see some return of movement from the six week stage as the therapeutic effect of the product starts to diminish and the nerve end plates start to reconnect with the muscles.

If you are finding that your patients are not seeing this duration of treatment there may be a few things to consider:

  • Is your patients expectation of treatment realistic?
  • Have you considered the appropriate dose for muscle mass, surface area, gender and ethnicity?
  • Does your patient have a swift metabolism
  • Are they taking any medicines including vitamins and herbal preparations that could speed metabolism?
  • Has your patient had any illnesses or events to cause a steep change in their recent aging process?
  • Is your patient a smoker?
  • Have you compromised your product by using alcohol to clean the skin or swab the vial top?
  • Have you denatured the product by inconsistent storage, excessive movement or too speedy a reconstitution?
  • Has your placement site and depth of injection been appropriate for the area being treated?
  • Did you advise your patient on aftercare?

The results are generally predictable but each treatment with toxin will produce a slightly different result. Any of the above factors could influence the outcome.

What is the best age for Botox?

Is there really an “Optimum Age” for Botox treatment? Or is this some kind of myth

Similarly…what is “too young” or “past the point of help”?

Up to a point, “Too Young” is obvious. We’ve all heard the recent controversy over the San Francisco Mom who gave Botox treatments to her Pageant-queen 8 year old daughter. There has been a media frenzy of similarly ridiculous stories. And any medically qualified Aesthetic Practitioner worth their weight in botulinum toxin knows that there is simply no question about the right or wrong in these cases. But over the age of about 18? 20? 25? Where does it begin… And where does it, or should it end?

Perhaps the debate can be split into two: the perspective of the Practitioner, and the Perspective of the Patient (note we say Patient, not Client: at Cosmetic Courses, we feel it is so important to remember that Botox is still a medically prescribed drug not just a beauty treatment…ethical decisions need to be made around this topic as with other medical procedures).

The Patient’s Perspective:

Botox provides a safe and effective means of looking more youthful and banishing wrinkles like no other treatment, for up to 4-6 months at a time. Robert Kotler (Md, FACS) makes the valuable point that, to the Patient, the best age at which to begin Botox treatment is largely based on their personal interpretation – on “what you see when you look in the mirror”.

In other words: no matter how many hundreds of times friends, family and surgeons try to persuade a 20-something patient that they have beautiful skin, if all they see when they look in the mirror is one huge wrinkle, they will fixate on it. It can make them genuinely very unhappy, however silly this may seem to other, possibly older, patients. But does this make them any less “eligible” for treatment?

Of course, the highly image-conscious environment of the Western world plays a large part in this. Women and men alike are bombarded by airbrushed images of silk-skinned celebrities. Many feel retaining youthful looks is integral to keeping ahead in their careers.

As a Practitioner, when judging the need of the Patient, it is therefore hugely important to be able to empathise: to think, why is this important to this Patient, is there some way that I can work with the area concerning them to improve it (even if it is not as pronnounced as in other Patients) and not merely to dismiss them as “not needing it” until you have tried to get inside their shoes and seen their reflection in the mirror through their eyes.

In some cases it may be a lot easier…patients who have had a lot of sun exposure, for example, often do have genuine significant forehead wrinkling, squint and glabellar lines even at a very early age.

The attitude towards patients of 65+ wanting Botox tends to be much more liberal, i.e. “Well, if they want to pay for it!” . Many people are going on working to a much older age nowadays so increasingly defending this choice through preserving their youthful looks is important. Plus the generations of highly glamorous older celebrities are making the trend for much older Botox requests just as likely as unusually young Botox patients.

The Practitioner’s Perspective:

Of course, regardless of ability to Empathise and weigh up the emotional implications for your patients (i.e. do they really need this treatment to make them feel better about themselves?) there are still practical implications for the Aesthetic Practitioner, such as the health considerations caused by age.

