Home
Services
Patient Info
Contact Info
Physicians
Cosmetic Center

BOTOX®
Chemical Peels
Fillers
Restylane®
Sculptra®
Hair Removal Laser
Skin Resurfacing

Patient Education
Events
In the Media
Research Center
Skin Cancer
Acne Treatment
Center
Ethnic Skin
Specialty Group
Pigmentation Treatment Center

BOTOX®

Questions and Answers About Botox®

What Creates a Wrinkle?
When we make the same facial expressions over and over, wrinkles are created. These signs of repeated expressions are called “frown lines” or "crow’s feet" or "laugh lines", and are caused by contractions of muscles which lie under the skin.

What is Botox®?
Botox is a purified protein toxin produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Administration of Botox®, which is a toxin, does not result in serious side effects, because of the extremely small amounts used and because it is injected into muscle only, which does not result in any spreading throughout the body.

How is Botox® Used?
Using a very small needle, a few drops of Botox are injected into the muscle that is creating the wrinkle.This causes blocking of the nerve impulse to the muscle, resulting in the muscle weakening. The skin overlying the muscle then relaxes, causing the wrinkle to gradually disappear.

Does a Botox® Injection Hurt?
Patients may feel a slight stinging sensation during the injection, but there is usually no discomfort at all when the injection is complete.

Where Can Botox® Be Injected?
Most commonly, Botox is used in the area between the eyebrows, the horizontal forehead lines, and crow's feet. Botox may also be used in the neck, resulting in an improvement in appearance of jowling, and sometimes in the palms of the hands or in the underarms which results in reduced sweating. Botox® is not generally used in the area around the mouth.

Does Botox® Affect Other Facial Expressions or Create Numbness?
Botox® doesn't affect nerves, so there is no resultant numbness in the areas injected. Botox® is only affects the area in the immediate vicinity of the actual injection. Muscles in other areas are not affected.

How Long Does a Botox® Treatment Last?
Botox® effects usually endure for three to six months, although after several treatments, the effects may last longer, even up to six or eight months.

How Safe is Botox®?
Botox® has been proven to be used safely, with successful results, in ophthalmology for over 10 years and by dermatologists to reduce wrinkles for over 6 years. Because the amount of Botox used to reduce wrinkles is such a small amount, side effects are temporary and only noted in the area of injection.

Is The Treatment For Everyone?
Most people can undergo Botox treatments; however, patients who are pregnant, nursing or have neurologic diseases should not be treated with Botox®.

---

BOTOX® AND UNDERARM SWEATING

What is treatment with Botox® like?
The procedure is relatively straightforward. A small volume of Botox solution is injected into the affected underarm area through a very fine needle. The needle is placed just under the skin, so you may experience some injection-related discomfort. You will receive multiply injections based on your Doctor’s assessment of the area that needs to be treated.

Can Botox® treatment help?
Botox® is FDA-approved for severe underarm sweating when topical agents don’t work. Botox® treatment helps control this condition by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from nerves that stimulate the sweat glands. When sweat glands don’t receive chemical signals, the severe sweating stops.

How effective is Botox treatment?
Botox® treatment is very effective. One clinical study involved 322 patients with severe underarm sweating. 57 out of 104 Botox treated patients achieved an effective response, compared to only 6 out of 108 treated without Botox. 84 out of 104 Botox treated patients achieved a greater than 50% reduction in sweating- compared to only 44 out of 108 treated without Botox.

Does a Botox® Injection Hurt?
Patients may feel a slight stinging sensation during the injection, but there is usually no discomfort at all when the injection is complete.

What should I expect after I receive Botox® treatment?
You should notice a significant reduction in underarm sweating within four weeks of your first treatment. There is a possibility that some sweat glands may be missed, and you may continue to experience some sweating from unrelated areas. If you do not see a significant reduction in sweating, you should contact your health care provider and request a follow-up consultation.

How long does Botox® last?
In a recent clinical study, the median duration of response in Botox® patients was 201 days or slightly over 61/2 months ( i.e.., half of the patients had a treatment duration of at least 201 days or slightly over 6 ½ months). It is not a cure; your symptoms will return gradually, and you will know when the time is right for another treatment. Your healthcare provider will recommend a treatment strategy to ensure that you receive the best possible results with Botox treatment.

