Who Is a Candidate for Botox®?

Botox® injections are an effective way to smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s a purified form of the botulinum-A toxin, which we inject in very small amounts to stop the muscle contractions that create wrinkles. 

Botox is the most popular cosmetic procedure nationwide, with 7 million people getting it done each year.

Gone are the days when Botox would give you a frozen, permanently surprised look. Today’s Botox injections are designed to make your skin look younger and more refreshed. 

Most of our clients are good candidates for Botox, although some people should not receive this treatment. Both men and women can benefit from Botox. Our providers at eleven19 Medical + Weight Loss explain more about who is a good candidate for Botox.

More details about Botox

Technically, Botox is a neurotoxin. In much larger quantities than what is used for cosmetic treatment, botulinum is a toxin that causes botulism poisoning. But the smaller dosage makes it safe when administered by a trained provider. It’s also purified before injected as a cosmetic treatment.

Botox stops the signals that cause muscle contractions. When tiny amounts are injected in your face, only the treated facial muscles stop making these contractions. You might better know these subtle muscle contractions as wrinkles. As these muscles relax, your wrinkles soften.

Who should get Botox?

Botox can be used as a preventive treatment. Many of our clients are often under the mistaken impression that you have to wait to use Botox until you already have deep, established wrinkles. 

But you can use Botox as early as your 20s or 30s, especially if you have a very expressive face. 

There’s nothing wrong with an expressive face, as it often makes you appear friendlier and more approachable. And you’ll be happy to know that Botox won’t make you unable to show expressions. It just makes it so that your facial expressions don’t leave permanent marks.

Areas where you may have wrinkles that we can target with Botox include crows’ feet (the muscles around your eyes), frown lines, the vertical wrinkles between your eyebrows, or horizontal wrinkles on your forehead.

Who should not get Botox

Botox is generally considered safe for most patients, but you shouldn’t get Botox if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a neuromuscular disorder such as amyotrophic lateral syndrome (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), or myasthenia gravis. 

You also should not get Botox treatments if you have a severe illness or infection.

In addition, even healthy patients should still take some precautions when receiving Botox. Don’t rub your face after receiving a Botox injection because you could unintentionally spread the Botox to other parts of your face, which could result in unwanted side effects.

Botox injections usually last for 3-12 months, depending on the areas treated. You’ll need to repeat the injections if you want to see continued results.

If you would like to learn more about Botox injections, we would love to talk to you. Contact us to make an appointment or to schedule a consultation. We have locations in Fullerton, Santa Ana, and Ontario, California.