Over time, features of your face may begin to develop fine lines and wrinkles. While these changes are part of the aging process, they are both avoidable and treatable thanks to advancements in aesthetic care.
BOTOX® offers patients a temporary option for decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in areas such as:
The glabella (between the eyebrows)
Crow’s feet at the outer corner of the eyes
The forehead
Treatment is proven, is extremely common, and does not require any downtime.
Injections with BOTOX can also serve more therapeutic needs, such as decreasing chronic pain. Doctors use BOTOX to treat symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, migraine headaches, and trigger points. As a result, patients can enjoy a higher quality of life.
Dr. M. Timothy Gocke is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He brings a specialist’s knowledge of facial anatomy and aesthetics to every patient’s treatment, leading to attractive, natural-looking results. To ensure patient comfort and safety, Dr. Gocke performs all injections for those in his care.
Why BOTOX and Why Our Practice?
Treatment with BOTOX can be an effective way to diminish signs of aging. The injectable solution targets an underlying cause of unwanted wrinkles: the repetitive contracting of certain facial muscles. Treatment temporarily prevents these muscles from activating, giving the skin a smoother, more youthful appearance while still allowing for the full range of facial expressions.
BOTOX can also be used as an alternative to fillers for patients who want to achieve fuller-looking lips without added volume. A BOTOX lip flip increases the visibility of the upper lip by relaxing the muscles around it and causing a slightly upward turn of the lip. This treatment can benefit patients who have a thin upper lip that tends to disappear when they smile or want a more prominent pout.
The transformation is subtle yet enhances the definition of the lips and creates the appearance of additional volume without looking overly done. Dr. Gocke makes very precise injections for natural-looking lip enhancement that is visible within a few days. BOTOX lip flip treatment lasts approximately four months, during which time the upper lip will slowly roll back down to its original position. Treatment can be repeated to maintain the appearance of fuller lips.
In addition to using BOTOX for aesthetic concerns, Dr. Gocke treats patients to:
- Alleviate the symptoms of TMJ disorders.
- Reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches.
- Lessen chronic pain related to trigger points.
Through his training and years of practice, Dr. Gocke offers extensive experience in injectables and facial aesthetics. As a result, patients can expect this medspa treatment to be more precise, predictable, effective, and comfortable.
An Overview of BOTOX With Virginia Oral, Facial & Implant Surgery
Your Consultation
During your initial visit to the practice, Dr. Gocke will ask you about your reasons for scheduling an appointment and the concerns you would like to address. Once he understands the outcome you want to achieve, he will outline a plan specific to your needs.
Assuming you are focused on aesthetic issues, Dr. Gocke will conduct an examination of the areas that you want to treat. He will ask you about factors that may affect your skin’s quality, including exposure to the sun and smoking. Depending on his evaluation, you may be a good candidate for cosmetic treatment with BOTOX.
If you are seeking therapeutic treatment with BOTOX, Dr. Gocke may ask you about your health history and discuss other treatments that you have tried. Performing a thorough consultation allows Dr. Gocke to provide you with the best possible care. In both aesthetic and therapeutic cases, most of our patients can receive BOTOX on the same day as their consultation.
What to Expect With Your Treatment
Getting BOTOX is a non-invasive cosmetic option that takes only minutes to complete. Patients frequently schedule treatment during the workweek and are back in-office later in the day.
Ensuring patient comfort before, during, and after BOTOX is a top priority for Dr. Gocke. As part of the treatment, he and his team will:
- Prep the treatment area with ice to decrease your sensitivity.
- Precisely inject BOTOX with a very small needle
- Ice the area following treatment to prevent any potential swelling.
One of the typical questions that our patients ask is about whether getting BOTOX is painful. This is where Dr. Gocke’s specialized training and 15-plus years in practice comes into play. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform thousands of facial injections over the course of their careers. This depth of experience means a more precise and gentle delivery of BOTOX to areas of need.
Your Aftercare Experience
Since there is no downtime following BOTOX, you can expect to return to normal daily activities right away. Any redness in the treatment areas should go away within a day or so.
Aesthetic patients should begin to see results a few days after their procedure. BOTOX should take full effect within about one week. Results typically last up to four months, after which time, you can return to Dr. Gocke for retreatment.
Patients who receive BOTOX for therapeutic purposes may require treatment more frequently depending on their condition. For example, migraine headache patients typically receive BOTOX every 12 weeks and begin to experience a difference after two visits. As a result of treatment, patients can expect a significant reduction in chronic pain.
BOTOX Frequently Asked Questions
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What Are the Long-Term Skin Benefits of Botox?
There are many reasons patients choose Botox, from wrinkle reduction to pain relief. That being said, many users also experience an unintended positive benefit — long-term skin improvements. Studies have shown that Botox actually helps the skin stay more elastic by constricting muscle movement. This makes the skin appear tight and toned, restoring a youthful appearance. While the wrinkle-reducing properties of Botox may only last six months, researchers think this improvement in skin elasticity could be a much longer-lasting side effect that helps patients look younger.
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What Kinds of Lines Are Treated With Botox?
Botox can’t eliminate every sign of aging on a patient’s face. It only works against dynamic wrinkles, which are wrinkles that appear because of muscle contractions. By paralyzing these muscles under the skin, Botox is able to help the face relax so that the following types of wrinkles are less apparent in patients:
- The forehead, which creases when a person is surprised or angry
- The area between the eyebrows (glabella), which often looks wrinkled when a person is concentrating
- The corners of the eyes (crow’s feet), which can appear when a person is smiling
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What Is the Ideal Age to Use Botox?
A person in their early to mid-20s won’t really have enough wrinkles yet for the treatment to be beneficial. Most of the patients Dr. Gocke sees are in their late 30s and 40s. and are concerned about the appearance of wrinkles around their forehead and eyes. They want Botox to get an aesthetic boost and smooth out their skin. However, some patients do like to start with preventative Botox to minimize the appearance of wrinkles in the future. Each patient is different, and patients can learn more at a consultation with Dr. Gocke.
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How Long After Botox Can I Expect Results?
The time it takes to see results will vary from patient to patient, but most people will begin to notice a change in their appearance a few days after receiving their injections. Full results for patients are typically apparent about a week after the injections. If patients are having Botox injections done for therapeutic purposes, results might not always be as quick. Many patients require multiple injections before they begin to find relief, though every patient is different. Dr. Gocke can better prime patients on what to expect at their initiation consultation.
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How Long Do Botox Injections Last?
Again, results will be different for every patient, but most people find their results last about four months. At this point, the paralyzing effects of Botox will begin to wear off, meaning the facial muscles can contract again and cause tightening of the skin that manifests as wrinkles. Luckily, all patients have to do is return to Dr. Gocke’s office to get another Botox injection. This will once again send wrinkles packing for skin that’s smooth and youthful. Patients using Botox for pain relief may need to receive Botox injections every 12 weeks depending on their condition.
Whether your goal is a younger, smoother appearance or living life more comfortably, explore treatment with BOTOX. Contact Virginia Oral, Facial & Implant Surgery to schedule a consultation.
