What is Botox® Cosmetic?

Botox® Cosmetic is a medication that is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to relax the frown lines between your brows that develop over time. It is a natural, purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. A few tiny injections with a miniscule needle are administered to the muscles in this area of the face, relaxing them for up to 4 months. The results from Botox® injections are dramatic and visible within a few days. In clinical trials, 90% of men and women rated the improvement in their brow lines as moderate to dramatic. For most people, Botox® virtually “erases” these frown lines. Unlike surgery, Botox® Cosmetic administration is fast, simple and minimally invasive with no down time or recovery. Most patients return directly to work and normal activity following treatment, and within days report looking more natural and relaxed.


What Botox® Cosmetic is not.

Botox® Cosmetic is medicine, not magic. Its formula is the result of years of careful research and testing, and Allergan’s Botox® is the only one of its type with many years of treating patients with a variety of conditions, such as contracture of muscles in diseases such as cerebral palsy, torticollis, etc. Botox® Cosmetic has been available since 2002 to treat frown lines and has been used to treat forehead lines, “crows’ feet” and other areas. However, Botox® will not radically change your appearance, make you look like you “have had work done,” or look 20 years younger. It is not a “filler” like collagen or hyaluronic acid like Restylane® or Juvederm® and is not used for nasolabial folds or commonly referred to as laugh lines.


Is Botox® Cosmetic right for you?

If doing all you can to look your best is important to you, Botox® Cosmetic may be for you. If reducing those “angry” vertical lines between your brows, your forehead creases or your “crows’ feet” would make you feel more approachable, it also may be for you. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have discovered the benefits of Botox®; not just models and celebrities, but everyday people – teachers, mothers, business people – from all walks of life.


What may I expect from Botox® Cosmetic treatment?

Our doctors will examine your face and determine exactly where to inject the medication to achieve the best results. We offer small ice packs to both numb the area before injection and to apply after injection to help prevent bruising. The entire procedure requires about 10 minutes, and you may apply sunblock and makeup immediately. At Seattle Medical Aesthetics, we work with you to determine just the right amount of Botox® to achieve the results you are looking for while keeping your look natural.


Will I look “frozen” after Botox® is administered?

At your first appointment for Botox® at our Seattle clinic, you and your doctor will determine the dose of Botox® to best relax the lines you have but to prevent that frozen appearance we all want to avoid. When in doubt, we will always treat conservatively and add more medication if you want a more profound result.


Who is a candidate for Botox®?

Most people are excellent candidates for Botox®. However, there are some exceptions. If you are 18 or over and not breastfeeding or pregnant, not using an aminoglycoside antibiotic, do not have a neuromuscular disease, and are not on an anticoagulant such as heparin or warfarin, and want to relax your frown lines, you are a good candidate.


How long does Botox® Cosmetic last?

The effects of Botox® last for 3 to 4 months, though some patients report 6 months.


Is Botox® Cosmetic expensive or what are the costs of Botox®?

When considering your facial aesthetic options, Botox® Cosmetic is quite affordable and one of the least expensive facial cosmetic procedures. Like other appearance-related investments such as hair highlights, haircuts, chemical peels and teeth whitening, costs must be weighed relative to your expectations. Injections are customized to individual patients’ needs and concerns, and prices will vary among patients. We have seasonal and surprise Botox® specials – click here – for our current special and sign-up here to receive our informative newsletter and be informed of our regular and Botox® surprise specials.


What is the difference between Botox® Cosmetic and Juvederm® or Restylane®, facial fillers?

Botox® Cosmetic temporarily corrects or eliminates the dynamic wrinkles of the face due to overactive facial muscles by blocking the chemical “message” that cause the facial muscles to contract, resulting in facial relaxation. Botox® is only effective for the correction of dynamic facial wrinkles, that is, those wrinkles that are visible when you are contracting the muscles that produce the lines. Static wrinkles are the lines that are present when your facial muscles are relaxed. Intradermal fillers such as Juvederm “fill in” the lines that are present at relaxation. Juvederm adds volume to “pump up” depressed area, masking the wrinkle by adding volume. Because a significant number of men and women have a combination of both types of wrinkles, Botox® Cosmetic and facial fillers such as Juvederm are frequently used in combination, complementing each other for sometimes dramatic results.


Is Botox® Cosmetic safe?

Botox® has been used safely for over 20 years, and it has a low incidence of side effects. Patients may experience mild bruising that disappears within a few days. Mild headaches after injection have been reported, as have temporary eyelid droop, eyebrow droop or eyebrow flaring, which may be correctable. Rarely, diffusion of the medication into muscles other than those injected has been reported.


Does insurance ever cover the cost of Botox® injections?

When performed for cosmetic purposes, Botox® injections are not typically covered by insurance. If there is a medical indication for Botox®, such as chronic migraine headaches (neurologist) or hyperhidrosis, excessive underarm sweating (dermatologist), insurance may be available to some degree. Patients should check with their own insurance carrier for coverage information.


Where can I get physician administered Botox® injections in Seattle?

At Seattle Medical Aesthetics, we perform physician injected Botox® daily and have 100’s of satisfied customers from all over the Puget Sound: Bellevue, Mercer Island, Woodinville, Redmond, Lynnwood etc. Click here to view our current Botox® specials or to chat with us about you and Botox® or to schedule an appointment contact us at 206-283-6055.