All about tox

Botulinum Neurotoxins (BoNT-A)

(Dysport®, Botox®, Xeomin®, Jeuveau®)

¨ What are they? Proteins created to inhibit acetylcholine release in the neuromuscular junction.

¨ What does this mean? Without acetylcholine, there is no muscle contraction

¨ So what? This causes a relaxation of the target muscles, softening frown lines or decreasing muscle pull.

¨ Where can we use this (in aesthetics)? There are many uses for neurotoxins, in aesthetics specifically, the most commonly treated areas are between the brows for the angry “11 lines,” the forehead (to prevent makeup creasing) and around the eyes or “crow’s feet.”

o Additional treatments that are gaining popularity include: non-surgical brow lifts, lip flips, neck bands, TMJ for teeth grinding, chin dimpling and downturned smiles. The later are more advanced techniques that require additional training and education.

¨ There are so many on the market, are they all the same?

On the market in the US, we currently have abobotulinumtoxinA,(Dysport®) onabotulinumtoxinA,(Botox)® incobotulinumtoxinA,(Xeomin®) prababotulinumtoxinA ( Jeuveau®). Onset of and duration of these products vary. In my experience, I have found that Dysport® onsets quickest and can have a slightly longer duration. This is likely attributed to the heavier molecule making up the active protein. Dysport® is a product in the Galderma family, that also makes the Restylane® filler family that we love and use.

¨ Will all my lines go away with neurotoxin use? Over time, static wrinkles ( or lines present at rest) will improve, with consistent use of a neuromodulator. The “tox” products prevent the lines from worsening and also give your body some time to rebuild collagen in the areas where it has broken down due to overuse. If you’re looking for a quicker result, you may add on a microneedling treatment, we use the SkinPen® here at Sunkyssed Injector, to boost your collagen production. Additionally, some lines need dermal fillers to replace volume- hop over to my filler blog to read more on this!

¨ What to avoid before your “tox” treatment? 5 days before your treatment, avoid any blood thinning agents including NSAIDs (like Aspirin, Advil, Ibuprofen or Motrin), Alcohol, green tea, fish oils and other OTC herbs that have a blood thinning side effect. *Important: discuss with your doctor before stopping any Aspirin products. Your cardiologist is the boss here and if you are taking any blood thinning agents, discuss this with your providers prior to any injectable treatments.

No exercise immediately before, this vasodilates your vessels and can increase bruise risk. If you are anemic, please talk with your provider about treatment options. Lastly, if you are an “easy bruiser,” start an oral arnica product (provided you are not allergic), 3 days before your treatment then continue until any bruising has resolved, there is a topical option as well.

¨ What to avoid after your “tox” treatment? No exercise, saunas, sun or hats for 24 hours. No NSAIDs, alcohol or blood thinning agents for 24 hours. Nothing that will increase your blood pressure or any pressure in your face, for 24 hours. No laying down for 4 hours after and do not touch the treatment area except for gentle cleansing until the next day.

Crystal Osborn, PA-C

Owner at Sunkyssed Injector