Call Us Now!

PHONE: (828) 526-3783 | TOLL-FREE: (877) 526-3784

209 Hospital Dr #202
Highlands, NC 28741

Facebook IconGoogle Plus IconTwitter IconRealSelf IconYoutube Icon


Botox in Highlands, NC

Botox® Injections – Shaping the Face, not just Reducing Wrinkles

Expert Injector Highlands NC | Robert T. Buchanan, MD

What You Need To Know

BOTOX®, or OnabotulinumtoxinA, is a naturally occurring protein that blocks muscle innervation, thereby relaxing muscles that cause facial lines and wrinkles or facial feature distortion. It was initially isolated for use in children with eye muscle spasm and used safely for that purpose for 50 years until its cosmetic value was discovered. Today, OnabotulinumtoxinA, in the form of BOTOX®, is commonly used to reduce or eliminate the appearance of facial wrinkles and lines or rejuvenate and shape the eyes, brow, face, and neck. It is exceptionally safe, injected millions of times a year with minimal, if any, side effects. We are pleased to offer BOTOX® as one of our non-surgical treatments in our Highlands, NC office.

BotoxCCFull from [email protected] on Vimeo.

» Questions? Contact us and let us exceed your expectations.

What Areas Can Be Treated with BOTOX®?

In the upper face, BOTOX® is commonly used for:

  • Lines on the forehead
  • Glabellar or frown lines between the eyes (approved by the FDA for this)
  • “Bunny lines” at the top of the nose

Around the eyes, BOTOX® treats:

  • Drooping brow caused by muscle pull
  • Hooding of the upper eyelids due to a descended brow caused by muscle pull
  • Crow’s feet and other lines around the eyes (the only product approved by the FDA for this)

In the lower face, we may use BOTOX® to improve:

  • Downturned corners of the mouth (a frowning appearance)
  • Some lines and wrinkles around the mouth (when other injections are not better)
  • Neckbands caused by muscle tightness
  • Jaw tension due to teeth-grinding

If not specifically approved by the FDA, all of these uses have been proven in multiple studies as effective and safe.


Who is a Good Candidate for Botox®?

Botox Highlands NC | Robert T. Buchanan, MDBOTOX® is a wonderful solution for those who are troubled by wrinkles around the eyes, nose, mouth, and on the neck or droop of the eyebrows or lip corners related to muscle function. When used properly, it can smooth lines and wrinkles that make you look tired, angry, mean or just older and can accomplish non-surgical brow lifting that can make your eyes sparkle or keep you from looking sad.


How Do We Inject Botox®?

Most practitioners inject neuromodulators, whether BOTOX® or another brand, into the main areas of concern with limited injections, allowing it to diffuse into the muscle. This can result in spotty correction, limited duration of correction or spread to muscles that should not be treated. Instead, we use multiple microdroplet injections directly into the muscle that needs relaxing. This provides better results that last longer and are less likely to produce undesired results.


How Much Does Botox® Cost?

We price BOTOX® treatment based on the area(s) we treat. This allows us to use the number of units necessary to achieve your desired results. This is usually competitive for a single area and is much better for those who need treatment in multiple areas.


How Long Do Results Last?

On average, BOTOX® lasts from 4 to 6 months. Studies suggest that results can last longer when treatment is repeated multiple times before the muscle regains function for about 18 months. You return the first time as soon as you notice muscle function and, thereafter, about a week or so sooner. This allows the muscle to atrophy. Once it has done so, repeat injections can be done much less frequently.
Before & After Photos:

BOTOX Highlands NC Before After BOTOX Highlands NC Before After


What Are the Side Effects?

One of the reasons BOTOX® is so popular is because this injectable treatment has very few side effects. Those that may occur include mild swelling and bruising. The use of bromelain and/or arnica can reduce this problem. We encourage their use and have them available in the office. If the BOTOX® spreads into the upper eyelid, a droopy eyelid can occur. This is extremely rare when injected properly and proper post-injection precautions are taken. The droop of the eyebrows is also very common when inexperienced injectors try to erase lines in the forehead when the lines are present because the muscle function is all that is keeping the eyebrows elevated. A mild headache may occur after treatment but is rare. In fact, it is more common for pre-existing headaches to disappear than for new ones to appear. All side effects associated with this cosmetic injectable are temporary, and may not occur at all.


