Myth #1: BOTOX® Cosmetic is unsafe.
FACT: BOTOX® Cosmetic has a long and well-established safety history. While you may only know BOTOX® Cosmetic” as a wrinkle treatment, it has actually been in use for over 18 years for the effective treatment of a range of medical conditions and is one of the most widely researched medicines in the world.
It is reassuring to know that BOTOX® Cosmetic is the most popular physician-administered cosmetic treatment in North America with an estimated 16 million treatments performed since it was first approved. In addition, it has received a 97% satisfaction rating among users.
Myth #2: BOTOX® Cosmetic will result in the loss of facial expression.
FACT: BOTOX® Cosmetic is intended to enhance the way you look, not change it. When administered by an experienced physician, you can still smile, frown and animate. The treatment only relaxes the muscle beneath the lines at the point of injection, so the other elements of facial expression remain active. It also has no effect on the sensory nerves, so you will have normal feeling in the treated areas.
Myth #3: BOTOX® Cosmetic is botulism (food poisoning).
FACT: BOTOX® Cosmetic is not botulism. It is a purified protein and a finished medical prescription product proven to be very safe through extensive research and testing.
Myth #4: BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment is painful.
FACT: A BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment is quick and simple. A very fine needle and small amount of liquid is used, so the pain associated with the injection is minimal. No anaesthetic is required, and you can resume normal activities immediately.
Myth #5: BOTOX® Cosmetic injections can be given anywhere.
FACT: BOTOX® Cosmetic is a technique-sensitive procedure. Make sure to visit a well-trained aesthetic-specialty physician for your treatment and discuss the optimal results you would like to achieve. BOTOX® Cosmetic should only be administered in appropriate medical settings.
Myth #6: BOTOX® Cosmetic is expensive.
FACT: The cost of BOTOX® Cosmetic varies depending on the amount of product needed to achieve optimal results and the areas of the face that are being treated. As an example, BOTOX® Cosmetic typically ranges from $300 to $500 to treat the frown lines between the eyebrows. Since the positive effects of a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment can last up to four months, the cost is about $3-$5 per day.
Myth #7: There are creams that are better than BOTOX® Cosmetic.
FACT: There is no scientific evidence that supports the claim that creams work better than BOTOX® Cosmetic. Creams work well on the surface of the skin. BOTOX® Cosmetic works below the surface of the skin to relax the muscles that cause lines and wrinkles to form.
Myth #8: BOTOX® Cosmetic is a filler.
FACT: Unlike facial fillers, BOTOX® Cosmetic doesn’t fill in facial lines or restore volume loss. It relaxes the muscles underneath the skin that cause the lines. Facial fillers like Juvéderm help to fill in facial lines and give back volume that is lost over time.
Myth #9: BOTOX® Cosmetic and BOTOX® are the same.
FACT: Many people may be surprised to know there are two types of BOTOX®: BOTOX® is used for the treatment of serious medical conditions, while BOTOX® Cosmetic is used in much smaller dosages for the treatment of facial wrinkles and lines. BOTOX® and BOTOX® Cosmetic should not be confused, as they are used to treat different conditions using very different dosages.
