BOTOX has become in recent years, an increasingly popular method of treating wrinkles and other facial creases. It is most commonly used in cosmetic dermatology and is short for botulinum toxin, a neurotoxic protein. BOTOX is being widely used throughout cosmetic and medical communities to treat a number of conditions and as with any other treatment, there exist advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of BOTOX
Cost: One major advantages of BOTOX is that it is more financially viable for patients. Injections can cost anywhere from $170 to $350, making them more easily affordable than other cosmetic or medical procedures
Speed: In many cases, patients may notice the results of BOTOX injections immediately. In other cases, it may take a day or two but for the most part, it will take a maximum of one week for the full effects of BOTOX treatment to register. Also, the procedure itself is speedy and many patients favour this quick approach to receiving treatment as they can work their schedules around this.
Less Invasive: BOTOX injections are less invasive than other cosmetic procedures such as facelifts but still offer the same results. This is a major advantage of BOTOX treatment.
Temporary side effects: Like any medical or cosmetic treatment, there are side effects associated with BOTOX . However, the majority of these side effects are extremely temporary with most not lasting longer than a few days and almost all not lasting beyond the time it takes for the BOTOX to fade.
Multiple uses: One of the most beneficial advantages of BOTOX is that it can be used to treat such a large number of cosmetic and medical conditions, meaning that it is a versatile and invaluable treatment.
Disadvantages of BOTOX
Temporary results: One of the most prominent disadvantages of BOTOX is that the effects of the treatment are temporary in nature, lasting between two and eight months. As a result of this, patients will have to return to receive top-up injections and this leads to mounting costs.
Pain: Another disadvantage of BOTOX treatment is that it can be painful in nature. The injections are usually administered with fine needles which can be painful to some patients.
Bruising: With almost all BOTOX treatments, there will be bruising around the site of the injections. This may be unsightly but will last only a day or two.
Tolerance: As mentioned, BOTOX is not a permanent treatment, meaning that it will have to be administered time and time again as it begins to fade. As time goes by, a patient may develop a natural immunity to BOTOX and so may have to increase the dosage of the toxin.
