Plastic Surgery & Cosmetic Surgery in Dallas

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) are intended to answer a lot of the most commonly asked questions that you may have about a specific procedure. By dividing the sections into procedural categories, you may be able to find the answer to the question you are seeking more easily. Please remember that what you read in this section is only intended to provide you with a general answer to a question and should not be considered in any way a substitute for a personal consultation with Dr. Lam.

"Botox is a poison."

Botox has been used safely for over 25 years in the United States to treat cosmetic (wrinkles) and non-cosmetic problems (headaches, sweating, muscle spasm, etc). Botox (manufactured by Allergan) is the only FDA-approved version for use in the United States currently, and Dr. Lam only uses the Allergan product. Botox is a purified protein and is very safe when used by experienced hands. Dr. Lam has extensive clinical experience with Botox, having written two textbooks on the subject, along with many scientific articles. Dr. Lam performs all of his own Botox injections and meticulously records every session to ensure that therapy has been optimized for your anatomy and aesthetic interests.

Dr. Lam has a special technique that minimizes any discomfort. Patients are often pleasantly surprised how little (to none) they actually feel during the treatment, especially if they have had done anywhere else.

Yes, it is true that Botox is only temporary, typically lasting 3 to 4 months in duration. However, Botox is the only product to minimize wrinkles when you smile, frown, and raise your forehead. If you think about the analogy of a well-pressed shirt that is constantly folded, wrinkles will appear over time that become etched into the shirt. The same is true with your face: if you constantly smile, frown, or raise your forehead, the wrinkles that initially only appear when you move your face eventually become permanently etched into your face, becoming deeper and deeper over time. When that happens, Botox helps very little. Besides the tremendous benefit that Botox provides for prevention or minimization of developing etched-in wrinkles over time, Botox also makes you look better immediately, as wrinkles don’t appear when you smile, frown, etc...

Depending on your race, genetics, and prior sun exposure, you may begin to experience premature aging of your skin that would benefit from Botox therapy. At times, Botox can be very helpful for some twentysomethings who are already beginning to show fine lines. Typically, for fairer skinned individuals (lighter-skinned Caucasians), Botox should be started in the early thirties to avoid the development of wrinkles. In darker-skinned patients, Botox may be delayed possibly until the late 30s. For very dark-skinned individuals like African-Americans, Botox may never be necessary, as they are unlikely to develop any significant wrinkling.

If lines have already become etched into your skin, Botox will not help remove these lines but if they are only early (shallow) lines then Botox can help prevent them from getting worse if not slightly improve them over time with consistent usage. Obviously, in any case, Botox provides the benefit of looking better immediately when you smile, frown, etc., If your lines have already become etched into your skin, i.e., apparent even when you don’t smile, frown, etc., then another therapy like chemical peeling and/or soft-tissue fillers (Radiesse and Restylane) should be used to eliminate these types of wrinkles. After the etched-in wrinkles have become improved with these types of skin therapies, Botox can then help to prevent these wrinkles from becoming etched into the skin again over time.

Yes and No. If you tend to habitually frown or lift your eyebrows due to force of habit, Botox can help block that behavior and thereby help you “unlearn” this excessive facial expression that would predispose you toward early wrinkling. However, smiling should always be an encouraged expression, so Botox around the eyes will most likely be required on an ongoing basis. To really reap the benefit of Botox to prevent wrinkles, you must be consistent in your usage.

Botox can limit some facial expressions, like frowning (connoting an angry or sad expression) and raising your brows (connoting a startled or quizzical expression). However, Botox will not limit your ability to smile and express joy. Therefore, Botox can be thought of as limiting “negative” expressions without compromising “positive” expressions. Clearly, a detailed consultation with Dr. Lam will help you determine your aesthetic goals and how Botox can help you achieve them. Also, Botox is completely temporary so if you don’t like the result, it will be gone after a few months.

A lot of advertisements out there are bordering on being misleading. Currently, there is no product that is “better than Botox”. In fact, there is no skin therapy that rivals Botox. Remember that Botox and skin treatments are used very differently. Botox helps limit wrinkles when you move your face, whereas skin treatments manage wrinkles that are becoming etched into your skin.

Botox should not last only several weeks. You probably received a very small or diluted dose of Botox or, alternatively, did not receive the proper dose for your anatomy. For example, men tend to require more Botox than women to have lasting results. Dr. Lam works to ensure that all of his Botox results last a minimum of 3 months. At times the first treatment may last a bit shorter than 3 months, as your muscles become conditioned to Botox. Also, the treatment around the eyes can last shorter than 3 months, and that should be expected. Further, if you did not like the results of your Botox before, Dr. Lam will listen very carefully as to why that was the case and help avoid that same problem.

This is only the case if you stay consistent with Botox usage. If you do it once a year, you probably will not benefit from having longer treatment intervals. However, consistent usage can relax the muscles so that a lower dose and a longer interval are possible.