Dubai: More than 70 per cent of women in the 40-65 age group in the UAE opt for regular Botox treatments, according to a specialist. Many in the younger age bracket, 40 and under, are also opting for botox makeovers to preempt the onset of wrinkles and laugh lines on the face.
Botox, an organic toxin, has become the most popular weapon of transformation in the armoury of cosmetic surgery and the UAE is not lagging behind in its use.
In the last three decades, botox has been recognised as one of the most efficacious non-invasive cosmetic options to erase wrinkles and slow down the signs of ageing. While botox injections have been used for long to treat migraines, non-surgical elevation of the nose and jaw and to alleviate some types of nerve-based pains, the rampant use of this organic toxin for cosmetic purposes has many concerned about the consequences.
Gulf News asked two Dubai-based plastic surgeons to set the record straight.
According to Dr Zoran Lekic, a plastic surgeon with City Centre Clinic, the healthcare arm of Majid Al Futtaim, said: “Botox is actually an organic toxin with positive impact. In the past, small quantities were used by doctors to treat headaches, block transmission of some impulses from nerves to muscles. Although it has the effect of paralysing the muscle when used in dilution [and in small quantities] to resolve some muscle pains, over the last three decades, surgeons realised they could inject botox into a muscle to slow down its movement in order to reduce deep creases and wrinkles.”
Botox works best on non-static wrinkles, said Dr Lekic. Usually people have static wrinkles — permanent lines on the face that do not change with the movement of the face. Apart from this, we have non-static wrinkles that take root depending on the muscle movement on the different areas of the face, such as the creases around our mouth, crow’s feet [around eyes], etc. Botox works best on these lines as it slows down the movement of the muscle beneath those lines. Results show within three days of the injections with marked smoothening of fine lines.
Is botox safe?
According to Dr Marwan Al Zarouni, consultant plastic surgeon with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), botox is entirely safe, provided it is of good quality and being used by a professionally qualified plastic surgeon. “Botox is the simplest non-invasive method of erasing wrinkles. The other options would be surgical face-lifts or chemical peels, both of which are time-consuming to perform and also take a long time to show their effect. One can walk into the clinic during the lunch hour for botox and report back to work as it takes at least three days for the effect to show. Good clinics use high-quality botox which is diluted with sterile solution and injected by an expert who knows exactly how much and where to inject the solution,” he said.
Botox is usually considered safer than invasive and surgical options as its adverse effect gets reversed in a short time and the effects are not permanent. Dr Lekic added, “Even if an injection causes excessive muscle spasm, this is at best temporary and the effect wears off within three to six months.”
How much botox does one need?
It depends on the areas marked to be treated, Dr Lekic said. “Normally, botox is measured in units. So, one vial of botox is 100 units which is diluted, according to the patient’s needs, with a sterile solution. An individual can have a weak or a strong muscle movement on the face in any particular area, so the plastic surgeon assesses the need of the patient and decides how much botox and at what dilution does a part of the face require. His skills while injecting the solution are also important so that the botox reaches the right location and delivers the optimum effect.
According to Dr Al Zarouni, “The procedure is simple. We are aware of the anatomy of the face and depending on the lift required – eyebrows, eyes, upper or lower lip, nose, etc, we decide on the quantity of botox and its dilution ratio. It has to be injected in the precise muscle below the required area.”
Both surgeons concur that when botox is administered in the right quantity and dilution by a trained plastic surgeon, it is one of the safest methods of affording a client quick anti-ageing results without long-term side-effects. Both believe it is a good alternative to surgical face-lifts.
Cost of botox:
Most women consider botox injections affordable, with each treatment session costing anything between Dh700 to Dh2,000, wherein the effects last for about six months. If you are looking for an annual budget on botox spend, it would be between Dh1,400 to Dh4,000.
Contra indications
Do not opt for botox treatments if:
- You have a skin rash or allergy
- Are pregnant.
- Are advanced in age.
- Suffer from an infection.
Post-Botox dos and don’ts
- Do not go for a facial or a gym session for three days after the treatment as an adverse reaction is bound to spread due to stepping up of blood circulation.
- Do not go undergo laser treatments for three days.
- Avoid going out in the sun for two days.
- Avoid banging your head on any hard surface
Possible side-effects
- Redness and skin bumps,
- Difficulty in swallowing or breathing, temporarily,
- Pain in the muscle.
- Extra spasm in the muscle (temporary).
- Sensitivity in the nerves of that area (temporary).
- Some unwelcome change in facial symmetry (temporary).
