Botox is a name-brand form of injectable botulinum toxin, a neuromodulator that temporarily stops targeted muscles from flexing. Dermatologists use Botox for several purposes, including clinical and cosmetic applications. 

Botulinum toxin works by stopping the nerve impulses that tell your muscles to activate. Botox is an injectable, and the results of a single round of injections last for months, depending on what you’re using Botox to treat.

Your dermatologist at Integrated Dermatology of Boise maps the injection points carefully, so the medication only goes into specific muscles. 

Botox has both medical and cosmetic uses in dermatology. During your treatment consultation, your dermatologist discusses the injectable and can help you prepare for treatment. Its purposes include: 

• Cosmetic purposes.

Botox is best known for its ability to soften or flatten facial wrinkles and fine lines. It treats dynamic wrinkles — wrinkles that form because of facial expressions and muscle movements. These include crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead lines, among others. 

• Medical purposes.

Dermatologists use Botox to treat several medical conditions, including hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating and often affects the sweat glands in your armpits. It can also prevent involuntary muscle spasms like neck spasms from cervical dystonia. These are just some of the uses for Botox. You’ll learn more during your consultation.

Botox and fillers are not quite the same, but some people choose to get both. Fillers are available for cosmetic purposes and can minimize wrinkles, but not in the way that Botox does. Instead, injectable fillers add soft volume beneath your skin. You can use them to add fullness to your:

• Lips. 
• Cheeks.
• Backs of your hands.
• Indented scars.

Nasolabial folds.

Your dermatologist personalizes your cosmetic treatment with fillers or Botox after studying your facial contours and anatomy. The results of most fillers last for up to a year, while Botox can erase fine lines for 3-4 months. You can repeat the treatments if you choose to do so. 

For more information about Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic injectables, call Integrated Dermatology of Boise or book a consultation online today.