Why Botox promotions on social media are not appropriate

Maybe it’s because of my age, already in my thirties, but lately my social media algorithms are constantly showing me specialists applying Botox.

Some videos appear because they are published by friends, or friends of friends, who are dedicated to this type of intervention, but most of the time, especially on Instagram or TikTok, they are advertisements and ‘offers where they show a before and after an injection. . Botox: this seems to be the secret to eternal youth.

More and more people, young and old, women and men, are turning to these non-invasive procedures. Have you ever wondered how many people you know have used this product? If you do a survey in your environment, the results, as some posts on social networks say, will surprise you.

Francisca Daza, doctor specializing in dermatoaesthetics at Clínica Alemana, specifies that the application of botulinum toxin, the full name of Botox, “has an effect on the facial muscle, which relaxes and paralyzes. This way, when the muscle receives the order from the brain to contract, it cannot express itself and therefore wrinkles do not form,” he explains.

“Botox has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to reduce or temporarily disappear, depending on the case, facial wrinkles, leaving smooth skin,” explains Valentina Mackines, clinical coordinator and specialist in facial aesthetics. has Santa Blanca Clinic .

Botulinum toxin, he notes, works by temporarily blocking nerve impulses in the injected muscles, which will prevent them from contracting. “As a result, they soften and reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles, which is when we move our muscles,” he points out.

“This prevents expression lines from becoming more pronounced,” explains Daza. “Instead, they remain as if at rest. For example, those on the forehead when you raise your eyebrows, those between the eyebrows when you get angry. The same thing happens with the famous crow’s feet, which appear on the sides of the eyes when we smile. “By applying botulinum toxin, we prevent these expression lines from persisting permanently,” he adds.

“The main aesthetic purpose of botulinum toxin, as it also has other uses, is to make us look more rejuvenated, by softening facial wrinkles,” says Mackines.

Botox, as everyone knows, is applied by injection through the skin. “They are applied to the muscle and their effect takes between three to five days to appear, even if the final appearance is expressed between ten and fifteen days,” specifies Daza.

Afterwards, its effectiveness lasts up to six months at most. “Many people miss it between three and four months, and from there it starts to lose its effect. If a person has a more marked expression or contracts more, the sooner they disappear,” he says.

“It’s quite relative, it varies a lot depending on people and their habits: the expressiveness of their face, smoking, etc. It also depends on the dose administered, although on average it lasts between about two and five months,” analyzes Mackines. However, the effect does not disappear overnight, but gradually diminishes.

As we mentioned, it is common to see tempting prices or attractive before and after photographs of these non-surgical procedures on social media. However, both professionals emphasize the importance of using good certified professionals.

“No aesthetic treatment is without risk. It is therefore crucial that the carer has the knowledge to reduce the risk of adverse effects,” says Mackines.

What are these risks? For example, the Clínica Santa Blanca specialist claims that if it is injected into the wrong area or in a higher dose than necessary, other muscles can be blocked, thus affecting the natural expression and function of the face.

“In rare cases, a bad injection could damage a nerve,” he warns. Although it can be serious, it is usually temporary.

Daza explains that one of the main consequences of doing Botox incorrectly is a false expression or strange visual appearance. “The eyebrows may fall, or the eyelid may also fall, the eye may appear closed, the smile may become asymmetrical, or the nose may also have symmetry problems,” analyzes dermatoesthetics.

This bad moment, yes, is momentary, since by definition Botox has a limited duration, but it is not minor to stay six or eight months with a foreign face.

“It all depends on which muscle is compromised,” explains the Clínica Alemana specialist. “The important thing is that the professional has a good knowledge of the anatomy of each muscle, the functioning of each and the danger zones.”

“It is essential that the application of botulinum toxin is done first in a health service accredited by the Seremi de Salud, and with a professional trained for this purpose, whether a surgeon or doctor. a dentist with the ability to inject botulinum toxin into the area. stomatognathic,” explains Daza. These are the basic and minimum requirements that must be met when it comes to credentials.

However, the product to be applied must be approved by the ISP. According to Daza, today there are five brands approved by the health entity.

“Trusting the wrong hands or injecting counterfeit products can be extremely dangerous, increasing the risk of serious adverse reactions, undesirable cosmetic results and even serious injury,” warns Mackines.

Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States has issued an alert, as reports of people experiencing adverse reactions due to falsified or improperly handled Botox injections have increased.

For this reason, the FDA has issued an alert to consumers and healthcare providers. When a product is adulterated, contaminated, mislabeled or transported incorrectly, it compromises both its safety and effectiveness.

“The biggest risk of using a counterfeit product is that it is improperly diluted or in contaminated conditions, which can cause bacterial infection or transmit fungal infections,” analyzes Daza. When he says this, he is thinking of an unprecedented case, known this year in the United States, in which a group of clients who underwent microneedling skin treatments at a spa were diagnosed with HIV. This is the first precedent of contracting this virus through a cosmetic service. How did this tragedy arise? Because the establishment was not accredited and neither was the doctor.

“It’s a very serious risk if it’s not done with a qualified and precise professional or with a product approved to do it,” he says.

A warning not to be missed, especially now that promotions on social networks abound. For Daza it is important to always doubt the offer, especially when it comes to specific areas of the face.

“More than by zones, the application must be personalized, because there are muscles that work in harmony with others: an expression is modulated by a set of muscles, not just one,” he analyzes. “If you contract your eyebrows, the crow’s feet muscles may contract harder to compensate for this other muscle. By blocking a single muscle, the expression may appear false.

“The effectiveness and safety of treatment depends on the knowledge and qualifications of the caregiver,” says Mackines. This is why he asks his patients “not to put their faces up for sale”.

Additionally, not everyone can get the same brand of toxin, since some contain complementary proteins that could cause allergies in some patients. “This is why it is important to carry out a detailed clinical file examining allergies to eggs (albumin) or milk (lactose),” he emphasizes.