New Research Discovers Skin Boosting Effects of Botox

Botox, or onabutulinum toxin A is something most people will have heard of by now. Even if you've never tried the anti-wrinkle injection that is the No. 1 aesthetic treatment worldwide, you probably do know it by reputation. 

The latest research has shown that Botox treatments have some surprising side effects. 

Doctors in Canada show that Botox has skin pliability and elasticity effects

Win A FREE Botox or Juvederm Dermal Filler Treatment

Christmas 2014 Giveaway 

In the spirit of the festive season, I'd like to give away one free treatment of either Botox for Upper Face (worth RM2,000) or one syringe of Juvederm dermal fillers (worth RM2,200) to one lucky winner. Both Botox and Juvederm are premium products from Allergan, one of the most reputable companies in the medical aesthetic field.

Botox, or Botulinum toxin A, is a proprietary product that works by disrupting the signals from the brain that communicate with your muscles. It can help you improve the appearance of your frown lines, crow's feet and other dynamic wrinkles - the wrinkles and lines that you see when you move your muscles. Botox also helps to restore facial symmetry - such as when you have one eyebrow higher than the other - and reduces hyperactive muscular activity. Examples include unconscious frown lines (so called number 11's between the eyebrows), and enlarged jaw muscles that develop due to constant chewing. 

Just one quick session of Botox can help you look younger and better rested. The treatment is very quick, and the fine needles and pain-relief methods we use make this treatment even less uncomfortable than an ant bite. You will see effects of the treatment within 4 days, and they will last approximately 4 - 6 months. 

If you are concerned about the effects of Botox treatments, rest assured that properly trained Botox experts are skilled in giving results that are harmonious and natural looking. No doctor wants their patients to experience the 'frozen' or 'fake' look so often associated with Botox. 

In general, you will retain your normal facial expressions post-treatment, but look relaxed, happier and younger. It is very rare for patients to experience any side effects of the Botox treatment, besides an occasional bruise. More often, patients will return to me within the week to ask for more of the magical treatment! 

With over 12 years of experience administering Botox, I have been officially recognized by Allergan Malaysia to conduct training modules for doctors who aren't familiar with Botox and its specialized injection techniques. 

Juvederm is a dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid, a natural component of healthy skin. Where Botox helps to prevent the movement of muscles, Juvederm volumises or fills in hollows, lines and depressions to restore the look of a youthful face. A face loses its youthfulness when fatty deposits and skin elasticity are reduced.

Fillers such as Juvederm are often used for anti-aging effect in the forehead lines, corw's feet, under-eye area or around the mouth. It can also be used to improve facial contours by augmenting nasal height and shape, volumising the lips or adding length to an inadequate chin.

Juvederm injections can last about 1 -2 years after each session, and the effects can be as subtle or dramatic as the patient requests. As an offical Juvederm trainer, I have a lot of experience in the assessment and treatment of different facial conditions, to help patients achieve their aesthetic and anti-aging goals.

If you'd like the chance to try out either of these great aesthetic treatments for yourself, all you have to do is:

1. Like my Facebook Page 
2. Fill out this short survey 

Terms and conditions:
1. Contest closes at midnight on the 24th December, 2014. 
2. Only Malaysian residents aged 18 and above are eligible to win.
3. Prize must be redeemed within 60 days.
4. Prize is non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash or other treatments / products.
5. Doctor's discretion is advised in adminstration of treatment.
6. Any additional units of Botox or Juvederm desired will be charged at the normal rate. 


Update: 25th December 00:00 **** This competition is now CLOSED ****
Winners' names will be announced on my Facebook Page. 

--- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 15 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. 

To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page, visit Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre's website at http://www.beverlywilshiremedical.com or drop him an email at cosmedmd@gmail.com

Getting Botox or Fillers From A Salon or Spa? Here's what you should consider..

It is getting quite common for beauty salons and spas to offer injectable treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers to customers who frequent their premises. They also have special events that they organize to attract their customers to a Botox party or event to which a doctor may be invited. If you are tempted to try a discounted session of Botox or fillers at a beauty salon or spa, here are some things you must consider beforehand:

Is Skincare Enough? The Truth About Skin Care and Aging

The amount of skin care products available on the market is staggering, with existing brands releasing new ranges all the time, and new brands coming on to the market everyday. They are marketed for acne-prone, mature age, pigmented, oily, sensitive, combination skin, in too many varieties to count, each marketing a special ingredient or function. I know that when my wife visits the cosmetics and skin care counters, I'd better get a comfortable place to sit because it will be a long wait as she goes through her many options!

As an aesthetic practitioner, skin care is my expertise, so it is not unusual that I am asked this question: If I take care of my skin and have a good skin care regimen, am I doing enough for my skin to help it age well?

Botox and You Infographic

Here is an interesting infographic produced by the American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) that explains about the many applications of Botox, and what to expect during a treatment.

How To Avoid Botox - Prevent Wrinkles With A Healthy Lifestyle

Can skincare help you avoid Botox? Not as much as lifestyle choices

I was recently asked to contribute some quotes for a local magazine, and one of the questions the reporter asked was, 'how early in age would women have to begin using anti-aging skin products so they could avoid the need for treatments such as Botox.' I think this question is very interesting, because it shows that many people are unaware of the ongoing effects of environment and lifestyle choices on their skin.

