Botox ® : Botulinum toxin injection in Paris

Botox is one of the brand names for botulinum toxin. It was the first drug in the world to receive marketing authorization for use in aesthetic medicine.
Its success has been such that Botox has almost become a household name.

What is Botox?

Botox is the trade name for botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin that reversibly paralyzes muscles. This toxin is purified to make a medicine with all the characteristics of efficacy and safety.

Where does botulinum toxin come from?

It's a neurotoxin discovered in 1949 in a very old disease, botulism: it was found to act by temporarily paralyzing muscles, by attaching itself to receptors between the motor nerve and the muscle (synapse).

In 1970, a San Francisco ophthalmologist decided to use it to treat strabismus... and thanks to his powers of observation, discovered that it reduced wrinkles on the treated side.

This was the starting point for numerous scientific studies that led to the marketing of Botox® injections for over 25 years, also used to treat and correct neuromuscular dysfunctions in numerous therapeutic fields such as ophthalmology, neurology and urology, in both children and adults. It's a real medicine.

In aesthetic medicine in Paris, Botox® acts by immobilizing certain facial muscles, with the aim of preventing any muscle contraction responsible for facial wrinkles and fine lines.
Today, botulinum toxin is produced as a drug, and is no longer isolated from the original pathogen (Clostridium botulinum).

How does Botox ® or botulinum toxin work?

This BTX-A neurotoxin blocks the neuromediator that transmits nerve impulses to the muscle, acetylcholine: by stopping muscle control, the muscle can no longer contract and relaxes, with a spectacular muscle-relaxing effect.

As we age, our faces are marked by numerous wrinkles: expression lines or dynamic wrinkles are those resulting from the expression of our emotions (fear, joy, concern...). By contracting our skin muscles, the skin and the underlying muscular envelope (SMAS) lose their elasticity, resulting in the formation of these wrinkles which transform our physiognomy by conveying negative impressions (hardness, fatigue, sadness...). Botox injections in the forehead area of the face will smooth out the wrinkles and remove negative expressions, while maintaining the forehead's mobility.

By reversibly blocking acetylcholine, botulinum toxin has two main effects used in aesthetic medicine in our Paris 75116 practice:

• It blocks muscle contraction, thus eliminating dynamic wrinkles;
• it blocks sweat secretion, dependent on the same neuromediator, acetylcholine.

This blocking action lasts an average of 6 months, before the toxin is degraded, releasing the receptors once again.

What are Botox facial injections in Paris?

Botulinum toxin injections are the leading product for achieving a "medical facelift" for wrinkles in the upper face. It temporarily reduces wrinkles by relaxing the facial skin muscles responsible for expression lines.

These wrinkles give your face a severe, tired appearance. After Botox® injection, the face appears rested and relaxed, wrinkles fade and the face softens, looking less tired and hard.

This is particularly true of the lion's wrinkle or inter-brow wrinkle (the wrinkle between the eyebrows), which gives a stern, tired look, or of forehead wrinkles and crow's feet wrinkles, which give a worried or weary appearance.

Injection of botulinum toxin or Botox® also opens up the eyes by lifting the tail of the eyebrow, making them appear more open and rejuvenated.

The aim of botulinum toxin injections is not to freeze the face, as is all too often the case, but to relax it, to rejuvenate the look, to preserve a natural expression of the features, while reducing excess facial muscle tone.

That's why Botox injections must be carried out by a plastic surgery professional: don't hesitate to contact the secretariat of Docteur Christelle Santini, physician and plastic surgeon in Paris, for more information. Botox® injections are performed in her practice in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, guaranteeing a natural result, with a fresh, rested look that doesn't suppress your expressions or our identity.

How is axillary hyperhidrosis treated with botulinum toxin Paris?

Mainly known in aesthetic medicine for its anti-wrinkle action (medical facelift), botulinum toxin or Botox® can also be used for excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis.

Perspiration is a natural phenomenon that enables our bodies to evacuate excess heat and eliminate toxins. For some people, perspiration can become excessive: this is known as hyperhidrosis. This excessive sweating can have a major impact on their day-to-day social and professional life, creating a vicious circle. This is all the more true if unpleasant odors (bromidrosis) complicate this hypersweating, profoundly altering social relationships.

