Who Can Administer Botox in Maryland?
Health and wellness start on the inside, but your outside appearance is just as important. For Maryland residents hoping to whisk away wrinkles and avoid surgery, we at Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics in Fulton, MD, have just the solution: Botox filler. You’ll enjoy effective treatments that can be done during lunch hours, and our experienced staff will provide the safest, most pleasing experience possible.
Who Can Administer Botox Filler in Maryland?
At one time, Maryland did not classify so-called low-risk cosmetic therapies as medical treatments, meaning they were unregulated. Patients therefore couldn’t be sure their Botox (botulinum toxin) injections were administered by a medical professional, much less a physician. Concern about the lack of regulation prompted the Maryland Board of Physicians to develop regulations that protect patients from potentially unsafe treatments.
What does this mean? Many cosmetic procedures, including Botox filler, are now recognized as a practice of medicine and can only be performed, in most cases, by a trained physician. That training must be approved by the American Medical Association. In addition, only licensed doctors and physicians can prescribe botulinum toxin. Those who cannot prescribe and inject botulinum toxin include aestheticians and medical assistants.
Why This Matters
Although extremely safe, botulinum toxin is nonetheless a chemical. The people handling this substance should therefore have specific medical training. Therapeutic injections seem simple in nature, but they’re not. Professionals need knowledge of a wide breadth of topics, including:
- Facial skin anatomy
- Facial muscle anatomy and physiology
- How the face changes with age
- FDA approved indications for botulinum toxin
- Reconstitution and dilution
- Choosing the right syringe
- Correct dosages
- Painless injection techniques
State law further requires that a doctor examine a patient before administering botulinum toxin and maintain a detailed medical record. This means you’ll need a consultation before receiving treatment. Keep in mind botulinum toxin is different from over-the-counter wrinkle treatments. It’s a prescription medicine, and we’ll want to get to know you before diving into treatment. You should therefore expect during your consultation:
- To review your medical history
- Discuss your goals for treatment
- Have an evaluation of your facial skin and muscle movements
Clarification on State Law
Just to reiterate, cosmetic medical treatments, including the administration of botulinum toxin, can be performed under state law by a licensed physician or doctor, a physician assistant to whom the physician delegates the task, or an individual whose license falls under the health occupations act.
Although a medical assistant or aesthetician cannot administer these injections, they can assist with the treatment. Finally, the supervising physician or doctor must be present in the building during all cosmetic treatments.
Reasons You Want a Doctor to Administer Your Treatment
First and foremost, doctors know how to administer botulinum toxin without complications. Untrained staff members simply lack this knowledge. Likewise, if you go to a facility where the supervising physician is “offsite,” you can’t be certain the staff members are qualified to deliver therapeutic injections. A doctor, on the other hand, can construct a plan that delivers safe and pleasing results.
Advanced Medical Training
Medical training is also essential to ensure the injections are appropriately placed. This means the person delivering the injections must be well-versed in the anatomy and physiology of facial blood vessels, nerves, and muscles. They must additionally know exactly how much filler to use and where to place the needle.
If the targeted location is off by as little as one-quarter of an inch, your results will be skewed. The goal is not to alter your appearance, but to refine and refresh what you already have. This is why the person delivering treatment matters.
Highest-Grade Injections
Has your hairstylist ever warned you about purchasing haircare products from someplace other than the salon? The same is true of botulinum toxin – if you don’t have it injected by a qualified professional, you can’t be sure of its grade.
Only FDA-approved, medical-grade Botox filler should be used for therapeutic purposes. Unfortunately, unlicensed staff may use knock-off products as cheap alternatives. These are ineffective and, frankly, force you to spend money unnecessarily. A licensed and well-trained doctor, on the other hand, will use the highest quality botulinum toxin to give you smooth and beautiful results.
A Seamless Experience
Injections often go quickly, requiring as little as 15 minutes to complete. We know you’re busy and therefore strive to get you back to your day. An untrained person, however, may fumble and take longer than necessary. They may even try to pressure you into buying more products than you need.
