What you really want to know about Botox...
At Woodlands, we always try to provide as much information as possible about the various treatments we offer. You’ll see from the “Treatments” sections of our website that we give lots of background on all of our aesthetic treatments, explaining what each one is, how it works, what results to expect etc. Even so, there are certain questions that come up regularly when speaking to new clients over the phone or during their consultation. Botox, despite its popularity, is a particular treatment that is surrounded by various misconceptions, so we’ve decided to put some of your most common questions together in one blog post, in order to answer them once and for all.
Do I need Botox?
Nobody needs Botox, it’s a personal choice, and no ethical aesthetic practitioner would look at you and tell you what you need. At Woodlands, we always start by asking why you’ve come in to the clinic; ie what it is that’s bothering you. Once we’ve established your area of concern, we can recommend the best treatment options. Botox is one of several treatments that can improve the appearance of lines on the face (as well as certain other indications), so if you express a wish to soften these lines, Botox is certainly something that we can discuss further.
Sometimes, we’ll meet patients who feel that they “need” a particular treatment, when in reality they don’t at all. Our practitioners are always honest in these situations and will refuse to treat anyone that they feel is not suitable for treatment, or who wouldn’t benefit from it.
Will Botox make me look weird?
Botox prevents certain muscles of the face from moving. When someone has had a lot of Botox, they end up being unable to make certain facial expressions, such as frowning or raising their eyebrows, and they are left looking a little emotionless, which can certainly look quite strange! While some people actually desire this “frozen” appearance from their Botox treatments, at Woodlands we always aim for a more natural result.
When injected a little more sparingly, Botox will soften the lines and wrinkles on your face, while still leaving you with the ability to move. When treating you for the first time, we prefer to err on the side of caution and inject in small quantities, adding a bit more Botox at a later date if needed. This is because Botox can’t be taken away once it’s been injected, so if too much is injected initially, you would simply have to wait for it to wear off naturally over several weeks.
Will I get addicted to Botox or other aesthetic treatments?
There’s nothing to suggest that you will get addicted to having Botox treatments. However, if you’re considering Botox, it’s important to remember that it does wear off, usually after 3-4 months. This means that for as long as you wish to maintain your results, you will need to commit to having - and of course paying for - regular treatments, which can be expensive. The longevity of Botox is different for everyone, but usually in your first year of having treatments, we recommend coming in every 12 weeks. After that, you may find that you can wait longer between appointments, however, we do also know several patients who have been having treatments for a long time and who still have to come in every 3 months.
With regards to other aesthetic procedures, we find that some patients, after having Botox, may be interested in trying other treatments, such as dermal fillers. This is usually because they are so impressed with the results of their Botox that they want to know what else can be “done” for them. As mentioned above, at Woodlands, we will only carry out an aesthetic procedure after a full medical consultation and only if we feel that you are actually suitable for it in the first place. Just because you have had Botox does not mean that you should suddenly go ahead and have lots of other treatments, although, there obviously are patients who see fantastic results when being treated with a combination of Botox and dermal fillers. The main thing to remember is that every person and every face is different and you should always ensure that you take the time to really think about and fully understand any procedure before having it done.
What can go wrong with a Botox treatment?
As with any medical treatment, there are some complications and side effects associated with Botox. Prior to your treatment, your aesthetic practitioner will discuss each of these complications with you and ensure that you fully understand each one.
Probably the most minor risk associated with Botox is bruising. There is always the possibility of developing a bruise after any injection, however, it is quite unusual to bruise after a Botox treatment as the needles used are very fine.
During your first Botox treatment, it is normal for the Botox to not “work” straight away, but this doesn’t actually mean that the treatment has gone wrong. Botox takes up to 14 days to fully kick in, and sometimes you may find that it takes effect more quickly in certain parts of your face than in others. When we first start treating you, we are still getting to know your face and your muscles, so, as mentioned above, we inject in smaller doses and then bring you back for a follow up appointment 2 weeks later in order to review your results and inject a little bit more Botox if required.
Another risk that you should be aware of following Botox treatment is ptosis. This is when the eyelid or eyebrow droops and is caused by the Botox either migrating from where it was injected or by being injected at the wrong point. Sometimes, a practitioner can correct a droop by injecting a little bit more Botox above the original injection point, however, there are cases where you must wait for the ptosis to go away on its own, which can take several weeks.
I’ve seen Botox advertised cheaper elsewhere, why are you more expensive?
At Woodlands, we are confident that our pricing reflects the expertise of our practitioners, the quality of the products they’re using and the standard of service that each patient receives.
We have no way of knowing how or why another clinic or practitioner is charging a lower price, however, we always point out that there are a lot of costs associated with carrying out a Botox treatment. These include;
- The cost of the product itself
- The overheads associated with running a clinic (or renting a treatment room)
- The training a practitioner will have had to undertake in order to be able to offer the treatment in the first place
- The practitioner’s indemnity insurance which they must have in order to legally carry out the treatment
- All other materials and equipment required for the treatment (needles, syringes, gauze etc)
If a practitioner or clinic is offering treatments that are so cheap that they are not even covering these basic costs, then you should question this. Unfortunately, the aesthetics industry is still quite poorly regulated, meaning that less ethical practitioners can very easily “cut corners”, either using cheaper products bought online, not having insurance or not having sufficient training.
We encourage anyone considering a cheap Botox treatment to be cautious and to remember that when something is very cheap, it is usually too good to be true.
If you have any other questions about Botox, or any of the other treatments offered at Woodlands, let us know! You can email us at clinic@woodlandsbeauty.co.uk or call 0151 728 2536.