What happens if I decide to stop treatment?
If you decide not to have further treatment, there will be no long lasting change in the treated areas. The effects of Botox® treatment will gradually wear off, and your underarm sweating will resume.

Is Botox® treatment right for me?
Botox® treatment should not be used in the presence of infection at the proposed site(s) and in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the formulation. Patients with neuromuscular junctional disorders (e.g. myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome) should only receive Botox® treatment with caution. Patients with neuromuscular disorders may be at risk of clinically significant systemic effects including difficulty swallowing and breathing difficulty with typical doses of of Botox. The most frequently reported side effects (3% to 10% of patients) following Botox® injection-site pain and bleeding, non-undeerarm sweating, infection, inflammation of the throat, flu syndrome, headache, fever, neck or back pain, itching and anxiety.

SPOTLIGHT!!

A promotional offer from Restylane®. . . .
read more

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS...
Learn more here

The Skin Speciality Group featured in Essence magazine.

Dr. Cook Bolden has also been featured in Ladies Home Journal, SELF, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, O Magazine, Dermatology Times and many more!

Check out our In the Media page for additional magazine articles featuring Dr. Cook-Bolden.

The Skin Specialty Group hits international news again!
Dr. Cook-Bolden provides tips in the May issue of Vis.A.Vis Magazine for an age-defying beauty regimen that will help you
Look Great At Any Age

Dr. Cook Bolden has also been in informative news segments in local newspapers and news across the US including The New York Post, Newsday, The Charlotte Observer, The Kansas City Star, New York Times, The Courier, special feature on CBS TV and more.

Check out our In the Media page for additional News and Headlines featuring Dr. Cook-Bolden

Are you hiding out because of ACNE?
If you are 12 years of age or older and have acne, you may be able to participate in a clinical research study testing an investigational gel medication.

Do you have thickened yellow and disfigured toenails (onychomycosis/toenail fungus)?
Enrolling subjects 16 yrs or older, male or female in a research study

Dr. Cook-Bolden & The Skin Specialty Group Discuss Skincare in the FASHION & STYLE section of the New York Times for January 4, 2007:
Skin Deep: The Cosmetics Restriction Diet - By Natasha Singer
"Forget $200 beauty creams and medicine cabinets full of products. The best regimen for your face involves three simple steps and nothing more expensive than $30."

GOT ZITS??
Are you SUFFERING with ACNE??
Are you tired of suffering with acne? Is it getting worse or not responding to treatments? We are currently enrolling for acne research studies. Free medication and compensation provided. Please call 212.249.8394. Limited space available!

New Opportunity for Fraxel Laser Treatments: see information in our Research Division

EXPERTS IN TREATING SKIN OF COLOR
The Skin Specialty Group featured in the New York Times, Thursday, November 3, 2005. An outstanding article on "Treating Skin of Color With Know-How" in which Dr. Fran Cook-Bolden is one of the doctors featured!

THE LATE SHIFT
Are you finding it difficult to juggle your daytime schedule to accommodate your skin, hair and nail health concerns?
We do offer limited after work and evening hours for patients who are unable to make daytime hours. Weekend appointments also available... We're here for you!

EVER THINK ABOUT BOTOX®, RESTYLANE®, TREATMENT FOR EXCESSIVE SWEATING, GETTING RID OF UNWANTED HAIR? Visit our COSMETIC CENTER for the information you have always wanted. NOW IS THE TIME... for Y-O-U!

Opportunity for Laser Treatments
Would you like to improve the appearance of scars, keloids, stretch marks, prominent pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, unwanted pigmentation, or even acne? Now is the time! Call for a consultation today and ask for the COSMETIC CENTER 212.249.8377.

Clinical Research Studies
Call us about ongoing and future enrollment for clinical research studies of safe and effective treatments for dark spots, acne, razor bumps, hair loss, dry scalp and many other skin problems. All treatments and visits at no cost. To learn more, visit our Research Division.
For more information, contact us at 212.249.8394 or email now.
Enrollment in research studies is limited!

Dr. Cook-Bolden's Book
Now updated in paperback, in all major bookstores (also available in our office), find BEAUTIFUL SKIN OF COLOR: A Comprehensive guide to Asian, Olive and Dark Skin, co-authored by Dr. Fran E. Cook-Bolden.
A great GIFT idea!