Hyperhidrosis can affect the armpits (axillary hyperhidrosis), the hands (palmar hyperhidrosis) or the soles of the feet (plantar hyperhidrosis). This excessive sweating can affect people of all ages, men and women alike, and represents a social handicap that is difficult to bear, especially in the case of palmar hyperhidrosis.

To regain a truly comfortable lifestyle, an injection of botulinum toxin, Botox®, in the axilla or palmar area can safely curb excessive perspiration over the long term.

Botulinum toxin or Botox is a drug that has been injected for over 25 years to relieve millions of patients suffering from neuromuscular pathologies in ophthalmology, neurology and urology. Botulinum toxin or Botox ® blocks nerve signals to the sweat glands, thereby blocking the release of sweat. This treatment can considerably reduce or even stop sweating in the armpits and hands.

For optimum effect in summer, it is advisable to intervene in spring, with a lasting effect of around 6 months. The injection takes an average of 5 to 10 days to take effect, with an optimal effect on sweat secretion after 2 to 4 weeks.

This injection can be done on a regular basis, twice a year, or on a one-off basis, before a major event (wedding, ceremony, job interview, etc.).

What are the contraindications to Botox ®?

In some cases, botulinum toxin injections are not recommended:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Neuromuscular diseases (myasthenia gravis, etc.).
• Known hypersensitivity to botulinum toxin.

Treatments such as aspirin may be a relative contraindication (increased risk of bleeding), to be discussed with Dr. Santini during the first appointment.

An initial consultation takes place at Dr. Christelle Santini's medical practice. The clinical examination is complemented by the need to know your needs, reasons and expectations, in order to check that the proposed technique is the best one for your objectives. Medical photos will be taken, and a personalized estimate will be sent to you, explaining any precautions to be taken before the injections, such as stopping taking aspirin for 5 days.

On the day of the session, the skin should be free of make-up and congestion: exposure to sunlight or alcohol can be harmful to the skin, so we recommend avoiding them on the day of the Botox injections.

Depending on the area to be treated and your sensitivity, the use of an EMLA anaesthetic cream , sold in pharmacies, will help limit pain as much as possible. It should be noted, however, that these injections are virtually painless, since the needle is very fine, and a local anesthetic/botulinum toxin combination is used for each injection.

After disinfecting the treated areas, the entire injection process takes just 15 minutes.

Botulinum toxin is injected intra-muscularly using very fine needles, guaranteeing greater precision for Dr. Santini and less pain for the patient. The art lies in accurately locating the muscle and the injection point, as well as the quantity of toxin to be injected, for a natural result. The larger and more superficial the doses, the more artificial the result will be, with the skin appearing frozen.

Intra-muscular injections of botulinum toxin are performed every 1 to 2 cm if required, as this treatment is not very painful. To perfect the result, Dr Santini may ask you to make different expressions or "grimaces", to better appreciate the particularities of your skin muscles, both in their positioning and in the intensity of their contraction. This is the guarantee of a tailor-made anti-aging treatment.

The patient goes home as soon as the medical facelift session is over.

There is no need to avoid social contact, although some redness or bruising may appear immediately after the injections, but will disappear within a few days.

During the 2 hours following the injections, it is important not to engage in intensive sports, lie down, make exaggerated facial expressions or massage the face.

Any small bruises can be masked the next day with make-up or foundation.

What are the results of botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections?

The results begin to show 3 to 4 days after the injection, with optimal results after 10 to 15 days: the muscle is relaxed, wrinkles diminished, the face rejuvenated and rested but retaining its expressions. It's a real burst of freshness and youthfulness, with a softer, brighter, more welcoming look.

A touch-up may be performed after 2 weeks, to correct any residual asymmetries in facial wrinkles.

For hypersudation, the ideal is to start at least 1 month before the expected effect (wedding, professional seminar, vacation...).

Botulinum toxin injections should be repeated every 6 months. It is not unusual for the anti-wrinkle effect of the first injection to be slightly shorter (5 months).

The cost of a Botox Paris injection will depend on the area treated and the quantity of product injected, which varies from case to case. Dr. Santini will therefore be able to give you a detailed estimate at the end of your first consultation, starting at 350 euros per syringe.

• An initial consultation with photos and an estimate.
• A pain-free 15-minute session.
• An immediate return home with few marks and no social eviction.
• Optimal effect between 10 and 15 days, with smooth, rested skin.
• A long-lasting effect for 6 months with a natural look that enhances your personality and expressions.