Midwest Eye Care Institute

Botox

Dr. Conlon has over 15 years experience injecting BOTOX®. He was trained in the use of these injections during his fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa, USA in 1992-1994, and since that time has performed many thousands of BOTOX® Injections. Dr. Conlon has been actively involved in training other physicians injection techniques in Botox injections, and is constantly refining his own technique.

BOTOX® is commonly used to reduce or eliminate the appearance of facial wrinkles. It is injected under the skin into areas surrounding the eyes, forehead and mouth to smooth crow's feet, frown and worry lines, and lines on the neck. Made from a purified protein, BOTOX® injections block nerve impulses, weakening muscles to relax wrinkles and give the face a rejuvenated look. Very few treatments produce such impressive results with no healing time required. BOTOX® is a muscle weakener that is derived from bacteria that have been purified for use in humans. BOTOX® Cosmetic is used to treat "frown lines" which are sometimes called "scowl lines" or "worry lines". These are the lines seen between the eyes and on the bridge of the nose. In addition, BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are used for "crow's feet" wrinkles and forehead wrinkles.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is also used by Dr. Conlon to treat corneal exposure, spastic entropion, and migraine headaches.

The injections are performed in the office with an ultra fine needle and the number of injections required varies with the degree of wrinkling. It only takes a few minutes to administer the injection and usually there is no down time or disruption to the normal work day. The effects of BOTOX® begin between 24-72 hours after treatment and the effect lasts an average of 3 to 4 months. There is some evidence that after several repeated injections, the effects last longer. In many cases it is effective for chemical peel, brow lift and laser patients to use BOTOX® on their wrinkles several weeks before their surgery. This causes a smoothing of the areas to be treated with the peel or laser and requires less laser tissue removal. In addition, the muscles will be inactive and make healing easier and more comfortable.

5 Common questions regarding BOTOX® Injections

1. How Long Does It Take BOTOX® to Start Working?

It takes approximately 3 days for BOTOX® injections to start working, and they tend to reach maximal effect 7 to 14 days following the injection. I generally recommend returning 14 days following the first injections for wrinkles to assess the results, and review the pre and post procedure photographs.

2. Are BOTOX® treatments painful?

No. Usually there is minimal discomfort with the injections, and there are a number of techniques that I commonly employ that make the injection virtually painless.

3. How long does BOTOX® last?

The effect of BOTOX® usually lasts 3 to 5 months when used to correct wrinkles of the face. First time patients may see the effects subside closer to 3 -4 months while repeat users may enjoy the effects for up to 6 months.

4. Will I experience any side effects?

While side effects are uncommon, they can often be easily treated when they do occur. The most common side effect following injection includes temporary eyelid droop which can be corrected with eye drops until the BOTOX® effect subsides. In some cases, localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection.

5. Will my facial expressions continue to look natural?

Although the results are visible, BOTOX® treatment will not significantly change your facial appearance or make you look as if you "had something done."

Although the results are visible due to the muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows being reduced, you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.