A doctor will never do this, as they’ll know the precise dosage to correct your concerns, where to administer it, and how often you need to return for maintenance sessions. The entire experience will move seamlessly so that you look forward to your next appointment.
What Is Botulinum Toxin?
The answer to this question requires more attention than you might at first think. We’ll start by explaining botulinum toxin is derived from bacteria and then purified for injection. It’s delivered in small quantities and therefore enjoys a very high safety profile.
To understand how this substance works, however, you must know it is a potent neurotoxin. When injected into specific muscles, it blocks the passage of neurotransmitters – chemical messages sent by nerves to other cells, including those contained within muscles. This lack of communication causes localized muscle relaxation to reduce wrinkles and smooth overlying skin.
Effects Are Temporary
Don’t worry, your muscles won’t droop or sag. They simply stop contracting, which is good news on several levels. Without the ability to move these muscles, your current wrinkles cannot become deeper. Injections, therefore, help prevent additional signs of aging. Your skin also gets a well-deserved break to stop additional soft tissue changes.
These effects are temporary. This means you’ll not suffer permanent changes to your facial muscles, nor will you lose the ability to continue emoting. We target very small and well-defined areas of the face so you still look completely natural. This is not to say, however, that botulinum toxin is ineffective; just the opposite, we can use this medication to address a variety of concerns, including:
- Crow’s feet, frown lines, bunny lines, lip lines, and forehead furrows
- Neckbands
- Chin dimpling
- Drooping corners of the mouth
- Gummy smiles
Great Outcomes
Studies reveal that 95% of patients are pleased with their results after receiving botulinum toxin injections. Most patients report looking younger after treatment and similarly plan to continue with maintenance sessions.
Much of this is owed to predictable outcomes. Botox filler has been used for cosmetic purposes since 1989 and is today the most frequently performed cosmetic treatment in the U.S. And thanks to mainstream media shedding light on the millions of people who use this treatment for a smoother, glossier appearance, it’s no longer attached to a “plastic surgery” stigma.
Available to Everyone
Where cosmetic therapies were once reserved for the famous and/or wealthy, they’re now accessible to just about everyone. Sessions are quick, as mentioned earlier, and with the wash of pictures posted to social media every day, we see people of all ages enjoying the benefits.
Equally important, your results will show quickly, usually in under a day. It can take up to two weeks for the effects to fully develop, but you won’t need to wait that long to see improvements. You’ll likely need maintenance sessions at the three- to four-month interval, but we can discuss this in greater detail during your consultation.
The Fine Print
Prior to treatment, you should stop taking aspirin and ibuprofen. These drugs impede blood clotting and increase your likelihood of bruising. Also take a look inside your pantry, because some of the most seemingly innocent items may be off the table for about a week. We’re talking about:
- Red wine
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Green tea
- Multivitamins
- Fish oil
These products contain antioxidants, which in the normal course of things would be highly beneficial. But antioxidants can interfere with blood clotting, so we recommend you not use them in the days prior to surgery.
Consider Taking a Break
It’s not a bad idea for several hours after treatment to avoid touching the injected areas, lying down, exercising, washing your hair, and applying makeup. Why? You want the toxin to stay in place, and taking a small break can be helpful. Also avoid immediately flying, as a change in cabin pressure can cause the toxin to spread. So, if you have a trip planned, get your injections a few days in advance.
Consider Starting Early
Botulinum toxin isn’t just for mature adults. Preventative treatment for younger patients, such as those in their early thirties, can stop wrinkles from deepening and even reverse those first few fine lines. But only start this regimen when expression lines are visible, otherwise, there won’t be any target point for the toxin.
Simple, Easy, and Effective
If you’re looking for an anti-aging treatment that checks all the boxes, Botox filler is it. And when administered by an experienced doctor, you know you’re in good hands. Dr. Rodney is a board-certified dermatologist and member of the Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Her knowledge has been featured in such publications as Elle, Allure, and Shape magazines. Schedule your consultation today by calling Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics in Fulton, MD.