Cosmetic Botox Injection in Edmonton
“Botox Cosmetic is the world’s number one non-surgical cosmetic treatment because it’s safe, predictable, and very effective.” - Dr. Kamal Alhallak, Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical sciences
This treatment has become part of our everyday life; celebrities, news people, and politicians all get their wrinkles eliminated in seconds. In fact, minimally invasive treatments, offered in clinic settings, significantly reduced the need for plastic surgery.
What is Botox Cosmetic?
It is made from the botulinum toxin. While this botulinum neurotoxin in its full force is dangerous (blocking nerves that cause the muscle to contract), it has many positive applications. Medical applications include excessive sweating and overactive bladder.On the other hand, Botox help correcting fine and dynamic wrinkles in the upper face. It can also be used for face slimming and on the neck.
The first approved uses in the united states for Botox date back to 1989 when it was approved for uncontrollable muscle spasms. In 2002, it was approved for cosmetic use on facial muscles to correct “frown lines”, those little lines between your eyebrows that make you look angry or tired. Now, it is the most popular between all cosmetic procedures.
This injection is now used for a couple more medical conditions aside from muscle spasms. It’s also effective against severe underarm sweating and some other “off label” uses that have become an accepted practice but aren’t necessarily approved.
Similarly, we injection neurotoxins more places on the face other than frown lines. It’s used for crow’s feet, smoker’s lines around the mouth, and marionette lines at the corner of the lips.
“Botox Cosmetic is made from botulinum toxin type A,” said Dr. Kamal Alhallak. “bacterium Clostridium botulinum and related species produce this protein, the pharmaceutical grade of this toxin is highly purified and approved for sub-dermal injection"
“The Cosmetic use of neurotoxin has proven to be very safe and effective for almost everyone. At Albany Laser and Cosmetic Center, it’s easily one of our most popular treatments to rejuvenate one’s face and to look younger.”
What Botox is not?
It’s important to know a few things about Botox:
- this is not a permanent treatment. The effects wear off over time, and a new round of injections will be needed.
- It’s not a filler. Unlike injectable fillers, like Juvederm, therefore it doesn’t plump the skin.
- We inject it in the upper face, whereas fillers are more appropriate in other areas.
- It helps only to correct the dynamic lines, which is the one we see when making facial expression. However, it has little effect on static deep wrinkles (permanent wrinkles).
- Our aim is not to paralyse the muscle completely, as this will give you a frozen face. However our goal is to plan the injection strategicly to clam down the unintended facial expressions ( facial grimaces, frown while reading) to prevent and correct some wrinkles.
Who can’t use Botox?
While it Cosmetic is safe for nearly everyone, there are some people for whom it’s not a good idea.
Tell your doctor or physician's assistant if you have:
- Allergic to the active ingredient
- Skin infection in the area that’s being worked on
- ALS, Lambert-Eaton syndrome or other diseases that affect your muscles or nerves
- Breathing problems, including asthma or COPD
- droopy eyelids or weakness in forehead muscles
“It only takes about 10 minutes for the Botox injections,” Dr. Alhallak said. “Maximum effect takes about two weeks, so I always tell my patients to plan ahead if they have an event that they want to look their best for.”
As a Doctor of Pharmaceuical sciences, Dr. Alhallak pays special attention to the cases where it can have the maximum effect.
What is the difference between Botox and Dysport
Both of the treatments are very similar to make you look rested and happier. However there are some insignificant differences. Read more about it here
How Painful is Botox?
It’s not really. It’s a simple injection. The area is often numbed, either with a topical anesthetic or simply with an ice pack.
After the anesthetic wears off, there might be some slight discomfort, but it’s usually very mild and goes away in a few hours.
What you can expect
Before the injection
You could apply some topical numbing creams to reduce the injection discomfort. This type of creams is usually over the counter. Moreover, other distractions are available such as vibrations and cooling the injections sites.
During the injection
Different health care practitioners are authorized to perform cosmetic injections (Physicians, Pharmacist, and nurses). The injector uses a thin needle to deliver the medication to the subdermal layer of the skin. The treatment requires multiple injections to cover some large muscles in the upper face such as the forehead and frown lines
After the injection
Take it easy for a couple of hours after the injections, do not rub the area or take a hot shower.
Results
It might take three days for the Botox treatment to be noticeable, however, it takes two weeks to have the maximum results. Therefore it is better to plan your appointment in ahead of time. The results last between 4-6 months and require twice a year maintenance
What are the side effects?
For the most part, the side effects are minor and rare, but there are some that have been reported.
- Injection site pain
- Slight swelling
- Rash
- Asthma
- Dizziness and fainting
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Neck pain
If you’ve had an injection and you’re having a hard time breathing or a significant rash has developed, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Other side effects such as drooping eyelids are results of Botox wrong injection techniques in the treated areas.
