As you age, wrinkles can appear around the eye area. Especially if you are exposed to excessive sunlight, have thin and dry skin, have a genetic predisposition, and use facial expressions frequently, these wrinkles can start to appear in your 30s.
What is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum toxin is a toxin derived from the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. Although its medical use initially started in the treatment of strabismus, it is now widely used for cosmetic purposes to reduce or eliminate wrinkles.
How Does Botulinum Toxin Work?
Botulinum toxin temporarily weakens the muscles in the treated area, reducing dynamic wrinkles caused by facial movements. Additionally, with repeated applications, it can delay the formation of static wrinkles, which are permanent.
When Does Botulinum toxin Take Effect? How Long Does It Last?
The effect of Botulinum toxin can vary from person to person, but generally, it starts to take effect within 3-5 days after the injection and reaches its maximum effect within 2-3 weeks. After 4-6 months, the effect diminishes, and a repeat application is necessary.
Cosmetic Areas for Botulinum toxin Application
Crow’s feet (wrinkles around the eyes)
Forehead wrinkles
Glabellar lines (lines between the eyebrows)
Bunny lines (wrinkles on the sides of the nose)
Marionette lines (lines at the corners of the mouth)
Neck wrinkles
It can also be used to reduce a square-shaped face appearance, achieve a rounder face shape, or for bruxism treatment.
Who Should Not Receive Botulinum toxin?
Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals
Those with neurological or muscle diseases
Botulinum toxin should not be applied to areas with existing infections.
Apart from these conditions, anyone over the age of 18 can receive Botulinum toxin.
Preparation Before Botulinum toxin Injection
Use of blood-thinning medications should be stopped or changed in consultation with the relevant doctor. It is recommended to avoid consuming supplements (such as green tea, cinnamon, ginger, ginkgo biloba) with potential blood-thinning effects one week prior to the Botulinum toxin injection. The application area should be cleansed from makeup products before the procedure.
During Botulinum toxin Application
For individuals with low pain tolerance, a topical anesthetic cream can be applied before the Botulinum toxin injection to facilitate the procedure and reduce discomfort.
After Botulinum toxin Injection
On the day of injection, especially if the procedure was performed for forehead wrinkles, lying face down should be avoided, and the head should be kept elevated for 5-6 hours.
Hot showers should be avoided for 2 days, and hot environments like saunas or steam rooms should be avoided.
Makeup should not be applied to the injection site for 2 days.
Strenuous exercise should be avoided for 3 days.
Always Ask the Expert About the Type of Botulinum toxin Used
There are various brands of botulinum toxin products available. In our country, only 3 FDA-approved products are licensed for use (Dysport, Toxic Application, and Nabota). Many people do not think to ask their doctor about which product is being used, but being informed about this matter is crucial. Unfortunately, many unlicensed products are illegally imported into our country and used in many centers under the name of Botulinum toxins. However, these unauthorized products, which often have questionable dosage adjustments, can lead to complications such as eyelid drooping and allergic reactions. Please make sure to ask your doctor about the specific product being used and avoid receiving injections if it is not one of these three approved products.