BOTOX® Cosmetic

Aging and the accumulated effects of involuntary muscle actions in your face contribute to the formation of creases, wrinkles and lines that can make you look tired, angry or older than you really are.

BOTOX Cosmetic is the most popular treatment for visibly reducing lines and wrinkles of the face and neck, leaving you with a refreshed, natural-looking appearance. Board-certified South Carolina plastic surgeon Dr. Ted Vaughn has a nuanced understanding of facial anatomy and knows how the proper administration of BOTOX will affect you individually; he personally performs all BOTOX treatments to ensure optimal results.

BOTOX and You

BOTOX was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for the cosmetic reduction of forehead lines. BOTOX has since proven successful at also treating wrinkles and lines including:

• “Crow’s feet”
• Forehead lines
• Glabellar lines, or lines between the eyebrows
• Neck banding

Although BOTOX is safe for most patients, it is not suitable for everyone. A consultation with Greenwood, South Carolina, plastic surgeon and BOTOX provider Dr. Vaughn - or one of our nurses, will determine if BOTOX is the best option for you based on your individual condition, features, skin type and overall health.

BOTOX is generally effective at reducing visible facial wrinkles and lines in both female and male patients between the ages of 18 and 75. BOTOX is currently not approved for those under 18, and pregnant women should avoid its use.

How BOTOX Works

An acronym for botulinum toxin type A, BOTOX is a neurotoxin produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. BOTOX suppresses the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles and lines by temporarily immobilizing the nerve fibers responsible for muscle activity.

Using a tiny needle, Dr. Vaughn injects BOTOX Cosmetic into the muscle below the affected area. The procedure is brief—usually about 10 minutes—and involves no surgery and no recovery time. The treatment itself is relatively painless, although some patients experience minor, temporary discomfort at the injection site.

The results of BOTOX appear almost as quickly. Most patients see the desired outcome within three to 10 days. On average, the effects of BOTOX last between three and six months before full muscle action is regained. Repeat treatments are required to maintain the results of BOTOX.

Other Skin Rejuvenation Options

Depending on your problem areas, skin type and other factors, a soft-tissue filler may be best-suited for your needs. Piedmont Plastic Surgery offers a number of effective alternative treatments to BOTOX including:

• Autologous fat grafting
• Juvederm
• Radiesse
• Restylane
• Sculptra

For the answers to frequently asked questions about BOTOX Cosmetic, please see our BOTOX FAQ page.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of BOTOX and whether BOTOX is right for you, please contact Piedmont Plastic Surgery to schedule your one-on-one consultation with board-certified South Carolina plastic surgeon Dr. Ted Vaughn. We proudly serve patients in Greenwood, Greenville, Anderson, Columbia, Laurens and Augusta.