Botox and fillers are becoming an increasingly popular way to improve your appearance and look younger without going under the knife. While you know Botox is a minimally invasive procedure, choosing an unqualified person to perform your injections could lead to major problems – from uneven, lumpy-looking skin to droopy eyebrows.
Botox is a prescription drug that works by causing temporary muscle paralysis, which is why you can’t just choose anyone to perform your Botox injections. We’ve put together this helpful guide to selecting a doctor who is properly trained and experienced.
How to Find a Good Botox Injector
In the hands of a qualified practitioner, Botox injections can produce natural-looking results. For optimal safety and an ideal outcome, a highly specialized, medically trained professional is the best person to provide injections.
When performed in the right environment, under the skilled care of an accredited, qualified professional, Botox is a highly effective anti-aging treatment. Doing your homework before you proceed with your injections will ensure you have the best experience with optimal results. Here are some qualities to look for.
- Board Certification:
Board certification is unquestionably the first thing to look for when deciding who will provide any cosmetic procedure – whether it’s surgical or not. Board certification signifies a physician’s commitment to the field of cosmetic surgery, and attaining certification means your doctor has undergone rigorous testing and pledged to uphold standards of ethics and patient care. You can confirm a doctor’s board certification through CertificationMatters.org. - Experience:
If you needed orthopedic surgery, you wouldn’t turn to just any doctor – you would search for a specialist. Cosmetic procedures are no different. As you look for a qualified Botox injector, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask how long your doctor has been offering Botox as an anti-aging treatment, as well as how often he or she performs injections. - Reviews and Photos:
Online reviews can go a long way toward helping you understand if a doctor has produced consistently good results for their patients. You should also look for before-and-after photos of other patients who have gotten Botox injections from the doctor you are researching. - Honors, Awards and Professional Memberships:
Like board certification, maintaining memberships in professional cosmetic surgery organizations can prove a doctor’s dedication to the craft. National and local accolades can also reveal a lot about a doctor’s skill level and previous patients’ satisfaction with their results. - Pricing:
Looking for the best deal is a sensible strategy if you are shopping for a new car or refrigerator. However, if you find someone claiming to offer the lowest price in town for Botox injections, that’s probably a red flag. Why? If someone is charging much less than the average rate for these services, it’s possible they are not using real Botox – whether it is diluted, or even some artificial substance that isn’t FDA-approved. It’s better to avoid any clinic or doctor’s office you see advertising cut-rate pricing. - Ask Questions:
An in-person consultation is another good way to evaluate whether someone is a qualified cosmetic injector. This meeting is your chance to ask the doctor as many questions about the procedure as you want. Take note of how the doctor treats you, and remember, you’re free to walk away if any part of the meeting makes you feel uncomfortable or disrespected. A good doctor will also be a good listener who will make time to discuss any concerns or worries you have. - Safety and Cleanliness:
Another benefit of an in-person meeting is that it will give you the opportunity to see how tidy and hygienic the doctor’s office is. You should be looking for a modern facility that has state-of-the-art equipment and amenities. No part of the office should seem dingy, old or run-down. The procedure of injecting Botox requires a safe and sterile environment, as well as access to the proper tools and medication if an unforeseen complication such as an allergic reaction were to arise during the treatment.
If someone invites you to an in-home “Botox party,” don’t get any procedures done in that environment. Not only is there no guarantee that the person performing the procedure is qualified to do so, but you could also be putting your health at risk if something happens to go wrong.
What Can Go Wrong With Botox?
You’ve probably seen the results of a bad Botox injection in your favorite celebrity gossip blog, or on a show like Botched. However, if an experienced doctor does your injections, these potential problems should be rare or even nonexistent.
- Unnatural Results:
An unskilled injector may confuse the goal of “no wrinkles” with the goal of “no movement.” What happens in this case is a face that looks immobile or robotic. Obviously, since you want to maintain a natural look, this is something to avoid. - Over-Injecting:
Too much Botox excessively relaxes the muscles in the forehead. If a doctor doesn’t correctly evaluate how much you use these muscles, too much Botox will make your brows feel heavy and droopy. - Surprised Look:
Bad Botox can have the opposite effect as well, over-elevating the eyebrows to result in a chronically startled appearance.
Atlanta’s Best Botox Injector
A qualified injector will customize well-done Botox injections to your face, considering factors such as facial asymmetry, how much you make certain facial expressions, your job and social activities, as well as what you hope to achieve. Getting good results from Botox injections requires a steady hand, attention to detail and an advanced knowledge of facial anatomy.
Dr. Pradeep Sinha is a double-board-certified cosmetic surgeon who has consistently been rated among the best plastic surgeons in Atlanta, as well as in the U.S. When it comes to your appearance, Dr. Sinha understands no two patients are alike. He strives to deliver results that are uniquely tailored to you, as opposed to taking a “cookie-cutter” approach.
Since Botox Cosmetic became available in 2002, Dr. Sinha’s Atlanta clinic has served as a training center for hundreds of doctors and nurses. Having performed more than 10,000 procedures in his three-decade career, Dr. Sinha has achieved the highest possible level of knowledge and skill, giving him a reputation as “the specialist’s specialist.”
If you’re ready to learn more about what Botox can do for you, contact the Atlanta Institute for Facial Aesthetic Surgery at 404-256-5428 to schedule a complimentary consultation.
