Botulinum toxin, a substance naturally produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, temporarily interrupts the transmission of nerve impulses that control the contraction of facial muscles. As a result, facial wrinkles caused by excessive contraction of these muscles are smoothed. It is injected into the specific muscles whose activity needs to be modulated in order to reduce wrinkles. Botulinum toxin does not work by filling the wrinkle itself, but rather by blocking muscle contraction, which in turn leads to the subsequent relaxation of the skin. It interacts with the nerve endings of the muscle bundles and reduces their ability to contract . Therefore, it is injected into the appropriate muscles to block the movement of these anatomical parts. This blockage typically lasts for 4 to 6 months; after this period, the treatment must be repeated.
Botulinum: effects
Botulinum toxin cannot resolve very deep wrinkles or those caused by skin aging in general. Its mechanism of action involves blocking the release of acetylcholine at the junction between the nerve that transmits the contraction stimulus to the muscle and the muscle that performs the contraction. The resulting effect is a selective and reversible weakening of the muscles into which the toxin is injected, at a very low dose. This effect becomes apparent not immediately but 2-7 days after treatment and lasts for approximately 4-5 months, then diminishes. Immediate sun exposure is not recommended and should be avoided for about 10 days. Facial massages should also be avoided in the first few days following treatment due to the resulting vasodilation and the potential migration of the product.
Instructions:
- correction of horizontal wrinkles in the frontal area, treatment of glabellar wrinkles, vertical wrinkles, located at the root of the nose;
- correction of periocular wrinkles commonly known as "crow's feet".
Its widespread use in aesthetic medicine is also justified by the absence of significant side effects (no serious or fatal events in twenty years of use) and the reversibility of the therapeutic action.
Contraindications:
- neurological diseases such as myasthenia gravis, ALS, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune myasthenic syndrome;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- antibiotic therapy;
- psychological alterations
