Botox Injections Information

Would you like to know what actually happens during botox injections? This article walks you through the botox injection process one step at a time.

Botox as a rule of thumb is packaged as vials of 100 units each, which can be left in a refrigerator (2 degrees to eight degrees) for up to 2 years.

Before giving the Botox injection, your doctor would mix the Botox with sterile salt water, resulting in a formulation of 4 units Botox per 0.1 mL of salt water. It’s important that your doctor check the expiry date on the vial, and that the formulated Botox is clear, odourless, colourless, and does not contain particulate matter before you receive the Botox injection.

Once opened and mixed, the Botox must be stored in a refrigerator (2 degrees to eight degrees), and used in less than 4 hours. Any remaining solution should be disposed and NOT shared.

To start the injection, the doctor will use a sterile syringe to extract no less than 0.5 mL of the correctly reconstituted toxin, and expel any remaining air bubbles trapped in the barrel. The used needle is discarded and a new one affixed to give the injection.

Your doctor shall then ask you to make a number of facial expressions including raising your eyebrows, frowning and smiling. Through these expressions your facial lines and the muscles involved can be observed to decide on the necessary dose and the injection points.

To minimise the possibility of ptosis, your doctor must make sure that the injected dose that is is correct and. The Botox should not be injected closer than one centimetre above the central eyebrow, or close to the upper eyelid.

The whole session takes between ten and 30 minutes. The injection will start to work after 24 or forty-eight hours, reaching highest efficacy after one week. The result will persist from 3 to six months before another course is due.