Botox Cosmetic is an FDA-approved drug that was the first of its kind. Doctors and their patients have been using this cosmetic medication for nearly twenty years, harnessing its neuromodulating capabilities to reduce wrinkles, lift sagging brow-lines, and generally rejuvenate the face. More than 7 million Botox treatments were administered in 2019. While getting Botox is common, there’s always a ‘first time’; the first time someone goes in for a treatment. If you’ve wondered what it’s like to get Botox, here we’ll walk you through what that first appointment is like.
Step One – Your Consultation
Before you get Botox, even if you make your appointment specifically for this treatment, Dr. Kunkel will consult with you. This friendly chat is part of the excitement of injectable treatments! It helps us understand what you hope to achieve. You’ll have the opportunity to tell us what concerns you about your appearance, down to the very lines you see when you look in the mirror. We also want to know what you expect to see after your treatment. This helps us put together a plan designed specifically for you. Remember, Botox is an injectable medication used to smooth dynamic wrinkles, the wrinkles that form when you frown, laugh, or make other facial expressions. If you have other creases, like those that often appear around the nose and mouth, these might be better corrected with dermal fillers rather than Botox. This is all discussed during your visits in the office.
Step Two – Your Treatment
One of the reasons Botox is referred to as a “lunchtime” treatment is that the injections only take a few minutes to do. The skin is cleansed and a tiny needle is used to administer multiple brief injections. Patients often worry that their injections will hurt. Most clients are surprised at how easy the process is and how little discomfort there is. To help keep people at ease, we often apply a numbing medication and leave it on for several minutes before doing the actual injections.
Recovery and Results
After getting Botox, most people go right back to their normal pace of life. When you schedule your first treatment, you might want to make arrangements to be able to go home, rather than back to work. We suggest this only because, this being your first injectable treatment, you don’t know how your body will respond. Most often the body responds with minor swelling and redness that last no more than a couple of hours. Once you’ve had your first treatment, you’ll know how you respond to it and this will make it easy to know how to schedule subsequent treatments.
The results of Botox build over the course of about a week. Once you see the result, it will last between 3 and 6 months; usually around 4. When you see lines returning, give us a call for a touch-up. It’s that easy!
We love serving the Fort Worth area. To schedule your first Botox appointment, call (817) 335-5200.