Botox for Crow’s Feet Treatment: The Definitive Guide

The skin around the eyes is very thin, which makes it susceptible to damage. So it’s no wonder that the first sign of aging appears in this area. Frequent laughing or squinting pulls and loses the skin around the eyes, producing little lines that tend to worsen over the years. Dynamic wrinkles will eventually become static, creating a tired-looking appearance. The most effective way to slow down this process available these days is getting botulinum toxin injections. Keep reading to learn more about Botox for crow’s feet treatment, its indications, and its side effects.

What Should I Know About Botox? 

Botulinum toxin, often shortened to Botox, is a fairly young discovery that came to light in 1920 with the German doctor Justinus Kerner. In 1989, Botox was first introduced as a cosmetic procedure that temporarily allows relaxing facial muscles. Over the decades, this procedure has become popular worldwide and literally changed the face of humanity.

Botox is the name of one of the brands, and the drug itself is called botulinum toxin type A. It is obtained from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The fact that it’s the same toxin that causes deadly botulism can be frightening. However, the dose of Botox injections capable of causing death in 50% of cases is 3000 units. In other words, your practitioner has to administer 30 vials of Botox (100 units per vial) at once to get the fatal outcome, which seems unrealistic. The maximum dose of Botox you may get in the medical office is 500 units, where up to 24 units go for eye wrinkles.

Botulinum toxin treatment is safe when administered by a licensed healthcare provider. It doesn’t pass through the blood-brain barrier and doesn’t enter the central nervous system. The drug only blocks the interaction of muscles with nerve endings. As a result, the muscle stops forming a fold with excessive facial expressions. Contrary to popular belief, botox under eyes treatment doesn’t “paralyze” the muscles but only relaxes them. Therefore, a person looks natural and can fully demonstrate emotions.

When Should I Start Getting Botox?

Looking back: 45-55-year-olds make up the main contingent of those wishing to receive Botox injections. The young generation of the 2000s was not so much into this. Time has passed, and the old perception has been replaced. Botox has become a favorite procedure for all age categories. Today, it is better to say there are no indicative ages for botulinum therapy (the only exception: you have to be older than 18). Wrinkles are the main determinant of whether you need Botox treatment or not.

The first fine lines start popping up in the corner of the eyes in your 20s. They are dynamic, but with everyday facial movements, these lines become static and stay in your face even without emotional expressions. If you start using Botox injections, you will delay the formation of deep static creases in the future. Call it preventative treatment.

Additional indications for Botox Crow’s Feet Treatment:

• Lowering the eyebrows

• Changing the natural shape of eyebrows

• Swelling of the eyelids

• The appearance of bags under the eyes

• Overhanging upper eyelids

How to Prepare For The Procedure?

Botulinum toxin treatment is required minimal preparation. First and foremost, you need to find “your treatment provider” who is well-versed in facial anatomy and has practical injection skills. It can be a licensed physician, a physician assistant, or a nurse. Then, you need to inform the specialist about your medical history and allergies. Health conditions, such as neuromuscular disorders, previous hypersensitive reactions to botulinum toxin, and infection overlying the injection site, are contraindicative for Botox treatment. In addition to that, you better stop taking some types of medications before the procedure:

• Discontinue intake of B vitamins a month before botulinum therapy. Otherwise, they can weaken the effect of Botox.

• Stop taking blood-thinning medications (like Aspirin) a week before visiting a medical office. This will help you avoid bruising.

• Postpone Botox treatment for at least a week if you just finished the course of antibiotics.

How Does Crow’s Feet Treatment Goes?

Botox crow’s feet treatment is usually performed in a medical office. Initially, your healthcare provider removes dirt and make-up from the injection sites and asks you to smile, making 2-4 marks in zones of the planned correction. Then he/she prepares a tray with the syringe and any additional items, like cleansing agents and antiseptics. You will get 5-12 units of Botox for each side in indicated points. The procedure is almost painless and doesn’t require anesthesia.

What to Expect After Crow’s Feet Injections?

There is no recovery period after Botox treatment. You may have minor red marks on the injection sites after the procedure, but usually, they disappear within 15-20 minutes. To put it simply, you can get this treatment even at lunchtime and go back to your business as if nothing had happened. Your medical practitioner provides you with important Botox aftercare instructions, and you should follow them strictly if you want to prolong the effect of the procedure.

• Don’t touch the injection sites

• Don’t lie down within 3 hours after treatment

• Avoid drinking alcohol within 7 days after treatment

• Reduce consumption of salty foods for 7 days

• Refrain from going to the gym for 7 days

• Avoid visiting SPAs and saunas for 7 days

How long for results? When injected properly, you can expect to see an onset of softening of wrinkles as early as 4 days after treatment. However, the full effects appear in 14 days.

Possible Complications After Crow’s Feet Treatment

Although the rate of complications related to Botox treatment is quite low and reversible, we still have to mention them. We will start the list with the most popular side effects and then go in decreasing order:

• Injection site pain, swelling, bruising

• Flu-like symptoms, headache, fatigue

• Eye dryness or excessive tearing

• Crooked facial expressions, drooling