What is Botox?
Botox is a diluted form of botulinum toxin type A. Although this is the same bacterial nerve toxin that causes botulism, Botox injections contain such tiny amounts of the toxin that there is no risk of getting the sometimes fatal disease. The injections are used for the cosmetic treatment of wrinkles.

How is it used?
Botox is injected with a very fine needle into muscles in the forehead and around the eyes or neck that cause wrinkles when you frown, squint, laugh or smile. The injected Botox blocks the transmission of nerve impulses to these muscles so that they relax and the skin becomes smoother.

The shots cause very little discomfort. Dr. Morice will numb the area with an anesthetic cream before giving you the shots. The treatment takes about 10 minutes and the waiting period for the numbing cream to work is about 15 minutes. You should not bend over or lie down for 6 hours after an injection to keep the toxin from spreading to other muscles. You will also be instructed to use those facial muscles that are being treated for 3 to 4 hours after the injections (frowning, laughing, or smiling). The shots do not cause numbness.

It takes 6 or 7 days for Botox to start to relax the muscles and resolve the wrinkles. The effects last anywhere from 4 to 6 months after your first treatment. There is a progressive lengthening of these effects with repetitive treatments. To keep the effects, you will need to repeat treatments about every 6 months, however, some of Dr. Morice's repeat Botox patients have gone for over one year before requiring additional treatments.

Botox treatments cost $10 per Unit. There are three treatment areas on the face: forehead wrinkles, wrinkles between the eyebrows, and the wrinkles on the outer area around the eyes.

What are the benefits?
Fewer wrinkle lines will appear in the areas where you have the shots. (Deep wrinkle creases may still show.) The process of wrinkling stops as long as the Botox is working.

What are the risks?
Before receiving Botox, tell Dr. Morice if you have ever had heart disease or a nerve or muscle disorder such as ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) or myasthenia gravis. Botox may make these conditions worse.

Other possible risks include:

• Bruises, stinging or redness around injection sites
• Droopy eyelid if Botox is injected too close to the eyelid
• Headache that starts within a couple of days of treatment and lasts for several weeks.
• Treatment with this medicine may cause your body to form antibodies that may make future treatments less effective. You should receive the lowest effective dose, with at least 3 months between shots.
• Injections in the muscles close to the eyes may cause you to blink less. This may harm your eyes. Dr. Morice may prescribe eyedrops, ointment, soft contact lenses, or an eye patch to protect your eyes until the medicine has worn off enough for you to be able to blink normally again

Getting treatment from Dr. Morice who is experienced in using Botox may help to decrease risks.