When you want more youthful looking skin, you want to use products and undergo procedures you know are both safe and effective. One option is Botox. Botox is a safe and widely used product that can help you obtain more youthful looking skin. At Primary Care El Paso, we offer Botox as part of our anti-aging medicine services. Part of maintaining our health is taking care of ourselves mentally and emotionally, something we may struggle to do when we don’t feel good about the way we look. In this way, physical health is part of cosmetic health.
At Primary Care El Paso, we want all of our patients to lead healthy lives—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and one of the ways we do that is by offering Botox and other anti-aging medicine services.
What is Botox?
Botox is an FDA approved treatment that may help to reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes. Botox, which is short for botulinum toxin, is a neurotoxic protein that, because of the bacterium it is derived from, causes mild paralysis in the muscles it is injected into. This paralysis prevents one from temporarily moving the muscles, reducing the activity in the area, which helps to firm the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What Can Botox Be Used For?
Botox can be used to treat numerous issues beyond anti-aging purposes. While Botox is primarily used to treat the effects aging can have on our skin, including fine lines and wrinkles around our mouths, on our foreheads, and around our eyes, it can also be used to treat issues like headaches and migraines, overactive bladder symptoms, muscle stiffness—particularly around your joints—eye muscle issues, and neck pain. Botox is a safe alternative when certain medications and procedures aren’t working to solve these issues.
At Primary Care El Paso, we primarily use Botox as a form of anti-aging medicine. While aging is unavoidable, dealing with the effects of aging is not something you have to deal with because of advancements in medicine, technology, and procedures. We can help you look and feel your best with Botox. When administered, Botox can safely reduce muscle activity in areas where wrinkles are most prominent. This reduction in muscle activity reduces the number of times your skin moves, pulls or tightens in these areas, which is why wrinkles form in the first place.
We safely administer Botox using injections. We start by numbing the area where we will be applying the injections so that once we do, it’s less painful. No one likes injections, but with the right care beforehand, you’ll hardly feel it. Plus, Botox has minimal recovery time, so you don’t have to worry about taking too much time off from work just to get the procedure done. You’ll be back on your feet and looking and feeling your best in no time.
Is Botox Safe?
Yes! One of the biggest misconceptions about Botox is that it is unsafe. There have been numerous horror stories about Botox gone wrong that have left people permanently paralyzed and disfigured because of the procedure. But issues like these occur only when you go to someone who isn’t certified or qualified to do the procedure or someone who sourced their Botox from a non-credible place. Sometimes, these unqualified individuals only want money and don’t inject their patients with Botox at all, but rather use some other substance that causes a negative reaction. This is where the false rumors begin because while bad things can happen from botched Botox procedures, they only occur when you go to an unqualified, unprofessional, and unethical clinic and doctor. So, the answer is: Botox is completely safe when you go with a qualified and accredited doctor/clinic.
At Primary Care El Paso, we’re board certified in anti-aging medicine and are qualified to administer Botox procedures. We had to earn this accreditation, in addition to our medical degrees and experience, in order to qualify for this kind of job. We are also members of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. As members of this association, we are held to higher standards and are expected to give a higher degree of care and respect to our patients. Because of this, you can guarantee that we will do a great job when giving you Botox.
If you are concerned about whether or not Botox is for you, schedule an appointment with us so we can discuss it! We can take a look at your medical history, known allergies and irritants, family medical history, and any medical conditions you may have to determine if you are a good fit. If we think you are, we can schedule you to undergo Botox. And if we think Botox isn’t for you based on these conditions, we can help you find other options in anti-aging medicine that may work best for you.
Myths About Botox
There are lots of myths about Botox, from the false idea that Botox will freeze your face forever to believing it’ll scar your skin. Again, these myths are born from people undergoing Botox procedures at unethical clinics and with unqualified doctors. Other myths include:
- Botox is Painful- While you may feel some mild discomfort during the procedures, Botox isn’t as painful as some people make it out to be. During your appointment with us, we’ll do what we can to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible and to minimize whatever pain you may feel.
- Your Wrinkles Will Get Worse if You Stop Botox- This is completely untrue. If you choose to stop receiving Botox for whatever reason, your wrinkles—which are unavoidable—will appear naturally and gradually.
- Botox Can Be Used All Over Your Face- Botox is designed for only a couple specific areas of your face—around your mouth, your forehead, and around your eyes. There are other options available for other areas of your face that can help to reduce the effects of aging.
- Botox Will Release Toxins in Your Face- This couldn’t be further from the truth. Botox is 100 percent safe and since it is FDA approved, you can guarantee that what you’re getting is safe for you as long as you go with a qualified clinic and doctor.
Who Shouldn’t Get Botox?
While Botox is safe, there are certain people who shouldn’t get the procedure done. This includes people who:
- Know they are allergic to the ingredients in Botox,
- Have had negative reactions to other products that use similar ingredients,
- Have had bad reactions to Botox in the past, or
- Have a condition that may worsen the negative side effects of Botox.
Again, talking to a doctor is the best way to know if Botox is for you. We can walk you through every step and determine if you’re a good candidate to get this kind of procedure done.
Preparing for the Procedure
While there are minimal things you need to do to prepare to receive Botox, a few things we advise you to do include:
- Avoid taking Ibuprofen and similar medications in the week before your appointment
- Eat lots of leafy greens
- Avoid eating apples or foods that are heavy in garlic
- Prepare for slight bruising on your face accordingly
- Ask your doctor about topical numbing creams and medications to take to help with discomfort
Before your appointment, we’ll let you know what we suggest you do in order to ensure your appointment goes as smoothly as possible!
Side Effects and Recovery
There is minimal recovery time for Botox. You may feel some mild discomfort in the application areas after the procedure and some bruising is common. However, these should disappear within a week of the procedure. We find that most of our patients only experience mild side effects. We will do what we can to help reduce the side effects and minimize your recovery time.
Call Us Today!
If you’re interested in receiving Botox and want to go with a qualified clinic for the procedure, give us a call today. We’re ready to help you every step of the way!
