BOTOX FOR MEN

Botox® is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It’s the same toxin that causes a life-threatening type of food poisoning called botulism. Doctors use it in small doses to treat health problems, including the temporary smoothing of facial wrinkles and improving your appearance. 

Botox® Cosmetic contains onabotulinum toxin A. When this substance is injected, how it works is by simply relaxing the facial muscle underneath the skin to create a smooth and refreshed appearance. While this only targets the wrinkles that appear when you make facial expressions, you can consider getting an injectable filler treatment with hyaluronic acid at the same time for any wrinkles and creases that are permanently visible. 

It’s normal to be a bit frightened or worried on the day of your first BOTOX® treatment but, if you’ve followed the steps outlined above, there’s really no reason to be. After all, it’s not cosmetic surgery – it’s a routine non-invasive injection treatment. When you arrive at Skin Vitality Medical Clinic, you’ll be asked to lie in a reclining chair and your injector will ask you to contract specific muscles around the injection site so they can mark the targeted areas. A topical numbing agent can be applied. The BOTOX injection itself feels much like an insect bite so, unless you have a very low pain tolerance, you’ll be fine with only slight numbing with local anesthetic, in the form of a topical cream. The procedure itself then takes place and only lasts around ten to twenty minutes. The BOTOX Cosmetic is administered using a super-fine needle to avoid any pain, bruising or swelling. The procedure only takes around 10-20 minutes. Once injected, it typically takes about 72 hours for the product to start taking effect and the full effect can take up to 2 weeks — it all depends on how your body reacts, and whether there is any swelling that could be hiding your results. That’s why we usually ask our patients to assess their results at about the one to two week mark. A follow-up appointment can be booked with your injector to review your results. 

Botox® takes effect for the next three to four months or so after you’re been treated, you can’t frown even if you try. After that, the effect gradually decreases until muscles return to normal about six months after the treatment, which can then be repeated. If you follow the directions given to you and book your first 3 appointments promptly every 3 months (without waiting in between!) you can eventually increase the duration results of each treatment. There are no long term effects. No – BOTOX Cosmetic is not permanent. Within two or three days after your injections, the muscles that produce frown lines lose their ability to contract.  

Botox® Cosmetic will stay local to the muscle where it was injected. However, there is a very minimal risk of migration, particularly if the treated area is rubbed or excessively touched immediately after your injection. For that reason, it’s best to avoid touching the area in the first few days. After your Botox Cosmetic treatment, the product is simply metabolized and broken down into a natural by-product in the weeks and months after your injection. 

The cost of BOTOX® treatment varies by each patient and only a personal consultation can give you a more specific amount. The cost can range depends on the amount of BOTOX® injections required to accomplish the patient’s aesthetic goal, and the area being treated. 

At your consultation: It’s a good idea to bring a few questions along to the consultation. Because BOTOX® is a prescription drug, you’ll meet with a licensed physician to discuss your goals for the treatment. You can ask for a description of the day of the treatment to get a good feel for what to expect. The area to be treated will be examined to make sure BOTOX® is right for you. Although BOTOX® injection treatments are extremely safe, it does have the potential to create side effects after its use. Your injector will be able to explain what to expect (the most common side effects of BOTOX® are swelling and temporary, localized discomfort – all related to the injection rather than the product itself) and how to deal with any problem that arises. You may also be advised to avoid strenuous activities for a day before the injection or apply an ice pack to the procedure site before and after your visit to ward off swelling. Prepare for your treatment by avoiding any medications that thin the blood about one week before your injection. You can also take Arnica pills a couple of days beforehand to help with bruising. Another product that helps with bruising and inflammation is pineapple. 

All Botox® treatments are performed by a certified medical injector in the safety and privacy of one of our our medical clinics. You may choose any one of our 11 locations across the Greater Toronto Area – wherever is most convenient for you! We have clinics in the following 9 locations: Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, London, Ajax, Richmond Hill, Kitchener, St. Catharines, Milton, Burlington, and Stoney Creek (Hamilton). 

The results of Botox® typically begin to appear within a couple of days post injection. However, the full results may take up to 2 weeks to develop, so it is important to wait an adequate amount of time before seeking a touch-up treatment.  

After using Botox® continuously for years, your muscles will become trained not to make wrinkle-forming expressions as aggressively. This is great because even after Botox® wears off, there can be lasting effects that prevent the formatting of wrinkles that are responsible for the look of old age. 

The Botox® lip flip can be performed at Skin Vitality and it is an excellent alternative to fillers for patients who want a more subtle lip enhancement, as well as those who want to enhance the shape of their upper lip with minimal effort. 

