How Botox Works and How to Prepare for the Procedure

Botox can be used for a variety of reasons, ranging from cosmetic to medical. The way Botox works is that it uses a toxin called onobotulinumtoxinA to temporarily prevent a muscle from moving. The microbe that causes botulism is how the toxin is produced. Interestingly enough, botulism is technically a type of food poisoning. The first drug to use botulinum toxin was Botox. Other products now include abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport), rimabotulinumtoxinB (Myobloc) and incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin). Each is a little different, particularly when it comes to dosage units, so they aren't interchangeable.

Before the procedure you may want your skin numbed beforehand. Numbing before the procedure would definitely be recommended if you’re getting your palms and soles treated for excessive sweating. There are a variety of ways to numb the area. Some of these consist of topical anesthesia, ice and vibration anesthesia, which can also use a massage to reduce discomfort.

The majority of the time Botox injections are given in a doctor’s office. A thin needle is used to complete the procedure by injecting small amounts of botulinum toxin into your skin or muscles. The number of injections is dependent on several factors. Following the procedure, you should not rub or massage the injected areas for up to 24 hours. This is to prevent spreading the toxin to a different area. However, you can return to normal activities after the procedure. It usually takes up to three days for the Botox injections to start to work. Depending on the problem being treated, the effect may last three months or longer. To maintain the effect, you'll need regular follow-up injections.