Many people only start worrying about wrinkles in their thirties, when the stresses of hectic, active or unhealthy lifestyles start showing up in the form of dull skin or fine lines on previously pristine complexions. By their forties, the damage would have worsened enough that indeed, Botox, lasers and skin tightening therapies would be a god-send. Applying anti-aging products at that stage may not be enough to reverse or delay the damage that was already done. 

Should women be using anti-aging skincare in their teens and twenties to prevent effects of aging in later years? Anti-aging creams and lotions have certainly improved vastly in previous years, and many have proven skin smoothing and tightening qualities, but most are designed to replenish and boost insufficient collagen production, which is not a concern in such a young age. Others contain retinoids, which work by encouraging the rate of exfoliation and skin renewal, also not a concern when the skin is young and healthy and able to renew itself naturally. These anti-aging skin products are mainly focused at the 30s to 40s age group, when natural skin rejuvenation qualities of the skin have been compromised or decreased as part of the aging process.

Skincare products can be helpful but should not be the key focus when the goal is to prevent signs of premature aging. Aging is a process that begins as early as birth, and some scientists even argue it is a process that commences at the moment of conception. The key building block of healthy skin, collagen, declines at a rate of about 1% per year, so a 30 year old woman will have lost about 30% of her collagen, although these factors, as outlined below, may cause that rate of deterioration to be accelerated. 

Survey Shows Botox Patients Look 5 - 6 Years Younger After Treatment

A recent study done by Allergan, the company that markets Botox, surveyed patients who received Botox treatments and asked them to assess themselves for improvement in their appearance. 

In most clinical studies, doctors are the ones who assess the results of treatments, but this study focused on the self-perception of age (SPA) of patients. The questionnaire was given to participants both just before their treatment, and one month after one Botox session. Patients were asked to describe their features in terms of looking their current age, younger than their current age, or older than their current age.

At the follow-up, most of the 249 patients surveyed felt they looked an average 5 - 6 years younger than they did before their treatment. The study also found that patients who received Botox in more than one area felt they looked better overall, as stress shows on many areas of the face, such as the forehead, eyes, frown lines and lines around the mouth. 

In my practice, I often recommend patients to allow treatment not just in areas where their wrinkles are deep and obvious, but I also suggest adding a few tiny injections all over the forehead and other areas. This tends to give a subtle, undefined gentle lifting effect, that is more harmonious and acceptable to the patient. 

If you have had Botox treatments, did your doctor treat your wrinkles specifically, and did the outcome meet your expectations? Do you think your Botox treatment met your desired anti-aging goals?

- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email. 

Botox Prices Around The World

The price of Botox treatments vary greatly from country to country, so out of curiosity, I decided to do a price comparison to find out how much patients are paying for Botox treatments in different countries. You can see the graphic I created below, with price ranges of Botox injections for each country.

I was very surprised to find that the cost of Botox injections in Malaysia (USD4.90 - USD6.60 per unit) is cheaper even than Indonesia (USD7 - USD9 per unit), Thailand (USD7 - USD12 per unit) and the Philippines (USD8 - USD12 per unit)! Botox is also surprisingly affordable in Europe (USD5 - 12 per unit) and Russia (USD5 - USD10 per unit) , although it seems to be a very premium product in Japan (USD12 - USD25 per unit).

Just as a point of reference, I have also made another graphic which lists the amount of Botox generally needed for different treatment points around the face. 

These infographics refer to the proprietary Botox product by Allergan. Dysport, or abobotulinum toxin A, is another neurotoxin product that is often used in place of Botox, but can be much cheaper. Dysport is also used in different dilutions to Botox, so the number of units needed for each procedure may vary. While these are the only two products available in Malaysia currently, there are other products including Xeomin. Dysport is also marketed under the brand name Reloxin and Azzalure.

- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email. 

Botox or Fillers? For Best Results, You May Need Both

A growing trend in aesthetic medicine is for a combination therapy approach to rejuvenation and correction, and botox and fillers are one such winning combination. The latest research has found that the two procedures have equal applications, but together, they can produce a synergistic effect that last longer and looks better.

Botox, or neurotoxins, work on the underlying muscle structures under the skin. The muscles not only provide movement, but affect our facial positioning and expressions. Certain large muscles such as those in the jawline, around the lips and eyes, as well as the forehead areas, can change the entire facial structure noticeably. Deep frown lines can make a person look permanently angry, while pronounced jaw muscles can give someone a belligerent or argumentative demeanor. Proper usage of botox not only relaxes the facial expression, but also can give a more pleasant, uplifted look.

Dermal fillers work hand in hand with botox to restore fullness to areas that are sunken or lined, and also helps to reshape and redefine the overall facial structure. By combining fillers with botox, the volume of both substances can be reduced to achieve a more natural, harmonious look.

Many patients find that in areas of the face that are in constant motion, such as in the mouth area, fillers do not last very long, as the muscle motion works to break up the fillers faster. A combination treatment including botox decreases muscle activity, so that the fillers are not broken down so quickly.

A combination of botox and fillers can relax and fill out deep frown lines
even better than either product can do alone.

The synergistic effect of botox and fillers is such that the combination of both is better than either treatment alone, and it has been theorized that effects of this dual-treatment lasts longer because the collagen production stimulated by fillers help the skin to form correctly in a way that muscle movement would have disturbed.


- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email.