San Diego Botox Overview
Botox Cosmetic is one of the most popular anti-aging cosmetic treatments in San Diego, CA. With a long track record of safety and effectiveness, Botox has helped millions of individuals eliminate age lines and wrinkles, achieve a rejuvenated appearance, and restore their self-confidence in their appearance.
Our medical spa now offers easy online booking to make scheduling quick and easy for our patients!
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:
- Mapping out the location of the wrinkles and the areas needed for treatment.
- Icing the area to numb the area and reduce the chance of any pain from the injection.
- Perform superficial injections to the crow’s feet area.
- 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.
What to Expect
Treatment with Botox is both quick and virtually painless. It takes just a few minutes for our wrinkle treatment specialists to inject Botox directly into the area where results are desired, which makes it a perfect minimally invasive cosmetic procedure for your lunch break!
During the procedure, an ultrafine needle is used to inject the appropriate amount of Botox, which varies depending on your specific needs.
The needle is so fine that you most likely will feel nothing more than a slight stinging sensation akin to a pinprick. Normally, patients report a pain-free experience.
Read our pre/post-treatment guidelines for Botox.
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.
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FAQs
Q: What is Botox?
Botox is a neuromodulator that’s effective for treating a variety of conditions. It is most commonly used to address dynamic wrinkles like frown lines, forehead worry lines, and crow’s feet. It’s also successful in treating migraines and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
Q: Who is Botox for?
Botox is for men and women who are noticing lines and facial creases on the forehead and around the eyes. In addition to reducing the appearance of current wrinkles, regular Botox treatments may slow the progression of future lines.
Q: How does Botox work?
Botox injections block the nerve impulses responsible for muscle contraction, which in turn relax the targeted muscles. Because the muscles no longer contract, overlying skin relaxes and softens for a more youthful, wrinkle-free appearance. By affecting the targeted muscles only, Botox doesn’t alter the surrounding muscles, which means that your normal facial expressions will remain completely unaffected.
Q: Is Botox safe?
Yes. Often considered the “aspirin of the 21st century,” Botox in San Diego has an excellent track record of safety and is FDA approved. At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, we specialize in minimally-invasive solutions like Botox because of their safety and efficacy in correcting your skin conditions. Complications you may have heard of regarding Botox are usually due to its use in higher doses for medical conditions (it’s a common treatment for cerebral palsy) or due to the lack of the injector’s skill and technique.
Q: Is Botox painful?
Because the injections are administered with an ultrafine needle, Botox is well tolerated. However, to ensure optimal comfort, you can choose to have a topical anesthetic applied beforehand.
Q: Where is Botox injected?
Botox is a versatile treatment that can address numerous treatment areas, including:
Forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, bunny lines, lip lines, masseter (chewing) muscle, gummy smile, chin dimples, platysmal/neck bands
Q: How much downtime is there?
Typically none, as you can return to your normal schedule following treatment at our San Diego office. In fact, many of our patients undergo treatment on their lunch hour and then return to work!
Q: When will I see results?
Typically, patients can expect to see softening in a day or two and full results within two weeks. We recommend regular treatment sessions to maintain your refreshed appearance by having relaxed facial muscles.
Q: How many sessions will I need?
The number of required treatments depends on your overall goals, but generally, you need only one Botox session to get your desired results. Consult with our San Diego Botox specialists to know for sure how many sessions you’ll need.
Q: How long does Botox last?
Most patients enjoy the results of their Botox injections for 3-6 months. Some find that regular treatment sessions “train” the muscles so they can go a bit longer between sessions over time.
Q: How much are Botox treatments at your San Diego medical spa?
Because Botox in San Diego is so versatile and because your needs are unique, the cost varies. It depends on factors like what is being treated, how extensive your condition is, what your aesthetic goals are, and more. The only way to know for sure is to schedule an initial consultation with our experts to discuss all of the above.
Q: How is Botox different from Xeomin or Dysport?
Although Botox is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the country, all three treatments are neuromodulators, so they all treat the same types of facial wrinkles. Differences between the products are relatively subtle. Our team of experts will help you choose the best neuromodulator for your needs and goals.
Q: I’m 18-years-old and am already developing worry lines on my forehead. Am I old enough to get Botox injections to prevent them from worsening?
In general, 18 is the ideal minimum age to start getting Botox injections. However, we suggest coming in for a consultation so we can examine you in person to know for sure. Many clinical studies have been performed in patients 18 years and older, and it is appropriate, safe, and effective.
Botox Alternatives
Dysport, Xeomin & Jeuveau
Alhough Botox is the most well-known neuromodulator treatment, alternatives like Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau are also available.
These wrinkle treatments also work by relaxing the muscles that cause wrinkles. Though the procedures and results are nearly identical, there are slight differences among the four treatments.
Dysport
- Dysport is purified differently than Botox, meaning it diffuses more effectively needing less injection sites.
Xeomin
- Considered the “naked neuromodulator”, Xeomin doesn’t have any additives making it a good alternative to try if a patient has an allergy to Botox.
Jeuveau
- Jeuveau was just FDA-approved in 2019 and is considered a “modern Botox”.
- Learn more about this newest neuromodulator:
Botox vs Xeomin vs Dysport vs Jeuveau
At our medical spa in San Diego, we offer all four wrinkle removal solutions for our patients. To know more about the differences among Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, and Jeuveau, as well as which you might prefer, schedule a wrinkle treatment consultation with our San Diego doctors today!
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