young adult woman smiling with teethAre you considering BOTOX® Cosmetic for wrinkles or other BOTOX® injections? How do you know if this is the right choice? Answer our 10 questions, and you’ll know whether BOTOX® injections are the right choice for you.

How Old Are You?

BOTOX® Cosmetic is only approved for patients age 18 or older. You are not a candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley if you are not 18 or over. However, you might be able to receive BOTOX® injections to treat some medical conditions.

In addition, you might not get the full benefit from BOTOX® Cosmetic until your late 20s, when the composition of your skin and facial structure starts to change. Even people getting preventive BOTOX® Cosmetic injections won’t see a benefit if their skin is still supple and not starting to crease.

Are You Pregnant Or Nursing?

BOTOX® Cosmetic is not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing. Animal studies have shown that there may be some adverse effects of botulinum toxin on pregnancy. However, we don’t have any detailed human studies on the impact of botulinum toxin on pregnancy.

A survey of physicians who accidentally injected pregnant women with botulinum toxin-A seems to indicate that it’s mostly safe. If you got BOTOX® Cosmetic, then later found out you were pregnant, you shouldn’t panic.

Are You Healthy?

You should be in good health when you get BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley. This means no serious infections, and you should feel relatively healthy. In addition, we want to make sure your skin is free of infections at or near the intended injection spot.

Are You Allergic to BOTOX®?

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are among the safest cosmetic procedures available. Large-scale studies show that your risk of even a minor complication with BOTOX® injection is less than one in 3000.

The exception is people who are allergic to BOTOX® or any of its ingredients. Check with your doctor about your allergies before getting a BOTOX® injection.

Are You A Man Or A Woman?

Trick question! It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. Both are good candidates for BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley. While it’s true that many women get BOTOX® Cosmetic, this is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for men as well.

Do You Have Wrinkles That Will Respond To BOTOX® Cosmetic?

This is a really important question and one that’s not always easy for you to answer. However, it’s important to understand what types of wrinkles will respond to BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley. BOTOX® Cosmetic works by relaxing muscles, so it works best on wrinkles caused by muscles that overact when you make facial expressions or that remain habitually contracted.

Some common wrinkles we treat with BOTOX® Cosmetic include:

  • Wrinkles in your forehead
  • Glabellar lines (sometimes called frown lines or “11”s) between your eyebrows
  • Crow’s feet
  • Bunny lines around the nose

Dynamic wrinkles–those that appear when you make an expression–respond best to BOTOX® Cosmetic injections. However, many static wrinkles can dissipate with the help of BOTOX® Cosmetic injections. It just might take longer.

However, some wrinkles are less likely to respond to BOTOX® Injections. Many of these will respond to injection with Juvéderm, a facial filler. Spokane Valley cosmetic dentist Dr. Marnie Collins has successfully treated many patients with both these treatments and can help you decide with is right in your situation.

Are You Looking To Sculpt Your Jawline?

If you are unhappy because of overdeveloped or uneven muscles in your face, BOTOX® Cosmetic injections might be able to help with this, too. Precise injections in jaw muscles can make them less active, so they shrink. It’s the opposite of bodybuilding with jaw muscles.

Do You Have Jaw Pain Or Headaches That Might Benefit From BOTOX®?

BOTOX® injections can treat some medical conditions, in addition to reducing or eliminating the appearance of wrinkles. Muscles that exert themselves too forcefully can lead to jaw pain or headaches, including migraines. Often, this is related to a type of temporomandibular jaw disorder (called TMJ or TMD) called myofascial pain disorder (MPD). Our neuromuscular dentists can evaluate your jaw muscles to determine whether you will benefit from BOTOX® injections in Spokane.

Do You Have Realistic Expectations?

BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley is a great way to reduce facial wrinkles. However, it doesn’t work equally well on all wrinkles, nor is it instant. BOTOX® Cosmetic may require multiple treatments to reach maximum improvement for some wrinkles. In addition, the results of BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment are temporary.  Make sure you know what results you can reasonably expect before you decide on treatment.

Are You Working With An Experienced, Certified Injector?

Although BOTOX® Cosmetic is very safe in the hands of a professional injector, working with unskilled injectors can lead to a higher risk of complications. Make sure you know the qualifications of an injector before you work with them.

Spokane Valley cosmetic dentist Dr. Marnie Collins has received regular and advanced certifications for injecting both BOTOX® Cosmetic and Juvéderm.

Get BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane Valley

If you think you are a good candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic in Spokane, let Collins Aesthetic Dentistry help. Please call (509) 927-2273 or use our online contact form to request an appointment at our office in the Veradale area of Spokane Valley.