The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin, often referred to by its product name Botox®, is a popular non-surgical injection that temporarily reduces or eliminates frown lines, forehead creases, crows feet near the eyes and thick bands in the neck. Botox Cosmetic is a purified protein injected into specific muscles of the face. Frown lines and facial creases are caused by overactivity of facial muscles. Botox Cosmetic is injected into these muscles to help them relax. Botox is the only product of its kind to affect muscles. Most other products are fillers, which simply mask wrinkles by adding volume to the area of the wrinkle.

Botox has been used therapeutically for over 15 years to treat many medical conditions, such severe disabling neck spasms (cervical dystonia), eyelid spasms (blepharospasm), cross eyes (strabismus), and severe underarm sweating. It is approved in over 75 countries. Therapeutic use of Botox remains one of the most widely studied medicines in the world. Ask your doctor for more details if you have any of the above conditions.

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What are the common Botox side effects?

Most common side effects include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop, and nausea. More Botox Facts...

What are Botox treatments like?

Botox Cosmetic treatment is quick and minimally invasive. Your doctor places a few tiny injections into the muscles causing the particular frown lines. Your doctor will determine exactly where to achieve the best results based on the anatomy of facial muscles and the location of your frown lines. No anesthesia is required, although your doctor may use a cold pack or anesthetic cream prior to injecting. The entire procedure takes no longer than 10 minutes. There is very minimal discomfort and it is brief. You should expect to see results within days after your treatment. More Botox Facts...

How long does Botox last?

In patient clinical studies, Botox has been shown to last up to 30 days in 89% of patient and up to 4 months in some patients. More Botox Facts...

How much does Botox cost

Below is the average cost of Botox per region in 2003.

Procedure	Region 1	Region 2	Region 3	Region 4	Region 5
Botox Injection	$510	$377	$502	$382	$369

The Nationwide average of botox injections, per site, in 2003 was $384.00 (Source: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). More Botox Facts...

Important Safety Information

Serious heart problems and serious allergic reactions have been reported rarely. If you think you're having an allergic reaction or other unusual symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing, call your doctor immediately. The most common side effects following injection include temporary eyelid droop and nausea. Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection. Patients with certain neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects. More Botox Facts...

Disclaimer:
This information is intended only as an introduction to this procedure. This information should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed nor does it guarantee results of your elective surgery. Further details regarding surgical standards and procedures should be discussed with your physician.