“Too Young” and a patient is still developing – both physically and emotionally. With the 18’s – early 20’s age group, if you strongly believe that your Patient does not have any lines to treat and is simply feeling the pressure to live up to celebrity airbrushed distortions of  reality, then perhaps it is your ethical duty to explain this. At Cosmetic Courses we believe you should never, ever perform an Aesthetic Procedure purely for the money if the patient does not need it: this will not build up trust and is abusing your medical position.

On the opposite scale, whilst there is technically no reason why Botox treatment is unsafe for patients aged 65+, such treatment is considered “off label” i.e. not the norm. You may need to check out the patient’s skin elasticity, check extra carefully that they are in good medical health with no contraindications (watch out for blood thinning medications or neurological diseases). If all this is fine, then they are as good to go as any other patient!

With all patients who fall outside the “typical” age bracket for Botox treatments (i.e. those who could obviously and easily benefit from it), it is best for both the Patient and the Practitioner if the Consultation process involves a clear explanation of the results that may be achieved and the Patient’s expectations. This will ensure that the patient is not disappointed, and the Practitioner is not expected to perform impossible miracles!

Can you become immune to Botox?

The answer to this is yes you can become immune to Botox! But it is extremely uncommon.

There are a number of different types of botulinum toxins available currently in the United Kingdom.

These include Botox, Xeomin and Azzalure.

If your patient becomes allergic/immune to one of these types of toxin it is likely one of the others will work satisfactorily for them.

Botox is normally associated with botulinum toxin as hoover is to vacuum cleaners. However not all vacuum cleaners are hoovers and not all botulinum toxins are botox.

If your patient does feel their botox treatment is becoming less effective, you need to offer them a full consultation during which you may suggest using an alternative type of botulinum toxin.

Botox Training

If you would like to advance your Botox training options we have a variety of routes for you:

Dermatologists have some encouraging news for everyone who wants to recapture Youthful Skin and skin tone but are hesitant to undergo any type of surgery.Youthful Skin According to new dermatology studies, there is a new method that uses a combination of soft dermal fillers and tissue tightening techniques that can practically rub out your wrinkles and renew old skin.

The landscape of dermatology and how it deals with aging has changed dramatically. Dermatologists no longer look at aging skin as particular wrinkles or folds. Instead, dermatologists look at the entire face. This new approach treats soft tissue as support below the visible layers of skin which in turn supports the deeper underlying fat layers for Youthful Skin.

With this view, dermatologists now realize that cheek volume is an important part of re-establishing the skin care balance and assignation most patients want in a younger looking appearance. Volumetric loss of this underlying cheek fat layer makes wrinkles and folds more pronounced.

There are many dermal filling agents available today that can fix facial contour imperfections that result from aging. First, a dermatologist will make sure to determine what a patient wants to improve about their face. What follows afterwards depends on patient preference and what needs to be treated. It is then determined what substance will be best suited to treat the patient’s unique contour imperfections and volume irregularities.

Deeper and denser dermal fillers, like calcium hydroxylapatite, polylactic acid, dimethyl methacrylate, hydrogen dioxide and hyaluronic acid, are are typically employed to add volume to volume irregularities. These compounds also diminish the wrinkles formed from bottom of the nose to both corners of the mouth.

The reason dermatologists are excited about these developments is because the more the field determines about facial anatomy, especially the varied lipid sections of the cheek and the deposits of discrete lipids that collect in middle of the facial structure, the more exacting they can be. These studies can greatly increase a dermatologist’s ability to restore vitality, voluminosity, youthful appearance to the face. It aids in adding the right shape the cheek during the volumetric lifting process.

In conclusion, dermatologists conclude that volumetric enhancement using thicker and deeper dermal fillers is rapidly becoming the key lynch pin of an effective facial and dermal revitalization for patients seeking a youthful appearance without having to undergo any major surgery.

