What Is Botulinum Toxin?
The four approved brands available in Turkey—Botox, Dysport, Nabota and Bocature—contain botulinum toxin type A. The toxin blocks the transmission of nerve signals to muscles, preventing excessive contraction. It is injected beneath the skin or into a muscle. The practitioner must understand skin structure and physiology, as well as muscle, vascular and nerve anatomy. Appropriate placement, technique and dosing produce satisfactory results. Unapproved products or doses and techniques unsuitable for the individual can cause unwanted outcomes.
How Is Botulinum Toxin Treatment Performed?
Patient Assessment: Before botulinum toxin, the patient is evaluated in detail. Skin structure, degree of wrinkles, and overall health status are analysed. In particular, the muscle structure and facial anatomy are carefully examined.
Reviewing the Medical History: The patient's medical history, current medicines and allergies are reviewed. Any risk of an allergic reaction to botulinum toxin is assessed.
Selecting the Treatment Areas: The areas to receive botulinum toxin are identified. Treatment usually aims to reduce wrinkles on the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the eyes (crow's feet) and on the neck.
Cleaning the Treatment Area: The areas to be injected with botulinum toxin are cleaned with antiseptic solutions to minimise the risk of infection.
Anaesthesia Application: Local anaesthetic creams can be applied for patients with low pain threshold during the procedure. But since most botulinum toxin applications are minimally invasive, they usually do not require anaesthesia.
Preparation of Botulinum Toxin: Botulinum toxin is diluted with sterile injection solution. The dilution rate and the dose used may vary depending on the area of application and the patient's need.
Application of Injection Techniques: botulinum toxin injection is injected under the skin or into the muscle with thin end needles. The injection points are determined based on the direction of movement of the muscles and the targeted aesthetic outcome.
Post-treatment Monitoring: After the procedure, the patient is informed that mild redness or swelling may occur in the treated areas. These effects usually resolve quickly.
Post-treatment Instructions: Patients are advised to avoid rubbing their face, bending their head forward excessively for 24 hours, and strenuous physical activity after botulinum toxin treatment.
Review and Follow-up Appointments: A follow-up appointment is usually scheduled after 2 weeks to assess the treatment's effectiveness. Additional injections may be given if necessary.
Who should not receive botulinum toxin treatment?
Botulinum toxin treatment may not be suitable for every patient and should not be performed in certain circumstances.
Botulinum toxin treatment is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding because there is insufficient research on its safety during these periods. It is also unsuitable for people with neuromuscular diseases, such as myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, because it can cause severe muscle weakness.
Patients who are allergic to botulinum toxin should also avoid this treatment, as allergic reactions can have serious consequences. Botulinum toxin should not be administered to patients with an active infection, inflammation, cold sores or a skin disease at the intended treatment site, as these conditions may lead to the spread of infection.
In patients with bleeding disorders or those taking blood-thinning medicines, botulinum toxin treatment may increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. Treatment may therefore need to be deferred, or these patients carefully assessed.
Patients with excessive concerns about their appearance or psychiatric conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder should undergo a psychological assessment before botulinum toxin treatment.
Treatment should also be carefully assessed in people with chronic muscle diseases, as botulinum toxin may further weaken the muscles. These circumstances should be considered to ensure that botulinum toxin is used safely and effectively.
Facial Botulinum Toxin Treatments
On the face, botulinum toxin is most commonly used in the upper 1/3, including the forehead, between the eyebrows and around the eyes, with satisfactory results. In the lower face, injections into the masseter, or chewing muscle, are used to treat teeth clenching. These injections also help slim the face.
Botulinum toxin can also improve a gummy smile. Lip fillers may sometimes be combined with it in these patients. Appropriate doses can be used in suitable patients to treat fine lines above the lip, often called smoker's lines or barcode lines. Other uses include downturned mouth corners, a nasal tip that drops when smiling, expression-related chin wrinkles and platysmal bands in the neck.
Low-dose Botulinum Toxin (Baby Botox)
This treatment uses lower doses to avoid substantially affecting facial movement. Often called baby botulinum toxin treatment, it aims to refresh and rejuvenate the skin while preserving natural facial expressions.
