Botox Charleston, SC | Botox Mount Pleasant

What is Botox?

Botox® is a very popular and effective method for preventing the signs of aging. As a muscle relaxer made from a purified form of Botulism Toxin A, Botox® provides safe and significant results. Dr. Funcik provides outstanding Botox® treatments. If you’re considering Botox® in Charleston & Mount Pleasant, SC, please contact us today.

What are the Benefits of Botox®?

Botox® is used to improve or prevent lines and wrinkles. The results are very effective, with a high patient satisfaction rate. Botox® is most commonly used to treat the area between the eyebrows (the “angry 11s”), forehead furrows, crow’s feet, and vertical lip lines. These treatments smooth out facial lines and creases, giving the face a more youthful, less hard, and less tired expression.

Muscle Relaxers Before & After

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Am I a Candidate for Botox®?

BOTOX is highly beneficial for those seeking to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in a smoother, more youthful look. Potential candidates for BOTOX in Charleston & Mount Pleasant, SC with Dr. Funcik typically:

Are over the age of 18 and under 65 years old
Have noticeable facial lines or wrinkles
Prefer non-surgical cosmetic treatments
Desire improved facial symmetry and balance
Seek a boost in self-esteem through enhanced facial aesthetics

Botox® Treatment Areas

Forehead Lines

If your furrowed brow is bothering you, Botox® can soften the lines that appear.

Crow’s Feet

Botox® can relax the lines that surround the corners of your eyes.

Angry 11's

Botox® can soften the two lines that deepen with age between the eyebrows.

Facial Asymmetry

Muscle relaxers can help balance out the uneven areas of the face, improving overall appearance.

Lip Lines

If the small lines around your mouth are aging you, our Charleston Botox® can improve them.

Platysmal Bands

Botox® can smooth unwanted platysmal bands of the neck by tightening the lax muscles.

Should I Choose Dysport or Botox®?

We offer each patient their choice of Botox® or Dysport. Both are fantastic products. However, we have a fairly unanimous bias towards our treatments of Dysport. It’s the primary agent we recommend and use, with Botox® coming in at a very close second. Both products are fantastic, and Dr. Funcik will work with you to determine the product that’s best for you.

Botox® Myths

Botox® Lifts the Brow

Some providers claim that Botox® has the ability to lift the brow, and that by treating certain areas, it can even magically shape the brow. However, Botox® does not “lift” anything. In actuality, it relaxes muscles, which means that it does the opposite of lifting. That’s why it is so effective at helping the skin appear smoother.

More Units, Longer Results

Alarmingly, some providers claim that the more units of Botox® they inject, the longer its effects will last. This is not only false; it’s also dangerous. Using too much Botox® can cause long-lasting cosmetic damage. Botox results typically last about four months, and that’s that. Once you begin Botox® treatments, you should return for touch-ups every 4-6 months in order to maintain your results.

Bargain Botox® is Best

Many providers offer Botox® from “Canada” or other places, claiming that it’s just as safe as getting it from legitimate suppliers. This is not true. Unfortunately, it’s often actually knockoff Botox made by the Russian Mafia in the Middle East. The best way to make sure you’re getting proper, effective, safe Botox® is to pay the minimum price per unit.

Directly Into Wrinkles

Some providers say that Botox should be injected directly into lines, or that consistent results can be achieved by using certain “landmarks” on the brow in relation to the eyebrows. Wrinkles form on the face in the direction exactly opposite of that in which the connecting muscle exerts its pull—therefore, relaxing the muscle relaxes the lines. This is why injecting Botox directly into lines is a haphazard approach.

Are There Any Risks With Botox?

Botox® has been FDA-approved since 2002. The biggest risk from Botox® is having it administered by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. If you work with a certified, skilled professional, you won’t have anything to be concerned about.

Botox Recovery Time

Part of the reason that Botox® in Charleston is so popular is because they are quick, easy, convenient treatments that require very little downtime or after-care. Results appear fairly quickly and last for a satisfactory amount of time.

Immediately After

Right after your treatment, you’ll be asked to make facial expressions like frowning, puckering, and raising your eyebrows in order to help the Botox® be evenly distributed throughout the treated area.

Days Following

Avoid rubbing your face (especially if applying makeup), bending over, tanning, hot showers, saunas, hot tubs, and baths for the first 24-48 hours after treatment. Avoid heavy exercise for a few days, and try to sleep on your back. This helps to ensure that the Botox® settles in the right place and doesn’t migrate.

One Week

After one week, you should see the results of Botox®. These results typically last 3-6 months for Botox®.

Four to Six Months

As muscle action gradually begins to return to the face, you’ll notice lines and wrinkles begin to reappear, and you will need to come back for a touch-up session.

Understanding the Face

Most patients, and a surprising number of Botox® providers, don’t know the exact anatomy of the muscles in the face. And unless you know what to look for, these muscles don’t reveal themselves on the surface of the skin. It takes an experienced medical professional who understands the muscles of the face to know exactly where to inject Botox and achieve optimal results.

How to choose the right Doctor for Botox in Charleston

It’s of the utmost importance to find a highly-trained medical professional with years of Botox® experience. Just because someone is certified to administer it—even if they’re a doctor—it doesn’t mean that they necessarily know what they’re doing.

Education

Be sure to research the education and training of your doctor. Make sure he or she went to an accredited medical school and is passionate about their industry.