Does Botox make my face numb?
No. It shouldn’t as it is not an anesthetic. If does paralyze the muscles, but it shouldn’t result in numbness. If the numbness persists for a couple of days, you should call your physician.
How long does Botox last?
In most cases, it lasts three to four months, but that can be affected by a number of factors.
Diet, smoking, age, how well you care for your skin, and how much sun you get can all have an effect on how long the Botox lasts and how good the effects are. The better you take care of yourself, the more likely you are to get great results that will last longer.
Are Filler and Botox the same?
No, In summary, Botox freezes muscles to soften wrinkles caused by facial while fillers use hyaluronic acid and other substances to plump areas with lost volume. If you still don't understand, here is a detailed explanation.
Can I combine it with Juvederm?
Yes, we combine it with Dermal Fillers on the same appointment, especially if the wrinkles are deep. In actuality, some deep wrinkles occur if you don't treat the frown lines on time. As a result, they become pronounced and deep. So you may need both injections to correct them. Dr. Alhallak combines Fillers and Botox during skin tightening and wrinkles removal treatments.
Getting Botox safely
“The most important factor in getting safe and effective injections is to choose the right practitioner,” said Kamal Alhallak. “Be certain that the person that you get your injections from has experience and training. This isn’t something you want to have done, except under the guidance of a doctor who knows what they’re doing.”
Be sure to tell your practitioner about any illnesses you have, any medications or herbal remedies you take, and even if you use illicit drugs. You don’t want to find out that your harmless herbal pills are causing you issues with your Botox.
Most importantly, tell your practitioner everything, even if you think it might be minor. Drugs and even vitamins and minerals interact in ways that you might not expect.
Most common areas for Botox in Edmonton
Forehead lines
Indeed, smiling relieves stress, and it's a beautiful facial expression. But when you smile, it shows deep lines and these lines appear around the eyes. Do you know that 26 muscles must work together to give a simple smile? These muscles also cause frown lines. Yes, some muscles work to produce a smile; we can help you to provide a line-free smile.
Frown Lines
Over time, lines or creases develop on the forehead. These lines bring as small and tiny, but they grow deep eventually. We call these lines "timelines." Thanks to Botox, you can relax the frontalis muscle and lessen its activity. In essence, it helps softness forehead lines. That makes us look older.
Smile lines
Smile lines or crow’s feet are fine or deeps lines that we see when we smile. There are over 26 muscles that work to form our smile. Botulinum toxin injection or Dysport softens some muscles around your eye and mouth to remove smile lines effectively.
After treatment
If you have any side effects, contact your practitioner right away. Let them know so that they can help you decide if there’s anything you need to do. If you’re having a hard time breathing or are experiencing significant problems, call for emergency medical assistance.
“The most important thing to know is that Botox Cosmetic is very effective and very safe,” said Dr. Kamal Alhallak. His Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical sciences makes him especially well-versed in side effects and interactions. “In about 10 or 15 minutes, I can help you look and feel much younger.”
avoid taking ASA or NSAID such as Ibuprofen to reduce the risk of brusing. Moreover, constant pressure and icing the area would hlep in the swelling and brusing. Some practices encourage people to work out the area and not stay up-straight for couple of hours. As it seems logical, no clinical trial have been performed to prove these suggestions.
Is it safe to go to a Botox party
Botox parties have been very popular in Edmonton, and we strongly advice against it. It is not safe to get any type of injection outside a professional medical setting. Moreover, no one take a medical history or keep records. The enviroment is not suitable or approved to perform such a delicate cosmetic injection. Furthermore, This kind of shady practice is illigal and not covered by any practice insurance. Therefore, as fun it sounds, you are putting youself in huge risk of side effects and cross contamination. The price of the Botox unit might be tempting in some of the Botox party, however, be certain that you are not getting the amount agreed upon. In order words, the medication get very diluated similar of getting cheap watered-drink in a bar. There is no way to know how watered the solution is and what is the actual number of untis you are getting. Know you know why Groupon advertise for cheaper!!!
Free consultation
Yes, the best way to know if you're a good candidate is to come in for a free consultation with Dr. Kamal at Albany laser and cosmetic center (The best cosmetic center in Edmonton) Dr. Kamal has Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a genuine passion for his work. Also, he strives to help people in Edmonton reach their aesthetic goals. If you want to learn more about BOTOX, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Botox comes as powder in a vial, therefore, it should be reconsituted . The amount of normal saline added vary from injector to another. Experienced injector use less normal saline to make the solution more concentrated, therefore has less diffusion and less unwanted effect and provide pricely the number of units needed.