Botox: The Ultimate Guide to Botox in Ottawa
Facial expressions are an important part of life. No one wants to be frozen! However, strong repeated movements of underlying facial muscles create wrinkles and lines that become more visible as we age.
At first, these lines only occur when we make facial expressions. However, over time, deeper lines and wrinkles start to be present at rest, and can really show our age.
Botox is one option to address these lines and wrinkles.
Botox Cosmetic has been used since 2002 as an evidence-based treatment to help prevent and improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Botox restores a more refreshed, youthful, and rested appearance. Who doesn’t want to look the best at their age?
What is Botox?
Botox is a cosmetic treatment that targets wrinkles and lines on your face caused by certain, repetitive facial muscle contractions.
Every facial expression is a result of certain underlying muscle movements, which are typically involuntary. Over time, areas of the face where muscles are predominately active, such as between the eyes and forehead develop frown lines, forehead creases, and wrinkles.
Botox is used to carefully relax these muscles and prevent specific involuntary muscle contractions from forming lines and wrinkles.
Is Botox right for me?
If you are looking for a treatment to improve existing lines or prevent new ones from forming, Botox may be the solution you’re looking for.
Patients typically opt for this procedure in order to treat crow’s feet (wrinkles on the side of the eyes), forehead creases, and treat frown lines between the eyes.
However, Botox can also be used on other regions such as the neck, lips, chin, and lower face region.
Will I look frozen like those celebrities?
Unfortunately, our reference point for minor cosmetic treatments are celebrities and people we see in the media.
Botox should never leave you feeling or looking fake or frozen! This is where the art really comes into play. When done correctly, Botox treatments will make you look and feel more refreshed and rested, never frozen or artificial.
Often our patients get comments like, “wow, your skin looks great,” and “did you just get back from vacation?” People may notice you look great, but no one should know why.
Fake and frozen is never the goal!
How much does Botox cost in Ottawa?
This really depends on the area being treated, the experience of the physician, and the amount of Botox that is required to treat your particular area.
Botox injections are usually measured in units. A particular area requires X number of units, and the cost is therefore partially based on the number of units required by that particular area.
Typically, an area such as the forehead requires between 8 to 10 units, while frown lines between the eyes usually require 20-30 units.
The experience of the person injecting your Botox also plays into the overall pricing. An experienced and reputable physician generally charges more per unit than someone who is less experienced.
At Concept Medical, only our qualified physicians treat patients with Botox Cosmetic. Concept Medical is a Double Diamond Allergan Practice, meaning that Concept Medical physicians inject more Botox than most clinics in Canada.
At Concept Medical, a forehead line treatment typically costs $150, while treating between the eyes (frown lines) or crow’s feet is typically $375.
Does it hurt?
Botox treatments are very quick and the physicians use an ultra-thin needle. Most patients feel a very small and temporary ‘prick’ sensation, but it is typically much more comfortable than patients expect.
The doctor may apply some numbing cream or ice to numb to the respective area prior to treatment. This is something that you can discuss with the doctor before the procedure, although most patients do not require this step.
What to expect the day I get Botox?
Not to worry, this shouldn’t be any different than a regular day! At Concept Medical we always start with a detailed medical consultation prior to any treatment to ensure the treatment is right for you.
Here is a quick summary of what to expect on the day of your treatment:
- Given you have already had a consultation with your team, we already have a detailed understanding of your desired results, and we have discussed the treatment in detail.
- The area may be cleaned to wipe of make-up.
- Our physician will ask you to smile, frown, raise your eyebrows or ask you for a few other facial expressions to precisely identify the underlying muscles. This step is VERY important, as injecting Botox into the wrong muscles can lead to a less than ideal outcome or relaxation of the wrong muscles.
- The physician will then proceed with micro-drops of Botox. A typical visit takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, with the actual treatment typically lasting about 1 minute.
What is the recovery like?
There is no downtime or recovery required after your appointment. Your doctor will most likely tell you to go on about your normal day. Most patients go right back to work! Directly following the injections, slight redness may occur, but typically disappears within 15 minutes.
You should avoid touching or rubbing the area until the next day and make sure to wait 48 hours to get a facial or face massage. The reason for this is that massaging the treated areas can spread the Botox to unintended areas of the face. Other than that there are no specific precautions following your Botox treatment.
What kind of results can I expect after the procedure?
Botox should results in the gentle reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in a more youthful, refreshed, and relaxed appearance.
Typically results begin to show in 3 days following the procedure, with full results becoming apparent at about 10-14 days afterward. If you have a big event coming up, make sure to plan accordingly. Of course, results vary depending on the patient, dosage, and the treated area.
How long does Botox last?
On average, results last four months before the body metabolizes the Botox. At this point, the treatment needs to be repeated in order to maintain the desired results.
What are the possible side effects?
Directly following the procedure, some redness may be apparent but should disappear within about 15 minutes. Bruising is very uncommon, but can happen anytime a small needle is placed into the skin.
Serious Botox side effects are extremely rare, however, all the complications should be discussed with you at your consultation. It is important you do your research and get your Botox treatment done at a reputable clinic by an experienced clinician.
Additional FAQ’s
Botox while pregnant or breastfeeding
It is not recommended that women who are pregnant or are breastfeeding receive Botox treatments. There is no evidence that it is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason it is best to wait until after pregnancy and breastfeeding for Botox treatments.
Is Botox toxic?
Any drug or medication that is overused or taken at high dosage levels can be toxic to your body. However, the amount of Botox used for cosmetic purposes is far below the toxic level of the drug.
Is Botox only for women?
Certainly not. Men can receive Botox cosmetic treatments just as women do. In fact, cosmetic Botox treatments are increasing in popularity amongst the male population. Men are often looking for minimally invasive treatments to help them look and feel less aged, and more refreshed. At Concept Medical we see many male patients every day.
What is the minimum age to begin receiving Botox treatments?
There is no minimum age at which you can start to receive Botox. However, most patients who start to receive Botox are usually over the age of 20, with most patients over the age of 30. Most physicians will not treat patients with Botox Cosmetic who are under the age of 18.
Still curious about Botox Cosmetic? For more information, please contact us.