Experience

Years of experience is key. You’ll want a doctor who knows exactly what they’re doing and has put in countless hours sharpening their skills.

Certification

Make sure to find a certified doctor to administer any injectable treatments. They also should be very experienced, but step one is certification.

Results

A good Botox® provider will have plenty of great feedback. Be sure to find a doctor who has glowing reviews in all areas.

Why work with Dr. Funcik?

Dr. Funcik loves his work. He is a double board-certified surgeon in facial plastic and head and neck surgery, specializing exclusively in the face. As a professional surgeon, he understands the complex muscles of the face, and what treatments will achieve optimal results for his patients.

After Botox® first gained FDA approval in 2002, Dr. Funcik became its top provider in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. He has trained more than 100 physicians in how to use it.

Dr. Funcik’s goal is to help patients attain an outcome that looks natural, while maximizing their improvement and minimizing their investment of time and money.

Friendly, professional, highly educated, and attentive, Dr. Thomas Funcik, MD works closely with patients in order to get the results they have been looking for. With a sound reputation for natural results, he has achieved an extremely high rate of patient satisfaction in the Charleston, SC area.

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What to Expect From Your Botox Treatment

Preparing for Surgery

A week before your Botox® treatment, it’s best to stop taking any sort of blood thinner, including aspirin, Aleve, Motrin, omega 3, St. John’s Wort, or any supplements containing vitamin E or fish oil. Two days before your treatment, it’s very smart to take Arnica (5 pills under your tongue each night). Continue taking the Arnica for a week after your treatment: five pills under your tongue, three times a day. Following these instructions will help you to bruise less and have a quicker recovery.

During

The day of your treatment, you will go over once again what areas will be treated. You’ll be asked to make some facial expressions, and a topical numbing gel or cream will be applied to your skin before the injections. A small needle is used. Most patients report very little pain, and you may be surprised to hear a “cracking” sound as the needle is injected. (Some people have compared it to cornflakes crunching.) Depending on what you’re having done, the session shouldn’t take more than 15-20 minutes.

After

After your treatment, making facial expressions like frowning and raising your eyebrows will help to evenly distribute the Botox® and get it to “settle in”. The injected areas may appear red or irritated for a few hours, and you may experience some bruising. You must avoid touching/rubbing your face, exercising, lying down, and bending, as this could make the Botox® go to areas it’s not supposed to. Also be sure to skip tanning, hot showers, saunas, hot tubs, and baths for the first 24-48 hours after treatment.

BOTOX FAQ

How exactly does Botox® work?

When Botox® is injected, it blocks signals that go from the nerves to the muscles. This takes away the ability in those affected muscles to contract, which causes wrinkles to relax. A good provider will know how to administer it properly, so that you can still make expressions, but your appearance is improved.

How much does Botox® cost?

The cost of BOTOX varies depending on factors such as the number of units needed, the treatment areas, and whether it's combined with other procedures. It's best to consult with a provider for an accurate assessment based on your specific needs and goals.

What’s the Difference Between Botox® and Dysport?

With Dysport, results can appear in as little as 24 hours following the treatment, with total results being fairly complete by the seventh day. With Botox®, results can be seen about two days after the treatment. There are also some differences in dilution and dosage. However, both of these are outstanding products that we advocate.

Is Botox® safe?

Yes, when administered by a certified medical professional who has been well trained and has plenty of experience. Botox® has been FDA-approved since 2002, and is also the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the world, with more than 6 million treatments performed every year. Dysport was FDA-approved in 2009, and has been popular in other countries for much longer.

What’s the difference between Botox/Dysport and dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers such as Juvéderm, Restylane, Voluma, Radiesse, etc. use hyaluronic acid and other substances to “fill” or plump problem areas. Dermal fillers target wrinkles, thin lips, and cheeks that have lost their youthful fullness. Botox® and Dysport are different than dermal fillers because it doesn’t “fill” or plump—rather, it relaxes muscles by blocking signals that go from the nerves to the muscles.

How much is a unit?

A “unit” is how Botox® is priced. It’s also a very small measurement. Botox® typically comes in 100-unit vials, and to give a little perspective, the average patient requires about 20-40 units to treat horizontal forehead lines, 18-30 units to treat crow’s feet, and 15-30 units to treat the “angry 11’s”. The exact amount of units you will personally need is something that will be discussed in your consultation.

Can I Use Dysport If I’ve Had Botox® Injections?

Of course! Unless you’ve had a bad reaction to Botox® in the past, you can certainly have Dysport injections.

Why does some Botox® look so bad?

There are a few reasons why some Botox looks so unappealing. Many patients are fooled by “bargain Botox” and go for ultra-cheap offers. However, this is usually knockoff Botox that is watered down or not even really Botox®—and obviously, the effect of that is not good. Other patients get too much Botox® and end up looking frozen. This can happen when the injector isn’t very experienced with administering the treatment. There are “quickie” Botox® courses that are available which allow doctors to be legally allowed to administer Botox, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they know what they’re doing. A good Botox® provider will know exactly how many units an individual needs and where to inject. Make sure to find a reputable Botox doctor with lots of experience and good feedback.

Why does Botox® give some people an uneven brow?

We often see patients who, in the past with a different provider, have had a bad experience with Botox® and ended up with a heavy or uneven brow. This happens when the person injecting the Botox® treats the lifting muscle too aggressively, and fails to effectively relax the depressor muscles.

BOTOX® Charleston