Most women in Alexandria have their first Botox between 28 and 38, usually for the forehead or the frown lines, and usually after a year of thinking about it. Here is the whole picture.
The visit
Dr. Sara asks you to frown, raise your brows, smile and squint, and watches which muscles pull where. She photographs your face at rest and in movement. Then a few tiny injections, each like a small pinch, and you are done in ten minutes. No anaesthetic is needed. You can go back to work.
When it works
Nothing on the day. Day three or four: lines start softening. Day ten to fourteen: full effect. Dr. Sara sees you at two weeks to check balance and add a unit or two if one side is stronger. This check is part of the price.
What it feels like
A slight heaviness in the forehead for the first week, which passes as your brain stops trying to use the muscle. You can still move your face; the lines are just not forming.
Afterwards
For four hours: stay upright, do not rub or press the area, no face-down massage, no hat tight on the forehead. For 24 hours: no heavy exercise, sauna or alcohol. Make-up the next morning is fine.
How long
Three to four months the first time. With regular sessions the muscles weaken a little and many patients stretch to five or six months.
Questions to ask any injector
Which product is this and can I see the box? Are you a doctor, and which speciality? What happens if one side drops? Will you see me at two weeks? If the answers are vague, walk out. At Injection Studio the box is opened in front of you.
Quick answers
Does Botox hurt?
A few small pinches. Most people rate it two out of ten. The forehead is the most sensitive area and it is over in seconds.
Can Botox make my eyelids droop?
A heavy brow or lid is rare and temporary; it comes from the wrong dose or placement. Dr. Sara maps the muscles before injecting and sees you at two weeks.
What if I stop Botox?
Your face simply returns to how it would have been. Nothing gets worse than before.
This guide is general information, not medical advice; your treatment is decided at your consultation with Dr. Sara El Hamawy.