Is Botox plastic surgery?

Is Botox plastic surgery? Plastic surgery is a wide ranging field. A plastic surgeon in training can enjoy one aspect of the field when they start, and go in a totally different direction when they finish training.

The major categories include reconstructive plastic surgery, pediatric craniofacial surgery and cosmetic plastic surgery. Cosmetics is further divided into surgical and non-surgical cosmetic plastic surgery. So while Botox is within the field of plastic surgery, it is part of the non-surgical aspect of cosmetic plastic surgery, also known as cosmetic medicine.

Is Botox plastic surgery?

Any treatment that affects the functionality or appearance of the body is generally within the field of plastic surgery. Botox has an affect on the function and appearance of the body by its interaction with the receptors on muscles and sweat glands.

For example, Botox can minimize movement of muscles that cause wrinkles. That’s why a Botox injection around the 11’s in between the eyebrows or the forehead and reduce those lines. Giving someone a more youthful appearance.

The same receptors that cause muscle movement can also cause sweat production from sweat glands. And through the same interaction with receptors on sweat glands, Botox can minimize sweating from the armpits or palms.

Botox is a very versatile treatment and lasts for 3-6 months. It’s starts to work within 1-3 days and hits its maximum effect at 1 week.

There’s a great deal of misunderstanding around Botox. For example, many patients are told they can’t work out or bend over after treatment. There’s an unwarranted fear that the Botox could diffuse to another area when exercising or laying down, resulting in an unintended affect on other muscles of the face. Potentially causing an eyelid droop.

As I tell all of my patients this doesn’t happen from diffusion or movement of the Botox after injection. It’s not like sauce in a saucepan. It’s doesn’t slosh around. If someone has an eyelid droop or unintended effect after Botox, it’s because too much or too little Botox was injected in an area adjacent to the planned injection point.

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