It’s not that you can’t see results with at-home microdermabrasion kits, but for those who prefer a more amazing treatment, a home chemical peel provides a more intense alternative. A kit that allows you to do your own treatments from the comfort of your home is an easy way to help improve the look and feel of your skin, but always remember that these kits must be used safely and correctly. A chemical peel works its way deep into the layers of your skin and can aid in reducing many imperfections that lie under your skin. This can help improve imperfections such as:

  • Acne Scars
  • Wrinkles
  • Skin Patches
  • Fine Lines
  • Enlarged Pores

There are many at-home chemical peel kits available on the market today. The difference in these kits are the groups of chemical acids that are used. The most common types of acids that can be found in home chemical peel kits include:

  • Salicylic Acid
  • Glycolic acid
  • Lactic acid
  • Trichloroethanoic Acid (TCA)

The more you learn about each type of these acids and the type of skin problems each is used for can better prepare you for choosing the right at-home chemical peel for your needs. Salicylic acid is most commonly used as an anti-acne treatment. Glycolic acid is effective for removing dead skin cells and increasing your skin’s rejuvenation rate. Lactic acid is known as a chemical that is effective as an anti-aging treatment. TCA has proven to be an effective ingredient that can be used to treat a number of skin problems, proving effective for acne treatment, scarring, wrinkles, and a number of other skin-related problems.

When you find an at-home chemical peel kit that best suits your needs, it is important to perform the procedure correctly. All makeup should be removed and the area that is going to be treated should be cleaned well. It is recommended to use an astringent lotion to help purify the skin. Follow the directions and apply only the exact amount of treatment that is recommended. You should then apply the peeling acid with a brush to help avoid the area around your lips, nose, and eyes. Once you peel the solution from the skin you will need to wait for the chemical to take action, which will usually be around five minutes.

Remove any excess peeling cream with a napkin and then use warm water to wash your face. You will then want to use a clean, delicate cloth to dry your face. To ensure the hydration of your skin, you will then want to use a post-peeling cream. This procedure can be done twice in a week, with a break of one month recommended before using the chemical peel again.

These at home chemical peel treatments have risen in popularity as they are a more affordable solution to professional dermatological services. However, it may be a good idea to check with your dermatologist to get advice on what might be the best at home chemical peel kit for your needs.

Chemical peeling is a tested and approved method of rejuvenating the skin and reducing the effects of age and sun damage on the skin. It is an important part of the job of a dermatologist to understand the active agents in available treatments, protective techniques, and the nature of sun and skin damage in order to recommend the proper procedure to rehabilitate and restore a patients skin. A dermatologist that is familiar with the various chemical peeling alternatives that are available will be able to solve skin problems that are either mild, moderate, or severe by using chemical agents that are specifically used for deep peeling, medium-depth, superficial, or extremely superficial skin cleaning procedures.

The type of treatment will usually depend on the type of skin a patient has as well as the pigmentation of their skin. Certain procedures, especially those that involve deep chemical and medium peeling, may result in unwanted changes in the color of the skin that need to be disclosed to the patient prior to any chemical peeling procedure taking place. The actual procedure that will be used will depend on the classification of the patients skin type, which are generally classified as types I through VI. A careful evaluation of a persons skin type and skin problems must be assessed prior to any procedure as certain chemicals used with certain skin disorders can result in complications and side effects of which the doctor will have to make the patient aware of.

Trichloroacetic acid has been found to be an effective agent in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and is most effective when combined with other agents such as glycolic acid. A 35 percent TCA formula has proven just as effective when used with other agents as a 50 percent TCA formula, and presents the advantage of achieving good results without the worry of any scarring taking place.

Prior to the medium-depth chemical peeling procedure, the area that is being treated must be vigorously cleaned and degreased to allow an even penetration of the solution. Cotton tip applicators will then be used to apply what is known as Jessner’s solution followed by the TCA solution. The cotton tip applicators are a useful tool in determining the amount of solution being applied. To dilute the solution, cool saline compresses will be applied. The peel will then heal with .25 percent acetic acid soaks and a mild emollient cream.

While this is only a description of the medium-depth chemical peeling procedure, it can give you an idea of what the chemical peeling process entails. By consulting with your dermatologist and determining your skin type and the skin problems that need to be corrected, you will be able to determine the best chemical peeling procedure that is right for you.

