By Howard Seidman, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth
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Cosmetic surgery has traditionally been the domain of women. But more men are choosing to defy Father Time the same way now. In fact, men accounted for 300,000 Botox procedures in 2008 to reduce facial lines and wrinkles. That's an increase of 233 percent in Botox injections for men over 2007.
Botox is the product name for a toxin known as Clostridium botulinum. This substance was first identified in 1895 as the cause of botulism, a dangerous form of food poisoning. Botulinum toxin has had many uses throughout the years, but it wasn't until 1987 that its cosmetic possibilities were discovered.
Why get it?
Most men who want Botox wish to get rid of the two vertical lines that form between their eyebrows. These lines may make them look angry or confused. Others want Botox to smooth out forehead creases.
Some men may be using Botox to keep a youthful look for workplace competition. Men may also seek it for social reasons or due to their wives' encouragement.
What happens?
Botox is injected directly into facial areas to temporarily reduce or eliminate:
- Frown lines
- Forehead creases
- Crow's feet
- Thick bands in the neck
Botox blocks nerve transmissions to the muscles causing the wrinkles and forces them to be weak or paralyzed. The effect of this improves tone in adjacent muscles and makes for a smoother appearance.
Injections are done without anesthesia, and they cause mild pain. Most people can return to normal activities about an hour after the injections.
To keep away the lines and wrinkles, you'll need to commit to repeat visits to the doctor. The effects from a botox injection usually last only 90 to 120 days.
Areas of concern
The structures of men's faces are rarely identical. That is why you need to find a doctor who pays extremely close attention to your features and tailors the toxin dosage correctly. You don't want to end up having too much Botox injected. It can leave your face with a "frozen" expression or cause other problems.
Results from Botox treatment on the forehead vary the most. Injections must balance the benefit of muscles relaxing versus muscles that take up the slack. When done poorly, the result may be ptosis. That's when surrounding muscles can't effectively pick up the slack.
Most ptosis results from toxin moving away from the injection site or because the site was wrong. It can cause one part of the brow to end up raised while the other droops. If ptosis results from work around the eyes, you could end up with droopy eyelids or eyebrows that seem to confer a permanent inquisitive look (much like Mr. Spock on the original Star Trek TV series).
More severe complications like ptosis can last up to 120 days. But even if the cosmetic goals of Botox are achieved, the injections could still result in side effects such as:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Malaise
- Rashes at distant sites
Good communication with your doctor is essential when you consider Botox injections. At your first visit you should explain in detail why you want the injections and how you hope to look and feel afterward.
You should have realistic expectations about your procedure. Your age and health may influence the quality of your outcome. Doctors who inject Botox may be able to offer improvement but not perfection.
View the original You can look younger, too: botox use by men is growing article on myOptumHealth.com
SOURCES:
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Indications for men.
- Tan SR, Glogau RG. Botox esthetics. In: Carruthers A, Carruthers C. Carruthers & Carruthers: Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology Series - Botulinum Toxin. 2nd edition. St. Louis, MO: W.B. Saunders; 2007.
- Maas CS. Botulinum neurotoxins and injectable fillers: minimally invasive management of the aging upper face. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2007;40(2):283-290.
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2008 cosmetic surgery gender distribution.
- Balikian RV, Zimbler MS. Primary and adjunctive uses of botulinum toxin type A in the periorbital region. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2007;40(2): 291-303.
