Neuromodulators prevent the movement of muscles.  In an area like the face, they are used to prevent the movement of facial muscles that cause wrinkles.  We communicate a great deal through our facial expressions, whether we realize it or not. Many expressions are made subconsciously when we’re feeling a particular emotion, such as a furrowed brow when we’re upset, and this conveys to others how we feel. Other times, we make intentional expressions like a smile or smirk to show our mood.  As we move our facial muscles to create these expressions, it causes our skin to crease in certain areas. In our youth, these creases smooth out as soon as our muscles relax. Unfortunately, as we age and our skin loses collagen and elastin, our skin becomes more rigid and may retain those dynamic wrinkles when our faces are at rest. At InVita Health and Wellness, we offer neurotoxins like Botox and Dysport as a non-surgical solution to dynamic wrinkles.

If you are looking for smooth skin and an overall younger appearance, ‌‌InVita Health and Wellness cuses Neurotoxins to help you look your best! Call our St. Louis office today at (314) 394-0950 or use our online form to schedule an appointment!

BOTOX TREATMENT

Botox is a cosmetic neurotoxin, and is a FDA-approved cosmetic treatment that temporarily reduces facial wrinkles and lines. Botox injections contain a toxin called botulinum toxin type A that blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles that temporarily interrupts the communication between a nerve and its muscle, causing temporary relaxation and smoothing of lines.   As a result, the muscle does not contract and muscle activity will be reduced, leading to wrinkles and facial lines to relax and soften.

A topical anesthetic can be applied for your comfort if desired.  Botox is then administered by a simple injection using a very small needle.  The treatment only takes a few minutes.  You can go back to your usual lifestyle activities after your Botox injections.  We do recommend the following temporary modifications:

• Keep your head elevated and do not exercise for a minimum of three hours after your treatment.
• Avoid excessive heat, like tanning beds, saunas, and hot tubs for the first day.
• Do not aggressively rub the treated area or get a facial massage for two weeks to avoid spreading the formula to nearby muscles.

Dynamic wrinkles will BEGIN to smooth out within a couple days of treatment, but 10-14 days before maximum benefit is seen.  On average, Botox treatments are effective for about 3 months for patients new to the treatment.  Because the wrinkle-causing muscles will lose some strength with each repeat treatment, the duration of your Botox results may increase over time with regular maintenance. 

Botox has a host of additional uses that can be helpful to your appearance and lifestyle.  It can be used to diminish the vertical “bands” in the neck and to turn up the corners of the mouth.  It can also be injected into the muscles of the jaw and temporal region to help with migraines and TMJ.  For excessive sweating of the hands, feet, and armpits, called hyperhidrosis, it can also be injected for treatment.