Some Key Benefits of Botox Injections

Botox is often mentioned when it comes to removing wrinkles and looking more youthful–but what exactly is Botox? In this article, we take a look at what it is, and its benefits.

What Is Botox?

Botox is a drug that is derived from bacterial toxin botulin.  It has two key purposes: treating certain muscle disorders, and temporarily paralyzing the face to remove wrinkles. This particular method is usually done for women and men who want to maintain a youthful appearance.

The exact way that Botox works is that it actually blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. When Botox is injected, the muscle no longer contracts. This allows the skin to soften and wrinkles will automatically relax. It’s important to note that while Botox is often used on faces, these injections can be used on any part of the body.

The most common places where Botox injections are received are the forehead area, lines around the eyes, and frown lines. One important fact to remember when considering Botox is: if you have wrinkles that are caused by exposure to the sun, Botox treatments will generally not be as effective.

What Are The Benefits Of Botox?

Botox is very beneficial and is utilized in a variety of different treatments. The most well-known use is the treatment of wrinkles. However, it’s also used to treat lazy eye, cervical dystonia, muscle contractures, hyperhidrosis, chronic migraines, bladder dysfunctions, and eye twitching.

One of the most important factors a person should consider when receiving Botox treatments is choosing a knowledgeable and experienced practitioner. Always make sure that your Botox treatment provider specializes in Botox and is certified to perform the procedures you need–no matter your reason for receiving Botox.

It is your responsibility to inform the specialist if you are taking blood thinners, muscle relaxants, or sleep aids. This is important because blood thinners and various medications can cause severe bruising, so you may be advised to refrain from certain medications for a few days if possible. It’s also crucial to let your practitioner know of any allergies you experience.

Even though Botox treatment can be risky and cause potential harm when not applied correctly, it does do a lot of good.  Botox is used for many different things, but the primary use is to remove wrinkles and keep women and men looking youthful and feeling great. There is nothing wrong with a person wanting to preserve their youth or boost their confidence.

Botox strengthens facial muscles, which can help people suffering from lazy eye or facial twitching. Botox can be used to strengthen the bladder in the case of people who may suffer from prostate cancer, urinary frequency, or bladder leakage. It’s also very effective in treating neurological diseases such as dystonia and  severe chronic migraines.

In the case of just sweating a lot, known as hyperhidrosis, Botox treats this as well. This can help keep patients odor-free and stain-free–resulting in massively improved.

If you’re interested in a Botox treatment, contact Zana’s Place today! We’ll review and discuss your options and goals to see if Botox is right for you, and we will be happy to provide you with Botox treatments if they’re a good fit.

Preventing Weight Gain from Menopause

If you’ve started menopause and are looking to prevent weight gain or improve the quality of your life, you’re not alone. Women everywhere suffer from low self-esteem due to menopause-related weight gain. Hormones shift, estrogen declines and you may experience muscle loss and/or fat buildup… but don’t despair! There are treatments and solutions to help you look and feel your best.

Declining estrogen levels during menopause can be a key contributing factor to extra belly fat. Increased abdominal fat can be dangerous because it can lead to insulin resistance and higher chances of contracting metabolic syndrome. Both of these problems can increase your chances of getting atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Hormone therapy has been shown to prevent new-onset diabetes when women started their therapy between the age of 50 and 59. As a side note, about 30% of women within this age group are obese.

According to new research that has been conducted, menopausal hormonal therapy can help BMI and body fat in general. Data analyzed from a study consisting of 1,053 women in Switzerland from the ages of 50 to 80 years old who had hormonal therapy showed less visceral fat than women who were not on hormone replacement therapy for weight loss. Additionally, they had 3 pounds less of fat mass compared to women who had taken hormonal therapy in the past. Aside from treating menopausal weight gain, hormonal therapy can also be used to treat a variety of symptoms associated with menopause. This symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, urinary problems, and bone loss and fracture.

It’s important to note that results may only last for the time that you do the hormonal therapy. Once you stop the therapy, weight gain can resurface. Estrogen is a factor that affects body weight because less estrogen causes the body to use starches and blood sugar less often which increases fat storage. This is the reason it is harder to lose weight. Less estrogen means lower metabolic rate, and after taking hormonal therapy an increase in resting metabolic rate is possible.

Including a healthy diet in your lifestyle is important to help prevent weight gain after treatments. Eating whole-grain foods, and lots vegetables can not only help with your weight, but can also reduce night sweats and hot flashes. You should stay away from processed foods, keep a food diary, and watch your caloric intake. You should try to eat dinner as early as possible in the evening–eating too close to bed can contribute to weight gain.

It is important to eat smaller portions of food more often. For example, if you are eating out you should aim to take a portion of your food home as leftovers. If you need help keeping track there are plenty of mobile apps that can be very useful.

A healthy, well-balanced diet is crucial to maintaining or losing weight during menopause, but incorporating exercise in your daily regimen is equally important. You can incorporate strength training, and low impact aerobics such as swimming, cycling, dance, and tennis. Buying supportive shoes, staying motivated, finding a workout partner and talking to a medical professional before following an exercise routine are all important things to do.

Starting hormonal therapy during the beginning of menopause is safer than starting it when you are in your 60s and 70s and have a higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke dementia, and blood clots.

While you can control menopause-related weight gain on your own, it’s often easier with the guidance and assistance of experts who have experience when it comes to helping keep excess weight off. At Zana’s Place, we’re proud to offer a variety of services to help with any weight issues you may have. Contact us today to discuss your situation, or come on in–we’d love to see you!