As the face ages, its tissues begin to lose natural collagen and volume, leading to facial sagging, lines, creases, and thinning lips. A variety of injectable treatments are available to address many of these changes. This selection ranges from BOTOX® Cosmetic, to soften and smooth facial lines and furrows, to your choice of fillers to fill in lines, lips, and support sagging areas. Our staff will be pleased to help you decide which injectables would be most appropriate for you. All injectables are administered in the office using topical numbing creams and local anesthesia. Treatments usually take about 30 minutes. Temporary swelling and bruising may occasionally occur; however, in most cases, a normal schedule can be resumed in 24 to 36 hours.

The Martin Center is honored to be a National Training Facility for BOTOX® Cosmetic. Dr. Martin was chosen by BOTOX® Cosmetic to be a certified trainer. Doctors from all over the country come to the Martin Center to attend his training sessions.

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are a simple 5-minute procedure designed to address the dynamic wrinkles of the forehead and eye regions. Initially FDA approved in 1989 for treatment of a spastic eyelid problem called blepharospasm, it received cosmetic approval for the treatment of glabellar frown lines in April 2002. We have been using BOTOX® Cosmetic injections for cosmetic applications since 1998 with excellent results. Our patients have been very satisfied with the magical effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

BOTOX® Cosmetic works by stopping muscle contraction, which then relaxes the overlying skin to improve the skin wrinkling. An injection is required for placement of the BOTOX® Cosmetic into the muscle. Once injected, the BOTOX® Cosmetic is absorbed into the nerve ending which is responsible for stimulating the muscle to contract. The BOTOX® Cosmetic prevents the release of acetylcholine from the nerve, which is required for stimulation of the muscle. This basically stops communication between the nerve and the muscle.

Injections are performed in the office using a very small needle. A topical anesthetic ointment is applied to the skin prior to treatment and can render the injections almost painless. The needle passes through the skin into the muscle layer where tiny droplets are placed. The effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic are not immediate, and in fact, will take about 3 to 5 days to appear, with the full effects taking up to 4 weeks to develop. You may resume normal activity immediately, however, you may notice a small amount of temporary redness at the injection sites. We recommend staying elevated for 4 hours after treatment and not massaging the areas of injection during this time period. Smiling and frowning every 15 minutes after the treatment for several hours may enhance the absorption of the BOTOX® Cosmetic and thus enhance the effects. When performed properly, BOTOX® Cosmetic injections can lessen or eliminate frown lines, forehead lines and crow's feet lines. The average length of effect of BOTOX® Cosmetic is about 4 months. For some individuals, the length of effect can be more or less.

Endoscopic Wrinkle Procedure

For individuals who would like a more permanent solution for the glabellar frown lines, a selective endoscopic wrinkle treatment can be performed. This procedure requires two small incisions in the scalp behind the hairline. Using an endoscope and a camera, some of the muscles which cause the frown lines are clipped to decrease their activity. This is a simple 30-minute procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia only or with light sedation. There would be a brief recovery time due to some initial swelling and bruising.

BOTOX® Website

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.

The Martin Center • 4621 Morrison Drive • Mobile, AL 36609 • 251.344.7474