Botox San Diego

Botox belongs to the neuromodulator family of injectables, which includes Xeomin, Dysport, and Jeuveau.

Although each of these products are created by different companies, their overall goals are the same; the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing facial muscles.

At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego, our board-certified dermatologists are national Botox trainers who are considered top experts in their field.

Our med spa’s experience with Botox Cosmetic is unmatched, as we have conducted and continue to conduct many clinical trials involving this amazing wrinkle treatment.

In fact, we were involved in the original FDA approval research programs almost 20 years ago and became one of the first practices in the country to use Botox. This means that you’ll be guaranteed precise placement and an optimal outcome with every treatment.

What is Botox Exactly?

Muscles contract when you make a facial expression and a crease forms as your skin moves. Once you stop making the expression, the facial muscle relaxes and the line goes away. These are known as dynamic lines because they come and go. However, as you age, your skin starts to lose elasticity. Over time, those facial lines that form with each facial expression will get deeper and deeper until a wrinkle develops. 

Neuromodulators like Botox block nerve impulses from entering the muscle to reduce its activity. As the facial muscle relaxes, crow’s feet, frown lines, and other dynamic wrinkles will begin to smooth out.

In addition, muscles that have enlarged due to genetics and overactivity (such as lateral cheek muscles or masseter muscles along the jawline) will soften and give you a more oval shape to your face.

Benefits of Botox 

• Minimally invasive with no downtime
• Quick sessions (you can stop in on your lunch break)
• Safe and virtually painless
• Visible results in 1 week or less
• Results for 3 – 6 months

Common Botox Treatment Areas

One of the most important things to understand about Botox Cosmetic is what type of wrinkles it can improve.

Primarily, Botox can improve wrinkles most caused by frequent facial expressions, primarily:

• forehead wrinkles
• between the eyes (glabellar region also known as frown lines or the “11s”)
• around the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet).

Our med spa’s injectable experts also have expertise in performing advanced Botox treatments on the lower half of the face and neck, where dynamic lines can also appear. 

Botox results typically last for 3-6 months. Unlike dermal fillers, the effects of Botox and other neuromodulators are irreversible until the solution naturally wears off.

This highlights the importance of choosing an injectable expert for your minimally invasive cosmetic procedure, as a botched Botox injection can worsen your appearance and cause self-esteem issues for many months.

To maintain your results, pair your treatment with a high-quality skincare routine. Our dermatologists carefully select each professional product we offer. Visit our office for a personalized skincare routine — no appointment is needed.

At our medical spa, we combine 100+ years of overall dermatologic experience with elite knowledge of Botox Cosmetic to suit your needs and reach your goals. Join more than 100,000 satisfied patients and get the results you want with a customized Botox treatment plan designed just for you.

What Other Conditions Can Botox Treat?

In experienced hands, Botox can move beyond the basic facial lines and wrinkle treatment to address other concerns. At our medical spa in San Diego, you can also schedule a Botox treatment to safely and effectively treat these areas and concerns:

Gummy Smile

Smiling is not something to be self-conscious or embarrassed about. However, those with a gummy smile tend to cover their mouth when smiling, or worse, stop smiling altogether. Luckily, Botox can effectively treat a gummy smile and restore confidence in these patients.

Sagging Eyebrows

Our San Diego specialists can inject Botox just above the brow line to lift the sagging muscle responsible for a droopy, tired look. The result is a subtle lift in both your eyelid and eyebrow that will make your eyes and overall appearance brighter and rejuvenated.

Migraines

Botox injections have been shown to be effective for migraine prevention. Botox is injected into specific target areas on your neck and head to help dull future headache symptoms.

Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

Botox is FDA-approved to effectively treat hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. Botox is injected into the underarms to help control severe sweating by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands.

Watch a Botox Injection Performed at our San Diego Medical Spa

What better way to learn about Botox in San Diego than to see a treatment in action? In this video, Dr. Groff gives a Botox treatment to one of Cosmetic Laser Dermatology’s employees. You’ll be walked through what a typical injection procedure looks like.

Some of the steps in a typical Botox treatment include:

1. Mapping out the location of the wrinkles and the areas needed for treatment.
2. Icing the area to numb the area and reduce the chance of any pain from the injection.
3. Perform superficial injections to the crow’s feet area.
4. After a 7-10 days waiting period – Dr. Groff will reassess the area to determine if any additional Botox is required.