When people think of chemical peels, they often bring to mind an image of an aging beauty desperately trying to hold on to her looks. That image is rapidly changing due to a new use that is sweeping cosmetic surgeons’ offices worldwide. The newest use of the chemical peel is not for beauty enhancement, it is for skin cancer prevention.

Most of the women that are in their forties or fifties now came of age in a different era. It was an era that was much less concerned with the risk of skin cancer. These ladies spent their teens and twenties relaxing by the pool with a bottle of lemon juice or tanning oil handy next to the lounge chair. All of that sun exposure is now catching up with them, and they have to be wary of the development of skin cancer.

Physicians are using chemical peels to do preventative maintenance of the skin. Patients that come in to a dermatologist will have their skin examined. If the patient has experienced a large amount of sun exposure over the course of a lifetime, they will often have sunspots on their skin. These sunspots can be precursors to skin cancer. To prevent the sun spots from ever getting the chance to become something potentially dangerous, the dermatologist will prescribe a chemical peel.

Many dermatologists will perform the peel themselves. Sometimes they do not have the necessary arrangements to perform the procedure, so they will refer their patient to a cosmetic surgeon. The technique is fairly straightforward. The physician applies one of three different acids to the patient’s skin. The three types of acid are phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and alphahydroxy acids (AHAs). Each penetrates a different depth into the skin tissue, with phenol being the strongest and AHA the weakest. The old skin is removed, and new skin, healthy skin replaces it. It takes around a week for the patient to recover, and it will appear similar to sunburn during the recovery period. The skin will peel and shed, but the skin is not damaged like it would be with a sunburn.

As well as getting rid of the sunspots that are a skin cancer risk, the chemical peel has that added benefit of a rejuvenation of appearance. When the old skin falls away, the new skin has a fresh appearance. It is often said that someone that has undergone the procedure will appear ten years younger.

Have you heard of The Obagi Blue Peel? Women and men are paying up to £300 to obtain younger, more beautiful skin.

What is the Obagi Blue Peel?

Featured on Oprah and numerous other talk shows, The Obagi Blue Peel is a rich blue green skin cream invented by well-known researcher, innovator, scientist and dermatologist, Dr Zein Obagi. The Obagi Peel is used to first dye the skin so dermatologist, physicians or plastic surgeons can readily see where the peel has been applied. After applying the cream and seeing exactly where it has rested on the skin, the dermatologist then applies an acid peel. The peel is used in combination with Trichloroacetic acid. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is an active ingredient used in chemical peels to help remove wrinkles. The TCA is added after physicians know exactly where and how much is needed to accomplish a patients desired results.

What Does The Obagi Blue Peel Accomplish?

Individuals seeking a more youthful, glowing complexion will readily dish out £300 or more to obtain or restore the youth to their appearance. The Obagi Blue Peel removes the top layer of the skin to reveal the new skin underneath. Clients will usually see a fresher, younger and smoother complexion after treatment.

What Other Benefits Are There

Thousands of doctors have used the Peel to enhance and control other skin concerns their patients may suffer from. Tens of thousands of dermatologist, physicians and others have used the Obagi Blue Peel in effectively accomplishing skin improvement or restoring the natural and youthful appearance of the skin. The Obagi Blue peel has been beneficial in treating acne, rosacea, wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, sun damaged skin and restoring the natural skin tone by removing spots and other skin imperfections. In addition to restoring the youthful appearance to ones skin, the Obagi Blue Peel has been beneficial in producing collagen which decreases with aging. Producing collagen can result in the awakening of the elasticity to the skin. Awakening collagen production can change the sagging of ones skin to a plumper more youthful appearance.

Can The Same Results Be Obtained At A Cheaper Cost

Not everyone has £300 to dish out to restore youth to their skin or appearance. So how can you obtain similar if not better results at a cheaper cost? There are hundreds of less expensive products on the market. Some can provide similar if not better results. One that is extremely effective in producing similar results is Neosporin’s Antibacterial Crème. You can find the Neosporin line or its generic form in any pharmacy.