Are You Ready for Botox?

Do you have a coin slot or "11's" between your eyes?  Are you tired of looking angry? Need a lift?  Many people wonder if Botox or Dysport (the FDA approved competitor), Botulinum Toxin-A (BTX) is right for them. Some fear a frozen or scared look, yet desperately need the magical wrinkle eraser. Most importantly people worry, "is it safe?"

Botulinum Toxin-A(BTX) has been used safely for cosmetic use since the 1990's.  It received FDA approval for use in the glabellar area-- those "11" lines or the coin-slot, that eventually remains between your eyes, even when you are not animating your face.  BTX is injected using thin, virtually painless needles into the muscles of the face, and results in a smoother, more well rested, youthful appearance.  When injected by a trained, aesthetically-minded physician, BTX leads to a lifting of the forehead and opening of the eyes with a natural result. There have been no reported cases of BTX causing brain damage or long term side effects.

The entire consultation and treatment takes about 15 minutes. I prefer to talk to my patients first, discussing how BTX works before beginning the injection, so that I can observe the muscles of their face and their animation.  The skin is cleaned with alcohol and the injections take very little time although extreme care is taken to avoid bruising or injecting the BTX in the wrong muscle group.  Many people do not want to look "over done."  A relaxed without frozen result can be achieved or a smooth and motionless look.  I customize treatment for each patient as each individual requires a different number of units and different placement.

When patients ask about treatment in other area of the face, besides between the eyes, I explain that this is technically "off label" use, however, very common and leading to extremely reliable results.  BTX can be used to improve "crows feet" around the eyes, erase the "writing table" from the forehead, smooth the "bunny lines" around the nose and even improve "smokers lines" around the mouth. 

 BTX typically lasts about 3-4 months.  It gradually wears off and people notice that they have more movement of a certain muscle group and the wrinkles come back.  Women with a fast metabolism may require more frequent injections. Some patients find that the effect on certain areas of the face lasts longer than others.   I charge patients by the number of units of BTX injected to achieve the desired result.  Some physicians charge  "by the area." This always works to the physician's benefit and patients pay more.  The evolution of the use of BTX has been rapid.  Antiquated dilutional techniques, limited injection days, and swelling, bruising and droopy eyelid all point toward a physician trained in the "early days" before the more up-to-date injection techniques

 Dysport now competes with Botox for a market share.  Dysport has a more rapid time to effect, usually 1-2 days versus 3-5 days for Botox.  Both BTX products last approximately the same amount of time.  Dysport is about 15% cheaper.

This brings me to cost. Treatment of the area between the eyes (the glabellar region) costs an average patient between $250-400 depending on muscle mass-- both the bulk and the width of the muscle.

Interested in finding out if Botox is right for you? Feel free to get in touch.

Elizabeth Chabner Thompson, MD, MPH

The New York Group for Plastic Surgery

155 White Plains Road, Suite 109

Tarrytown, NY 10591
914-366-6139

http://www.nygplasticsurgery.com/

Dr. Thompson received her undergraduate degree from Yale, attended Johns Hopkins Medical School and did her residency at Harvard hospitals.  She also holds a masters degree in public health from Harvard.  She joined the New York Group for Plastic Surgery in 2007 when they needed an MD to help with breast reconstruction and new cosmetic procedures.  She lives in Fox Meadow with her husband and four children.