Botox- How it works and how long it works?

Botox- How it works and how long it works?

Your brain sends signals down to the nerves to make the muscles react. At the very end of the nerve, acetylcholine is stored, which when stimulated by an electrical impulse down the nerve, releases the acetylcholine on the target; the muscle then contracts. Botox damages by direct contact to the tips of the nerve so they no longer permanently release the stimulator to contract the muscle.
This mechanism works great for 3 to 4 months until the nerve tip grows new appendages to the same site which again, starts the same function back to where it was. This re-growth at 3 months is almost 100% ineffective; at 4 months  is 70% ineffective; and at 5 months, less than 10% is ineffective. Therefore, the nerve tips re-grow and resume their normal function.
Based on some general calculations, it would take about 75 vials of 100 units of Botox to kill a normal human being. A normal dose of Botox is 20, 40, or sometimes as high as 100 units.
A normal adult may consume 1-2 cups of coffee a day every day. A week's dose of coffee is approximately 50 cups; therefore, you are generally more likely to die from your repeated cups of coffee than a lesser dose of Botox every 3-4 months.
The most important thing about Botox is injecting it in the right muscle in exactly the right spot. Between the eyes and glabellar areas, are the proserus and corrugater muscles. They can vary greatly from patient to patient and as very many assistants are taught, you inject Botox in this area. Any common person can clearly see that the wrinkles to be removed are either number 1 or number 11 wrinkles between the eyes. They are not the same in anyone and may require more or less units of Botox.  Therefore, you must know the correct anatomical variability of where and how the muscle sits in order to determine the proper placement of the Botox in the muscle, otherwise, you are wasting money and not getting the maximum effect or "bang for your buck."
There are anatomical wrinkles on the nose called the bunny lines, and if not properly treated, will not give the correct aesthetic response for your dollar spent in Botox.  Most experts will tell you 20 or sometimes up to 60 units of Botox are necessary to correct a glabella and with multiple treatments, less and less Botox is generally necessary. What is also important, is that no one can accurately make this "diagnosis" over the phone without actually seeing the patient. Generally, most Botox quotes are based on 12-15 units of Botox, which is probably low and may or may not be appropriate for you.  After all, no two people are alike.
In generally looking at a person's forehead, they may have a horizontal line or two semicircular lines on the forehead that we see on mostly all people. This, again, varies in the type, place, and amount of Botox.
A pit in the center of the skin and a dimple in the lower area of the face are both common variants of facial anatomy. They both can be treated with Botox and both usually have either an extra muscle or highly developed muscle that causes this general imperfection on the face.
Facial anatomy and the appropriate units of Botox can be determined by a person with experience. You only get one face...be sure to consult a licensed Medical Doctor (M.D.) for a procedure like this. 

J. Drew Laurusonis, M.D.
Doctors Medical Center