Botox injections for cosmetic reasons is a nonsurgical and in-office treatment. Thus, it requires minimal preparation. It's important to make sure that your treatment provider is a licensed physician, a physician assistant, or a nurse trained to do Botox injections. Before the procedure, let your treatment provider know about any medical conditions, medical history, and allergies to make the procedure as safe as possible. To reduce the risk of bleeding and bruising, you need to avoid blood-thinning medicine, such as aspirin. Before the procedure, you need to remove all your makeup and cleanse the treatment area.
Because the procedure does not involve incisions, you are not given general anesthesia. However, if you are concerned about pain and discomfort, your physician may give you a topical anesthetic or ice to numb the treatment area. A thin needle is used to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into your skin or muscles, such as the area between the eyebrows (glabellar region) and around the eyes (crow’s feet lines). The number of injections administered depends on many factors, such as the extent of the area being treated. Normally, 3 to 5 injections are needed.
Note that the result is not immediate because Botox injections normally begin to work one to three days after the treatment. In some rare cases, it may take as long as five days for the full effects to be observed.