What Does the Recovery Process for Botox® Injections Look Like?

Living where many people have previously had Botox® elsewhere has allowed Dr. Buchanan a unique perspective to evaluate what other injectors have told people to do or not to do after Botox® injection. He has determined that there are ONLY 2 precautions after Botox® injection. One is that you do not want to do anything vigorous for several hours to reduce the slight risk of increased bruising. The second is that you do not want to rub toward the eye until the Botox® is fully active (12 hours to 6-7 days). This is because there is a hole in the tissue dividing the forehead from the eyelid where a nerve and blood vessels traverse from the eyelid to the forehead. This is the only place where Botox® could seep from the forehead to the eyelid, and it is directly above the muscle that elevates the eyelid. There are NO OTHER restrictions or precautions.


Is There Any Pain Associated with BOTOX®?

BOTOX® injections are comfortable for most patients. The only sensation that is felt is the tiny pinprick at the injection sites and pressure from the product entering the tissues. We usually numb the skin so that the only thing felt is the actual injection. We also do the procedure in a spa-like setting so you are as relaxed and comfortable as possible.


What Our Patients Have to Say

“Absolutely aesthetically pleasing, uplifting personal experience for me. From the moment I entered the center till I left, I felt very comfortable, relaxed and well taken care of. I will be back! Thank you Dr. Buchanan and staff.”


Can BOTOX® Be Combined with Other Treatments?

BOTOX Highlands NC Before After BOTOX can absolutely be combined with other treatments, and often is. We frequently use BOTOX® in conjunction with a filler. Because many lines caused by the underlying muscles become indelible, these will not disappear when BOTOX® relaxes the underlying muscle. In order to eliminate these lines, we use a filler and tretinoin (Retin-A) or retinal and ELASTIderm. These latter skincare products allow the body to use the hyaluronic acid from the filler to make its own collagen and elastic tissue to fill the line so it requires little or no future treatment other than the BOTOX® to relax the muscle that initially caused it. Therefore, the two mechanisms are quite complementary. You can also use fillers for areas away from where the BOTOX® is injected. During your consultation, we can discuss the best way to achieve the result you desire no matter what the underlying problem.
*The patient shown above combined her treatment with Botox® and Voluma


How Often Should You Get Follow-Up Appointments?

Follow up treatments vary on how long it takes you to notice that lines and wrinkles are returning from muscle function. Everyone is different and this time varies usually from 4-6 months, but may be shorter or longer.


How Long Does a Treatment Last?

The longest appointment is the first when we spend time to get to know your ultimate goals for your problems and anatomy. This initial appointment is more comprehensive, but still usually takes less than an hour. We always make a map of what we do so we can adjust future dosages to improve results or, at your next appointment, repeat the excellent results previously achieved. After getting to know your expectations of treatment and how you react to it, follow up BOTOX® appointments may be 20 minutes or less, including numbing the skin.

Knowledge of facial anatomy from surgical modification of the facial structures is exceptionally helpful in determining how best to achieve your goals for facial rejuvenation. Dr. Buchanan has vast experience in surgical facial rejuvenation and has been using Botox® since it was first described for cosmetic use, many years before it was approved by the FDA for such use. From this experience, he has modified the injection technique to obtain maximum correction of your problem with extended longevity and improved safety.


Schedule a BOTOX® Consultation with Dr. Buchanan

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Robert Buchanan or to learn more about BOTOX® treatments, call our office us today by calling (828) 526-3783. You can also go to our contact page and fill out an appointment request form. Our practice serves Highlands, NC, and surrounding areas.

Thank you for your business over the years! Dr. Buchanan is closing his practice and the Center For Plastic Surgery's last day open will be January 31, 2023.

Close