9 UNDER-THE-RADAR WAYS TO USE BOTOX

Most people hear the word Botox and immediately think of crows feet, forehead wrinkles, and smoothing out fine lines. While those are certainly amazing, well-known uses for Botox, there are a myriad of other things your medical professional can do with Botox to aid your anti-aging and wellness efforts. In this post, we’ll reveal a few of the most common ways we’re using this remarkable substance in the clinic.

IS IT SAFE TO USE BOTOX?

Botox is a neurotoxin known for causing muscle paralysis. While it is indeed the same toxin that can cause botulism with food poisoning, it only has this dangerous effect in very large, concentrated amounts.

As a cosmetic treatment, Botox is far weaker and extremely diluted, making it incredibly safe for injection into small muscle groups. This microdosing format signals muscles to relax and smooth out.

It works by blocking nerve signals that tell the muscles in tour body to contract, which can make wrinkles appear more obvious, especially in and around the face where people typically carry tension. The result is a relaxed face with a softened appearance.

Botox injections are a safe and effective cosmetic treatment that has been FDA-approved since the late 1980s. As long as it is delivered by a medical professional, it carries relatively few side effects with very little pain.

REDUCE A GUMMY SMILE

Most people go through life not really caring about how gummy their smile looks – until they need professional headshots or start to become self-conscious about other oral health issues. There are dental strategies for reducing gumminess, including planing back the gums, but these can carry significant risks, including infection or tooth loss.

Botox treatment for a gummy smile, on the other hand, is often safer. A medical professional can injects Botox into the area between your nostrils and upper lip, preventing your lip from raising as high when you smile. The amount of gum showing when you smile is limited, evening out your appearance around and inside your mouth.

ACNE CONTROL

Are you having trouble controlling adult acne? If OTC and medical treatments not getting you the effects you’d hoped for, Botox injections just might help. Botox doesn’t treat acne directly. Instead, your medical professional injects it directly under the skin in problem areas, where it slows the overproduction of oil that often leads to acne in the first place.

Injection therapy is often a last resort for patients when other acne treatments fail. You should try other lower-risk therapies first whenever you possibly can, as Botox for acne must often be limited to a specific area instead of your entire face.

MINI NOSE JOB

As you age, your nose may begin to sag and develop a hook-like appearance. The muscle at the base of your nose, directly beneath your nostril, pulls your nose downward as it contracts; eventually, those muscles lose elasticity.

A tiny bit of Botox into that muscle will stop the contraction or slow it, preventing additional sagging while also keeping your nose in a higher position. Often, patients notice a dramatic difference in the appearance of the entire face.

PLUMP YOUR LIPS

Wish your upper lip had just a little more pout to it? Pining away over Kylie Jenner’s beautiful, well-balanced lips? Having just a little bit of Botox injected along your vermillion border can relax the upper area enough to help it turn upward. Unlike surgery, Botox injections in the upper lip create a much more relaxed, natural look.

If you have fuller lips, this is a great way to sculpt your smile without paying a lot more for dermal fillers. However, it can sometimes worsen a gummy smile. If you have both issues, be sure to ask us how you can manage these issues at the same time.

CONTROL YOUR UNDERARM SWEAT

Botox was FDA-approved to control underarm sweat back in 2004. As a treatment for hyperhidrosis, it shows remarkable efficacy across a wide range of individuals.

Botox for sweating isn’t just used under the arms; it can prevent hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet, too. Call the clinic for more information about this treatment if you struggle with severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis.

OVERACTIVE BLADDER

Botox is also FDA-approved to treat Overactive Bladder. In fact, many urologists and urogynecologists use Botox to treat overactive bladder with seeing stunning results. One study showed that women who started with five bladder leaks per day were only experiencing around three after treatment. Those are stunning results for those living with that type of irritation and discomfort.

SMOOTH YOUR NECKLINE

With age comes a ropey neck, but the good news is that you don’t have to live with this troubling condition. Having Botox injected into your platysmal bands can relax the muscles in your neck to reduce the overall appearance of your “turkey neck.”

Botox also works for your jawline, or the jowls, if you’re in the early stages of degeneration. This is a great way to lift your neck and jawline without heading out for an actual surgical procedure.

Often, medical professionals use a combination of treatments on and around the neck. Your medical professional will determine how advanced your jowls are, and will either recommend Botox or a combination program paired with dermal fillers.

SHRINK PORES

Tired of looking in the mirror and seeing your huge pores staring back at you? Botox can be injected directly into your pores with microneedles to smooth and close them off without blocking pores or causing blemishes. It’s a simple and effective treatment for small to medium facial zones, including the nose and cheeks.

ENHANCE YOUR BLOWOUTS

Sweat is no friend of the blowout hairstyle. Some women have found that Botox around the forehead and hairline stops the sweating that messes up their hair.

The women who originally discovered this secret were getting Botox for other reasons, but now they’re seeking out medical professionals to perform the procedure along the hairline for the express purpose of making their blowouts last longer.

Is a blowout enough reason to seek out Botox? It’s not something you’ll want to do on a regular basis, as too much Botox in the forehead area can cause your eyelids to droop and look heavy. Once in a while treatment is probably fine for most patients.

UNAPPROVED, OFF-LABEL USES

While not yet FDA-approved, doctors and researchers are looking at other unique ways to use Botox. These strategies include investigating whether or not Botox can treat Major Depression Disorder (MDD) premature ejaculation, and even abnormal heartbeat patterns that occur after open-heart surgery.

There is also introductory evidence that Botox may be helpful for people with cold hands due to poor circulation, patients with congenital cleft palate or cleft lip scars, pelvic floor prolapse, and pelvic spasms that cause painful intercourse in women. Only time will tell if Botox will become appropriate for each of these conditions.

No matter what procedure or goal you’re trying to achieve, it’s important to look for a medical professional that has experience injecting on a regular basis. An experienced injector who understands medical cosmetics and has experience working in the field will achieve most natural results possible using as little product as she can.