You probably heard about Botox ™ from a social media ad, news or your friends. It is by far is the most common cosmetic procedure done in Egypt and worldwide every year since more than two decades. The quick effect of on wrinkle removing and the high safety profile with minimal side effects is what makes it really popular among people.
Botox™ is a brand name of a drug where the active ingredient is botulinum toxin produced by some kind of bacteria mainly causes temporary muscle weakness and paralysis.
There are many other brands widely available in Egypt. Dysport, Xeomin, Neuronox and Refinex all exported from different manufacturers.
How Botox work?
botulinum toxin cause temporary paralysis and weakness in muscles which helps to soften the dynamic wrinkles in the forehead and around the eyes.
It also works on sweat gland by an unknown mechanism to minimize sweating from some areas suffering from excessive sweating (for those suffering from Hyperhidrosis)
Why is botox used?
it is used cosmetically for the following reasons
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Forehead wrinkles
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Crow’s feet wrinkles (outer eye wrinkles)
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Frown lines (also known as 111 in Egypt)
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Nose wrinkles (bunny lines)
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Vertical neck lines
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Gummy smile
It is used also therapeutically for
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Excessive sweating (underarms, hands, feet)
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Chronic Migraine
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Teeth Grinding (teeth clenching)
Many patients use botox for a non-surgical forehead lift, eyebrow lift or even a minimal eyelid lift.
Botox Injection Sites in the face
Am I a candidate for Botox ?
Everyone is a good candidate for this procedure, except if he/she is
- Allergic to Botox or any similar brand
- They have a currently active skin infection
- Undergone a recent facial surgery
- You have weakness in forehead muscles already
- If you have a neurological-muscular condition
- If you are pregnant or lactating
The procedure
A very simple procedure, that takes less than 5 minutes.
- we use a local anesthetic cream to numb the desired area of injection.
- Mark our injection points in the areas to be treated.
- We use the world’s smallest needle (the invisible needle) to deliver a near painless procedure and a better overall experience.
- We inject the botox as marked.
Temporary Small bumps may be seen at injection sites that usually disappear within 15-20 minutes.
What should you not do after botox injection
- Do not rub or massage the area injected for 5 hours.
- Avoid leaning or bending forward for 5 hours after the procedure.
- Avoid alcohol in the first day of injection
- Avoid strenthous activity in the first 24 hours
How long does botox take to work for wrinkles?
Results for Botox™ aren’t right away, it is expected to take effect from 2-3 days and around 14 days to see full effects after the procedure.
How Long does botox Last?
from 3-6 months. It varies from one person to another, area injected and the dose injected. Botox usually last longer in women than men.
Do men get botox?
Yes, men get botulinum toxin treatments is trending and at least 40% of our treatments are for men.
How much does a botox cost in Egypt?
Cost varies depends on the areas required for injection, the number of units to be injected per required area, the brand used and the doctor’s experience. In our practice Dr Mohamed Ashraf use the best botulinum toxin brands licensed for use by the Egyptian drug authority
Can we do facial fillers in the same setting?
Yes, definitely we can do both in the same settings, but Dr Mohamed Ashraf will never overlap both botox and fillers in the same facial area in the same setting.
Botox vs surgical endoscopic forehead lift?
Botox is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t take more than 5 minutes with almost no downtime and lasts for 3-6 months sometimes more on the other hand an endoscopic forehead lift is a surgery with incisions and scars at a higher cost compared to botox and a recovery times that may take 2-3 weeks.