In this video, Dr. Sabrina Fabi of our San Diego med spa treats the three main facial wrinkles described earlier: forehead wrinkles, glabellar lines and crow’s feet.

What is the Difference Between Botox and Dermal Fillers?

Botox – being a neuromodulator has some significantly different characteristics from dermal fillers. We have a great infographic describing all the differences here.

The first thing to know is that neuromodulators and facial fillers are two completely different types of injectables.

Neuromodulators are designed to relax wrinkles and soften expression lines while dermal fillers are designed to actually restore facial volume and fill in the wrinkle. Their treatment areas are typically different as well.

How Botox and Fillers are Used Together at Cosmetic Laser Dermatology

With the right combination of Botox and facial fillers like Juvederm or Restylane, you can achieve a non-surgical facelift. Combining the two injectables is beneficial because they can target different types of wrinkles and issues at once.

While Botox relaxes dynamic wrinkles caused by repeated facial movements, fillers smooth out static wrinkles while restoring lost volume, sculpting your face with refreshed, youthful contours.

Having both treatments at the same time may even prolong the effect of the fillers. The hyaluronic acid in fillers is more likely to remain in place when facial muscle movements are inhibited, courtesy of Botox.

Botox Cosmetic Treatments as a Preventative Measure Against Facial Wrinkles

An increasing number of younger patients are now seeking Botox Cosmetic treatments as a preventative measure to ward off lines and wrinkles for longer. Botox injections as early as the 20s or 30s can help slow down the onset of these aging symptoms.  

The ideal candidate for preventative Botox is someone who has begun to see faint facial lines –because any faint line is a future wrinkle. We have found 18 is the ideal minimum age to start getting Botox, especially for patients who consistently squint while looking at their phones or computers all day.

Beware Bogus Botox

Because Botox in San Diego is so popular, it has led to counterfeit products. In addition to providing unpredictable results, they can also be dangerous. That’s why it’s important to get an injectable treatment like Botox with a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in these types of cosmetic treatments.

This will not only help avoid bogus products but will also increase the likelihood of being happy with your final results. This video explores the phenomenon of bogus Botox.

Schedule A Same-Day Botox Appointment At Our San Diego Medical Spa 

With over 100 combined years of experience administering injectable treatments, our board-certified dermatologists at Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego can tailor a nonsurgical treatment plan that will give you the most natural and beautiful results possible.

Cosmetic Laser Dermatology has made dermatologic care more convenient with same-day appointments. Our Botox treatments can be done in our San Diego office by appointment on the same day you call. To schedule an appointment, call us at (858) 943-2113. Alternatively, you can schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified dermatologists online via our contact form. For more information about our medical spa, reviews are available via Yelp and Google.

Botox Recovery

There is no recovery after Botox injections. Once your session at our San Diego office is completed, you’ll be able to return to your normal daily activities immediately. Though Botox is extremely safe, there are some side effects to be aware of, though these are often mild.

You may experience mild swelling, redness, tenderness, bruising, and muscle weakness, all of which should subside in 7-10 days. If you bruise, just come back to our office the next day and we can use a pulse dye laser to make the bruise resolve quickly.

Results

It generally takes about two weeks to see the full effects of your Botox treatment, although you will likely start to see improvement sooner. By the two-week mark, wrinkles should be visibly reduced while you will still be able to make natural facial expressions. Improvements typically last 3-6 months. You will need to schedule subsequent treatments to maintain your refreshed look.

Botox Treatment Guidelines

 Before your Procedure:

• Botox may not be right for you if you have certain neuromuscular disorders, if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have an allergy to botulinum toxin. Please inform your physician of any medical conditions or allergies that you may have. 
• Have a hearty breakfast or lunch on the day of your procedure to reduce the chances of lightheadedness, nausea, and fainting during treatment.
• Schedule your Botox procedure 1 week before a big event to allow time for Botox to have a complete effect.

After your Treatment: 

• You may notice small bumps or small areas of redness at the injection sites after your treatment. They should disappear within a few minutes. 
• Avoid laser treatments, facials, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion procedures for a day after your treatment.
• You may apply makeup using gentle movements.
• You may apply a cold pack or compress to the treatment sites to minimize bruising and reduce swelling.
• It will take 3-7 days for complete results to be seen.

To schedule an appointment for Botox with a board-certified dermatologist, book online today.