Although very rare and not permanent, some people have a short-term headache after their treatment. This is a rare side effect that some patients may experience following their injection. To be on the safe side, do not take products containing aspirin prior to or within a day following your injection, even if you get a headache. Doing so can increase the rate of bruising and bleeding (if any). If you require relief, choose Tylenol. What can also help prevent a headache after treatment is to relax while you’re getting the injection. Breathe deeply and don’t be nervous – you’ve selected an experience and skilled medical injector at Skin Vitality to perform your procedure, so don’t worry! You’re in good hands. Some experience bruising (which can be covered with makeup) or swelling, and both are also temporary. Almost every patient is able to come out of their BOTOX® treatment without feeling any lingering pain or discomfort. A good cosmetic doctor or nurse knows how to direct injections into only the muscle groups that require alteration, meaning that the only lasting effects should be confined to the area where the BOTOX® was administered. How long any swelling and bruising lasts depends on your body’s ability to recover. If you find that it takes some time for you to heal from a bruise, then chances are you’ll need to wait it out a little longer. If your bruises heal relatively quickly, then you’ll most likely be able to enjoy the true results of your treatment quickly as well. Whatever you do, avoid rubbing or massaging the treated and bruised area following treatment to prevent the migration of product (which could cause temporary facial weakness if it comes into contact with muscles in another area). You want to keep the BOTOX® all in the area it was injected to be the most effective. Despite this, there are still a few minor side effects that can arise after a BOTOX® injection. One of them is the appearance of light bruising and tiny red dots after treatment. Don’t worry! Both of these symptoms usually begin to gradually fade then completely vanish after only a few hours have passed. The process can be sped up (or reduced in severity) by applying a cold compress to the area of the face or body that was treated. If you plan to return to your schedule immediately, applying makeup is often enough to hide these symptoms. Make sure to use an applicator that is clean to reduce the risk of infection. 

As of February 1st, 2003, OHIP will cover intramuscular botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections to treat focal spasticity secondary to an upper motor neuron disorder such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord or traumatic brain injury. The ministry does not pay for services that are not medically necessary. OHIP currently insures botulinum toxin injections for treatment of oculomotor and laryngeal disorders.  

It’s normal to be a bit frightened or worried on the day of your first BOTOX® treatment but, if you’ve followed the steps outlined above, there’s really no reason to be. After all, it’s not cosmetic surgery – it’s a routine non-invasive injection treatment. When you arrive at Skin Vitality Medical Clinic, you’ll be asked to lie in a reclining chair and your injector will ask you to contract specific muscles around the injection site so they can mark the targeted areas. A topical numbing agent can be applied. The BOTOX® injection itself feels much like an insect bite so, unless you have a very low pain tolerance, you’ll be fine with only slight numbing with local anesthetic, in the form of a topical cream. The procedure itself then takes place and only lasts around ten to twenty minutes. The BOTOX® Cosmetic is administered using a super-fine needle to avoid any pain, bruising or swelling. The BOTOX® is injected directly into neuromuscular tissue and it takes 24-72 hours for it to take full effect. In some very rare cases, it may take as long as five days for the full effect to be observed — it all depends on how your body reacts to the treatment, and whether there is any swelling that could be hiding your results. That’s why we usually ask our patients to assess their results at about the one to two week mark.

A follow-up appointment can be booked with your injector to review your results. 

BOTOX® treatments are customized for each patient, and there is no single method that fits all facial types. There are a lot of elements that need to be taken into account, such as whether the face is male or female, eyebrow shape, facial structure, dimension and length of forehead. The talented medical injectors at Skin Vitality have experience in treating hundreds of thousands of patients with different backgrounds using specific techniques that result in a natural result. BOTOX® works best for certain individuals in facial rejuvenation. It’s been designed, mainly, for people that do not have any history of neuromuscular disease (like multiple sclerosis and others) and are consenting adults. Candidates that can benefit most from BOTOX® treatment are physically and mentally healthy and willing to deal with the side effects that can arise following their procedure (like temporary swelling or drooping at the injection site). Patients should also be able to comfortably spend the money that undergoing a properly-administered BOTOX® treatment requires. The ideal candidate also understands the limitations of the treatment and can go into their procedure without harbouring unrealistic expectations. For example, it may not be effective in areas where a permanent crease has already formed, such as a nasolabial fold, or if added volume is desired, as is the case of lip augmentation. BOTOX® effects can vary from person to person and patients that expect a sudden, drastic resolution to their skin problems may be disappointed if their treatment’s results don’t live up to expectations. An ideal BOTOX® candidate should be patient and willing to undergo follow-up sessions that allow them to enjoy the results they desire.