Botox Fact Sheet

The objective

Botox injections are used to ease and smooth out the appearance of frown lines, forehead furrows, crow’s feet, lip (smoker) lines, down-turned mouths and dimple chins, by relaxing the facial muscles that cause them. It can also be used for preventing excessive perspiration in underarms and hands.

The procedure

The procedure can be carried out in about 15-30 minutes.

Botox is derived from Botulinum toxin type A, the substance produced by the bacteria that causes the paralysing illness botulism. The practitioner will inject a tiny amount of the Botox into the site to be treated. The Botox works by blocking nerve transmission to the muscles under the skin. The muscle relaxes and simultaneously the skin covering the muscle is smoothed so that facial lines formed by the action of underlying muscles will diminish (or even disappear with further treatments). If used for excessive sweating, Botox injections reduce overactivity of the nervous system in the area.

The procedure is minimally invasive with mild discomfort and won’t leave scars.

The outcome

Following the procedure, there may be some redness in the treated areas, though this is usually minimal.

Normally, patients can leave the clinic a few minutes after the procedure. You can return to work the same day and resume most activities within four hours. The treatment starts to work in about 3-5 days, with the greatest effect seen after about 1-2 weeks.

The facial areas and wrinkles treated should appear smoother, less furrowed, and more ‘youthful’ in appearance. The effects are not permanent but should last for around 3-6 months.

The risks

Complications particular to Botox injections include over-treating the area and causing more muscle paralysis than is desirable, such as drooling if too much has been injected into the mouth area.

Other risks can include slight bruising at the injection site, drooping of the eyelid or forehead, and headaches or flu-like symptoms. People who receive Botox injections can develop antibodies that can make the body resistant to the effects of the injections.

Risks increase with the trend towards administration of Botox in non-surgical settings (‘Botox’ parties) where the procedure is less controlled and the patient cannot be sure of the product safety.

Pregnant women should not have Botox injections as it can be harmful to the foetus.

The costs

Normally, you will need more than one treatment, depending on the results you would like to achieve. In the UK for facial treatments, expect to pay from around £250 for one treatment, £435 for three. Abroad, expect to pay from around £200 for one treatment and £100 for subsequent ones (Belgium).

The availability

Botox procedures are widely available at private cosmetic surgery clinics and specialist skin care clinics within the UK and abroad.

The popularity

Botox procedures are very popular surgery amongst women and men in their 20s and upwards who want to look younger, or want to delay the ageing process, but who do not want invasive cosmetic surgery with a general anaesthetic. It is often seen as a treatment which helps prevent furrows and lines from deepening, rather than one which eradicates them altogether.