Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is an injectable procedure used for facial enhancement and to reduce signs of aging, thus creating a smoother and more youthful skin appearance. 

Cosmetic uses of Botox are aimed to reduce signs of aging such as lines and wrinkles formed on the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the eyes and the bridge of the nose due to repetitive movement of the facial muscles. 

The procedure can be performed without anesthesia or by treating the area to be injected with an anesthetic cream. During the procedure, small doses of Botox will be injected into the muscles underneath the wrinkled areas. The muscles injected will be weakened and then relax, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles, creating a smooth skin appearance.

After Botox injection, the patient must avoid massaging and touching the injected areas and refrain from vigorous and stressful activities for a couple of hours.

The incidence of side-effects with Botox injection is extremely low when performed by qualified experts in the field. However, the possible risks of Botox injections include bruising, muscle weakness that is temporary in nature, irritation, redness and in extreme cases, nausea, headache, fever and dizziness.

It may take up to 7 days to see the full result of Botox injections. The results will last from 3 to 6 months; however, when the effect fades away, the remaining lines will not be as deep as before, but maintenance injections will be required to maintain the results.