Unlike standard treatment, baby botulinum toxin uses smaller doses. It is particularly popular with actors and people whose work relies on facial expression. Wrinkles are softened without significantly restricting facial movement, preserving a natural look while reducing signs of ageing. It suits people who want a more youthful appearance while retaining expressive movement.
Botulinum Toxin for Men (Brotox)
Men often have stronger, more prominent facial muscles, requiring a different approach. Injection sites and doses therefore differ from those used in women to avoid an unwanted feminine appearance. Treatment aims to reduce wrinkles and create a younger look while preserving the patient's natural masculine facial contours.
Masseter Botulinum Toxin for Teeth Clenching
Botulinum toxin treatment for teeth clenching and grinding is also known as masseter treatment. It involves injecting botulinum toxin into the masseter muscles, which are used for chewing.
What Is Masseter Botulinum Toxin Treatment?
Masseter botulinum toxin treatment involves injections into the chewing muscles at the lower jaw. By reducing their size and strength, it can improve facial appearance and relieve problems such as jaw clenching.
Overactivity of the masseter muscles in people who clench or grind their teeth (bruxism) can cause wear affecting the jaw and teeth, headaches and jaw joint discomfort. Botulinum toxin relaxes the muscle and helps reduce these symptoms. Treatment is usually quick and does not require anaesthesia. However, treating the masseter alone may not always resolve teeth clenching; muscles higher up in the temple area may also need treatment.
How Is Masseter Botulinum Toxin Treatment Performed?
Masseter botulinum toxin is an aesthetic procedure used to reduce the size of the masseter muscle and create a slimmer, more oval facial appearance.
Small doses of botulinum toxin are injected into the masseter muscle. Muscle size and facial anatomy are carefully assessed. Fine needles are then used to inject the selected treatment sites.
Treatment usually takes only a few minutes and does not interrupt daily life. It relaxes a masseter muscle enlarged by excessive chewing or bruxism (teeth clenching), softening and slimming the jawline. Results generally appear within a few weeks, with noticeable slimming of the lower face as the muscle becomes smaller.
Who Is Masseter Botulinum Toxin Treatment Suitable For?
Masseter botulinum toxin treatment is suitable for people whose overdeveloped jaw muscles create a square or broad facial appearance. In particular, people with teeth clenching (bruxism) or excessive chewing habits may achieve a slimmer, more oval face by reducing the size of these muscles.
In addition, for people who want to soften their facial contours aesthetically and thin the jawline, masseter botulinum toxin is an appropriate option. Masseter botulinum toxin offers ideal results in people who have a strong and distinct masseter muscle but want to change their facial contours without resorting to surgical intervention.
Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Excessive Sweating
The application of botulinum toxin is a frequently preferred method of treating excessive sweating. Sweating botulinum toxin can be used in many body areas but is most preferred in underarm sweating.
Botulinum toxin reduces sweating by blocking the release of substances from nerve endings that stimulate sweat glands. Underarm treatment is FDA-approved and considered safe. Effects begin in approximately 1 week and last an average of 6-8 months. Patients can resume normal daily activities after treatment.
What Is Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Excessive Sweating?
Botulinum toxin injections are used to manage excessive sweating by reducing overactivity of the sweat glands. This treatment is used for hyperhidrosis, which can negatively affect social life. Hyperhidrosis means excessive sweat production in particular body areas even without stress or strenuous physical activity, and it can interfere with daily life.
How Is Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Excessive Sweating Performed?
Treatment for excessive sweating is minimally invasive and is usually performed with local anaesthesia or an anaesthetic cream. Fine needles deliver botulinum toxin directly to the areas of excessive sweating. It temporarily blocks communication between nerve endings and sweat glands, preventing overactivity. Common treatment areas include the underarms, hands, feet and face. The time required depends on the size of the area.
Who Is Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Excessive Sweating Suitable For?
Botulinum toxin may be an appropriate option for people with excessive sweating. General health is assessed before treatment to determine suitability.