Just in the United States, there are already more than 3.5 million men and women who already had undergone Botulinum (Botox) Injections since the year 2013.

People who get cosmetics Botox in Alpharetta alone are also increasing in population. The effect of these Botox injections is that it temporarily paralyzes or reduce muscle contractions in order to produce a reduction on the appearance of facial wrinkles, treat neck spasms and also reduce excessive sweating.

The Botox treatment was the first drug to use the botulinum toxin, however, there are already a variety of other similar drugs that are made available now. 

But before you fully decide on getting that Botox Alpharetta treatment, it is important that you first find a qualified and compatible doctor who will give you a Botox injection.

This is very essential because this will help in making you feel comfortable and help in minimizing the risk of any side effects.

Choosing a Botox Alpharetta Doctor

• The first thing that you should consider is choosing your dermatologist

There is a lot of qualified Botox Alpharetta dermatologist, however, the best way for you to minimize your risks, enhance your experience and at the same time, be able to get the best results from your Botox treatment is by choosing the right doctor for you. 

Generally, all persons who have a medical license can legally inject you with Botox. But, it is best that you should go with a dermatologist, or one who is a skin specialist who is a board-certified professional in dermatology or plastic surgery if you really want Botox to be able to reduce facial wrinkles and at the same time give you a more youthful appearance. 

A dermatologist is a person who is an expert when it comes to treating a wide variety of skin problems including cosmetic concerns for the face, thus, your search should start within this group of specialists. And if you are considering to get Botox injections for neck spasms or a lazy eye, you can also expand your search to include other types of doctors like orthopedists and ophthalmologists. 

• You can make a list of qualified Botox Alpharetta doctors

By utilizing the internet or the yellow pages, you can now start to make a list of about a dozen or so for qualified doctors who are working in established clinics and advertise that they offer Botox injections. You can also call their offices and also ask if they have a background in cosmetic medicine including training and experience in the administration of botulinum toxin injections. If the doctor does not match these criteria, then you can cross them off your list.

Also, if you are getting injections into your facial muscles, you will need to find a Botox Alpharetta doctor who has specialized facial anatomy with a well-developed aesthetic eye. It is better if you ask around if you find it hard to find Botox Alpharetta doctors with these skills.

You should give some preference to Botox Alpharetta doctors who come from your family recommendations or close friends because if their experience was a good one, then there is a good chance that your experience will be a good one also.

• Ensure that you conduct research the Botox Alpharetta doctor’s professional records

Now that you already have your list, you can narrow it down to under 10 potential Botox Alpharetta doctors. You can spend a few hours to research their names on the internet, especially with their state medical boards and associations. You should first verify if they have not had their license revoked and that they have not had any cases of malpractice or other sorts of lawsuits against them. And then, you can keep the doctors on the list if they have good standing and clean records.

There are cases where even though they are good doctors, they are still going to deal with and settle frivolous lawsuits that do not even reflect their competence. If are interested in such a doctor, then you may want to talk them over the phone and ask them about their case. On the other hand, a doctor with a clean record does not mean that they are competent or experienced with Botox, it can be just that they have not been grossly negligent and have not endangered someone else’s life.

• Make an appointment with your prospective doctors and interview them

Now that you have arrived at a more manageable number of qualified and experienced doctors, that is around less than six doctors, it is now time that you make an appointment and then see them for consultation. You can also as for a tour at the office and also get to feel the doctor’s demeanor and professionalism. You can also eliminate doctors from your list whom you seem to look busy, distracted, rude, or are too pushy and is more interested in the money.

You can ask the doctor for a sample of their works like those authorized before and after photos of their Botox patients.

You should also be able to ask as to who is actually doing the injection. So if a registered nurse or the physician’s assistant is going to do the injection, then that may be fine. However, they should be working under the close supervision of the doctor himself.

• Be sure to compare prices and dose strengths

Because Botox injections are the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the world, this means that the competition can be fierce and prices that are more affordable than there is. Cost is a factor to most people, thus, you should be able to ask each of the remaining doctors on your list regarding their total price that includes all services. You should keep in mind that doctors are going to add varying amounts of liquid to the Botox crystalline in order to make it injectable, so it is important that you should find out as to how concentrated the doses are going to be.

You can also ask if you will be able to get discounts if you refer to other people or when you come in with a friend or your spouse.

It should be noted that you should not always choose the cheapest fee. You should at least balance it against your gut feeling of the doctor, their staff and the facility.

• You can now make an appointment for the procedure

Now that you have narrowed your list to your top choice, then you can find out if they can accommodate your schedule and time frame. For doctors who are highly recommended and reasonably priced, they may have long waiting lists for Botox injections which may not be able to suit you. Whoever doctor you pick, he or she must be able to it you in, thus you should be able to have an alternate doctor in mind in the event that there may be scheduling conflicts.

The time that will be consumed for the operation is also going to be an issue. For established clinics who have successful doctors, they may have shorter hours or may not be open during the weekends. Thus, you should make sure that your doctor’s availability suits you.

For newer clinics who also have less experienced doctors, they will tend to have more open days and will also have more flexible hours, however, they might not be able to have had the time to build a reputation in the community.

Be Able to Know What to Expect

• Be able to share your medical history

Now that you are already able to choose the right doctor for your Botox procedure, then you will have a pre-treatment consultation so that you will also be able to go over with your medical history. You should make sure that you will be able to tell the doctor about all of your previous procedures, prescription medications, and your allergies. This is essential so that the risk of complications will be reduced.

You should also be able to tell your doctor if you already had any Botox injection within the last four months because receiving a more frequent treatment than that is not going to be recommended.

If you are to take blood thinner like warfarin, then you may need to stop it just for several days before you will receive your Botox injection in order to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding or bruising.

There are also other drugs that should be stopped or avoided before getting a Botox injection. Some of these drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, muscle relaxants, sleeping aids, and allergy medications.

Getting a Botox treatment may not also be safe for people who have certain medical conditions like pregnancy, bleeding problems, breathing disorder, heart disease or facial muscle weakness. 

• You can ask  the doctor about the reduction of discomfort

Even though there are a lot of people who can tolerate the injection very well, there are some of those who are more sensitive to needles and other things. So if you have a low pain threshold, then you can ask about topical anesthetic creams or gels in order to numb the area before injection. This is important so that you will really feel comfortable throughout the whole process.