What is botulinum toxin?

Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum. It causes muscle relaxation for 2- 6 months on average (with wide variation between individuals) by temporarily disrupting nerve activity to muscles. Through diminishing the movement of facial muscles it can reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles (wrinkles that appear on facial movement). It is commonly used as a treatment for the forehead, frown lines, lines around the eyes and certain muscles in the lower face.

It is generally a safe treatment, however like any medication there are a number of important risks and side effects and you should read the following carefully and ask questions before agreeing to treatment.

Important information

Please read carefully and only sign the form if you agree to the following:-

• Contraindications: I can confirm that I do not suffer from a neuromuscular disorder (for example multiple sclerosis, Eaton Lambert sydnrome, motor neurone disease or myasthenia gravis), I am not taking muscle relaxants, do not have active infection and I am not pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Blood thinners: I have informed Dr Lynch if I am taking anticoagulant (blood thinning) medicine including Aspirin, Rivaroxaban, Edoxaban, Clopidogrel, Warfarin, Vitamin E or others.
• Limitations: I understand that occasionally the treatment wears off very quickly or does not work at all. Botulinum Toxin is best at treating dynamic facial lines; those caused by facial muscle activity. Lines present at rest may or may not improve and can be unpredictable. I understand these limitations of treatment.
• Alternatives: I have considered alternatives to treatment, including doing nothing, creams, chemical peels, laser treatments, forehead/brow lift, facelift and dermal fillers and decided that at this time botulinum toxin is the best option for me.
• Outcome: I understand that the effects take up to a week to become apparent and that with all treatments the actual degree of improvement cannot be predicted or guaranteed. I understand that the effect of treatments is temporary and needs to be repeated every 3-6 months.
• License: I am aware that treatments is often “off label”, as licensed use does not cover all of the areas that are commonly treated.

Risks

Botulinum toxin injections have some important risks and it is important that you are aware of these when deciding whether the treatment is right for you.

Side effects relating to weakness of muscles, such as facial assymetry or dropping of the eyelid are temporary and will wear of slowly within a few months as the effects of the toxin lessen. Some side effects such as assymetry can be improved by top up injections, however this is not guaranteed.

• Facial assymetry: The toxin may work more effectively on one side of the face or you may develop side effects which are more noticeable on one side.
• Elevation of the eyebrow(s): Injections in the upper face can cause assymetry or excessive elevation of all or part of the eyebrows. Occasionally the outer part of the eyebrow can be excessively elevated.
• Heaviness of the forehead, dropping of the eyelid(s) or eyebrow(s): Injections in the upper face or cheeks can result in excessive dropping of the eyelids or eyebrows 'ptosis'.
• Dry eyes, swelling of the eyelids: This is a risk of injections in the upper face.
• Weak or assymetrical smile: Injections in the cheeks or chin can cause weakness of the muscles that are resopnsible for movements of the mouth leading to assymetry at rest and when smiling.
• Infection: There is a very small risk of bacterial or viral (e.g. herpes virus or shingles) infection.
• Injection site reaction: Any injection can cause a reaction at the site. This includes pain, inflammation, scarring, keloid scar formation, pins and needles, burning, decreased sensation / numbness, tenderness, itching, swelling, redness, haematoma, bleeding, bruising, muscle twitching, skin nodule formation, increased pigmentation, decreased pigmentation.
• General: Rarely you can have a reaction to the Botulinum toxin. This can include fainting, nausea, noises in the ear, tiredness, nasopharyngitis, bronchitis, influenza-like symptoms, blurred vision, headache.
• Allergic reaction: There is a very small risk of allergic (anaphylactic) reaction which can be serious or life threatening.

Additional risks

Aftercare

It is essential to follow aftercare instructions carefully to ensure the best results, minimize the risk of side effects and detect any complications early. This can be found at the following location: www.drmagnuslynch.com/botulinum-toxin-aftercare or by following the QR code. Please save the link on your phone so that you have it available.

See the aftercare information for full details, some key points include:-

• You should not ie down, fall asleep for at least 4 hours after treatment.
• You should not rub or massage the treated areas for at least 4 hours after treatment.
• You should avoid consuming alcohol for 24 hours after treatment.
• You should avoid hot showers and saunas etc for 24 hours after treatment.

Other important information

• In addition to any fee charged by Dr Lynch there will be a separate fee that is charged by the hospital or private clinic for use of the Botox it is important that you are aware of how much you will be charged prior to the treatment
• Toxin injections are charged per area treated. There will be additional charges if you request that additional additional areas are injected.
• The cost of treatment does not include the cost of additional medical care should complications arise.
• You should contact Dr Lynch immediately if you have any concerns following the treatment, however the clinic is not open 24 hours and it will not be possible to review you in person out of hours.