While staying young and beautiful is everyone’s dream, especially the ladies, reality sinks in as we look into the mirror and find those creepy lines on our forehead and crow’s feet around our eyes. However in today’s time, where aesthetic medicine is becoming a norm, many turn to Botox to erase those lines. Botox is the most common aesthetic treatment done across the world and there is an increasing trend in India as well. Apart from the aesthetic uses of Botox, it is also used in other medical conditions. There are two types of uses of Botox- aesthetic uses and non-aesthetic uses.
Aesthetic or Cosmetic: Forehead lines, frown lines, crows feet lines around the eyes, eyebrow lift, bunny lines and less commonly for face slimming, necklines, gummy smile correction and jawline.
Non-aesthetic: It uses Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating of palms and soles and underarm sweating. Other non-dermatological uses are in overactive bladder, chronic migraine, strabismus, cervical dystonia and many other indications.
If you too have been contemplating getting Botox or know someone who is, then you must know these common myths surrounding them and the real facts.
#MYTH 1: Botox is toxic.
FACT: It is a protein (neuromodulator) just like any other vaccine, which is derived from a bacterial source and it acts by relaxing muscles and thereby gets rid of wrinkles and lines.
#MYTH 2: Botox gives a ‘frozen’ or expressionless look.
FACT: ‘Frozen’ or expressionless look usually is a result of overdosage of Botox unit injection. An experienced injector would know how many Botox units to inject so that you will look natural and not ‘frozen’. Botox reduces muscle activity but do not radically change it. It is best injected by an actual aesthetic doctor.
Image Source: Mass General 
Image Source: Hindustan Times
#MYTH 3: Botox can erase all my wrinkles.
FACT: There are two types of wrinkles- Dynamic and Static wrinkles. Dynamic is wrinkles developed from facial muscular movement and static wrinkles are a result of ageing and sun exposure. Botox treats dynamic wrinkles by relaxing the muscle thus improving the appearance of these wrinkles. Static wrinkles, on the other hand, do not respond to Botox. Treatment of static wrinkle may require a combination of other aesthetic treatment, such as dermal Botox, threading, laser therapy or chemical peeling.
#MYTH 4: If you stop getting Botox, it will make you look older.
FACT: Botox will prevent your wrinkles from worsening when you keep up with your treatments. If you decide to stop having Botox treatment, you will slowly lose the muscle relaxing effect of Botox and will resume the normal development of wrinkles with facial movement. It will not worsen wrinkles formation but instead, wrinkles will slowly return to how they were initially, prior to treatment.
#MYTH 5: Botox injections are painful.
FACT: Botox treatments are often referred to as the ‘lunchtime procedure’ because it’s quick and there is little to no downtime. Pains from the injections are completely manageable as the needles are very fine, which means that you would only feel a very slight sting during the injection. But with prior application of numbing anaesthetic cream, the procedure is almost painless.
#MYTH 6: Botox is addictive.
FACT: No addictive properties are reported to be in a Botox solution, thus there is no potential to make an individual physically addicted to the drug. People become dependent on the cosmetic results of a Botox injection because it makes them look younger and fresher.
#MYTH 7: Botox will affect the body.
FACT: Botox is a purified protein that acts locally in the area where it is injected and does not have any systemic absorption. It does not cause any infection and it will not travel throughout the body, as it clots locally at the site of injection.
Image Source: Huda Beauty 
Image Source: Medical News Today
#MYTH 8: I need to repeat the treatment regularly every 4 to 6 months else it will worsen my skin.
FACT: Not at all, although its effect lasts for 4 to 6 months that does not mean we need to get it done every six months, we can repeat it as per our need and requirement.
#MYTH 9: Botox is only used for aesthetic reasons.
FACT: Botox has received approval to treat a range of medical conditions that include strabismus, eyelid muscle spasms, chronic migraine, cervical dystonia, overactive bladder, excessive underarm sweating, and limb spasticity.
#MYTH 10: Botox has immediate effects.
FACT: Botox works by temporarily blocking nerve signals that cause muscle contractions. Generally, it starts working within 1-3 days post-injection, and it takes 7-12 days to see maximum results.
#MYTH 11: Botox is meant for women only.
FACT: Studies across the globe are showing an increasing trend for getting Botox treatment in men.
The author of this article, Dr Syed Nazim Hussain, is a leading Dermatologist and Aesthetic Surgeon in South Delhi & Gurgaon with a comprehensive intellectual background and sound experience in the field of clinical dermatology, Facial aesthetics and Hair Transplant. He is an internationally trained Cosmetologist and Dermatologist specializing in Anti-wrinkle injections, Botox, Derma Roller, Thread lift and Hair transplant.
(Featured Image Source: fillerfacts.com)
