Facial surgery – for a balanced facial profile
Botulinum Toxin Injections (Botox®)
The typical indications for botulinum toxin injections are mimic wrinkles at the forehead (horizontal frown lines), vertical frown lines between the eyebrows (“angry J´s”) or small wrinkles lateral to the eye (“crow feet”). Botox is specifically used for selective temporary paralysis of muscle groups, single muscles or even parts of muscles only and results in a reduction in wrinkle depth or lets them disappear almost completely.
A profound knowledge of the facial anatomy and an exact analysis of your facial mimic movements and habits are paramount for your individualized Botox therapy. If these factors are properly addressed to, the desired relaxed, fresh and youthful appearance is often achieved.
As only superfine needles are used for Botox, the treatment is almost painless. There´s no need for any anesthesia. Clinical effects begin after 3 days and full results are usually present after 10 days. Depending on the zone of injection and other factors, the paralysis lasts up to 6 months.
If the wrinkles have been present for many years, structural changes have developed in the skin already. In those cases, the remaining contour changes (deeper lines and wrinkles) can be further improved with hyaluronic acid fillers several days after the Botox effects are visible.
Botox can also be used very effectively against wrinkles around the nose, for „enlargement of the eyes“ (actually the lid position is changed) and in the midface and around the chin: With exact placement of smaller Botox injections wrinkles and folds around the mouth can be harmonized as well as dimples around the chin in overactive lower lip muscles corrected. If the upper lip shows too many teeth and the gums in a full smile (“gummy smile”), the lip can be lowered with careful Botox injections (smile modulation). Sometimes, this can be used as a temporary test before a permanent result can be achieved surgically if the Botox smile modulation achieved a pleasing result. In the neck, longitudinal skin folds (platysmal bands) may be corrected effectively with Botox quite easily. Many more indications for Botox in the face do exist.
Botulinum toxin also reduces sweat gland activity and is therefore very useful in treatment of excessive sweating of the palms, feet or the axillary pits (hyperhidrosis). The injections are directly in the affected areas and regularly result in a fast improvement in quality of life for these patients.
Botox is a natural toxin which blocks nerve impulses. The drug is used successfully for many years in the release of spastic hypercontractile muscles in many medical specialties (i.e. ophthalmology, urology, etc.): If it is injected in the target muscle, the stimulating nerve impulses are blocked, so the muscle tension does not develop completely or not at all. Sensation of touch and temperature is not affected. It is used in cosmetic medicine and surgery for over 15 years very safely. With careful problem analysis and professional use, complications are very rare and are always temporary only. We will talk about these thoroughly in our consultation before the treatment.