Hundreds of articles have been written about the unique properties of Botox, which provides an excellent anti-aging effect.
There are many discussions among experts about at what age you can inject Botox, and also whether Botox or Refinex or other analogues of the drug are better.
| Duration of the procedure: from 20 minutes. Recommended number of procedures: from 1 | Price: from 130 rub./unit. | |
What's happened
Refinex is a drug whose main component is botulinum toxin type A, which has undergone several stages of purification. Thanks to this substance in the composition, the product has a muscle relaxant effect.
Japanese Botox for the face is available in bottles of 5 and 100 units of the active ingredient. The purification process involves crystallization, dissolution and filtration of botulinum toxin.
After the component is completely processed, gelatin, dextran and sucrose are added to it. The resulting mixture goes through the stages of drying, freezing and sublimation. The resulting powder is called lyophilisate, which is then dissolved. The drug is considered completely hypoallergenic.
How is it different from Botox?
If we consider Refinex botulinum toxin and Botox, they have the same principle of action. However, despite this, most specialists most often prefer the Japanese drug for rejuvenation procedures, since it has a number of significant advantages.
To understand the difference between these two tools, you can look at the table below.
| Parameter | Refinex | Botox |
| Fame | Innovative product, in some situations shows a more expressive effect | The drug has been tested for several decades and is widely used in most cosmetology clinics. |
| Duration of result | The effect can be observed for 8 months | The need to repeat the procedure arises after 4-6 months |
| Price | High, but, as a rule, the method involves performing one session | Affordable, but requires a full course of anti-aging therapy, which includes several procedures |
| Consequences | The likelihood of complications developing largely depends on the professionalism of the cosmetologist. | Almost completely absent |
Indications
Refinex botulinum toxin is used for the following problems:
- sagging skin;
- loss of firmness and elasticity;
- asymmetry ;
- expression and age wrinkles of varying severity;
- uncontrolled contraction of facial muscles;
- increased sweating ;
- brow displacement ;
- drooping corners of the lips;
- formation of crow's feet.
In addition, the effectiveness of the drug was noted in eliminating involuntary contraction of the eye muscles.
Contraindications and side effects
Contraindications:
- pregnancy;
- lactation period;
- myasthenia gravis;
- bleeding disorders;
- individual intolerance to the drug;
- infectious diseases;
- violation of the integrity of the skin at the injection site.
Side effects of Refinex:
- hematomas at the injection site;
- temporary spasm of the eyelid, drooping (ptosis) of the eyebrows, weakness of the facial muscles (such symptoms occur against the background of pronounced diffusion of the drug into the surrounding muscles and tissues, and disappear on their own within 3-8 weeks).
Contraindications
The procedure performed with Refinex Botox has a number of limitations. These include the following:
- period of the menstrual cycle;
- age under 18 years;
- individual intolerance to the components included in the product;
- damage and inflammatory processes at the sites of intended administration of the substance;
- acute and chronic ;
- tuberculosis developing in active form;
- increased temperature ;
- feverish conditions;
- diagnosed diabetes mellitus ;
- treatment with antibiotics and hormonal medications;
- diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
- clotting disorder .
In addition, the procedure will be denied during the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, the method is not used during the three months of the preparatory period for conception.
Contraindications for use
- Age up to 12 years.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding period.
- Inflammatory processes or skin damage at the sites of intended injections.
- Blood diseases and bleeding disorders.
- Taking medications that reduce blood clotting and antiplatelet agents.
- Tendency to allergic reactions and individual intolerance to the components of the drug.
- Acute infectious diseases.
- Disorders associated with neuromuscular transmission (myasthenia gravis and myasthenic syndrome).
- High myopia.
- Autoimmune connective tissue diseases (dermatomyositis, scleroderma, rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.).
- Diabetes.
- Increased body temperature.
- Taking antibiotics that potentiate the relaxing effect of the drug. This effect is especially characteristic of antibiotics of the aminoglycoside group (Gentamicin, Sizomycin, Kanamycin, Neomycin, Amikacin, Izepamycin, etc.).
In addition, caution should be exercised in patients with heart disease, lung disease, liver disease (liver failure), as well as active tuberculosis.
How many units are administered?
For cosmetic purposes, the dosage of the drug is calculated based on up to 0.1 milliliter for each muscle. Injections can be made into the muscles, hypodermis and dermis.
Unused substance must be disposed of. During the process, you need to be extremely careful so that the needle does not fall into a blood vessel. If such an error occurs, the needle is removed and the injection is repeated.
If the effect is not high enough, the procedure is repeated after 14 days.
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If it is necessary to get rid of hyperhidrosis, then to calculate its amount, take into account the minimum dosage, which is 0.5 units per square centimeter of the problem skin area.
The daily dose should not exceed 55 units, and up to 200 milliliters of the drug can be administered per month.
Consequences
The likelihood of developing side effects may increase as a result of using the drug of inadequate quality. In addition, complications may arise if the substance has an increased degree of toxicity of the main active ingredient.
Sometimes patients noted a complete lack of positive results after performing anti-aging manipulation. According to experts, this is possible if the body produces antibodies to botulinum toxin.
Immediately after injection of the drug under the skin, redness, small hematomas and minor pain may be observed at the puncture sites. Such symptoms are considered normal and go away on their own in the shortest possible period of time.
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Among the more serious consequences, experts highlight:
- spasm of the eyelid;
- difficulty blinking ;
- drooping eyebrows ;
- weakening of muscles ;
- incomplete closure of the eyelid ;
- development of strabismus .
Similar symptoms may occur during the distribution of the drug in the dermal layers. All these pathological conditions disappear after 1-2 months and do not require therapeutic intervention.
If the specialist violated the technology for administering Refinex Botox, or the patient did not follow all the recommendations during the rehabilitation period, the likelihood of developing complications such as facial asymmetry, penetration of infection into the tissue through punctures, herpetic rashes, and impaired facial expressions increases.
Doctors include allergic reactions, muscle weakness, headaches, and disruption of the digestive system as common undesirable consequences.
What is better to choose: Botox, Dysport, Xeomin or Lantox?
You can only determine which of the above medications is most suitable for you by trying them all on yourself one by one. But some specialists will be able, even after the first consultation, to tell you which drug you should choose, after analyzing the entire situation. All these drugs provide only temporary results, so even if something goes wrong and a side effect occurs, it will soon disappear.
Special offer
Plasma lifting as a gift!
Treatment of hyperhidrosis - botulinum therapy plasma lifting as a gift!
Botox 6 units as a gift!
When injecting Botox into the forehead, you receive 6 units of the drug as a gift! *Gift units can be used for the eye area and between the eyebrows!
Lantox or Botox – which is better? It’s impossible to say for sure, but the price of the first one is several times less, while the effect is the same. The price for Dysport is even lower, but you will need more of it. As a result, it turns out that the cheapest injection for rejuvenation is Lantox.
What is better, original or analogue?
The main difference between Botox and its analogues is the city and the manufacturing company. Botox and Lantox are made in China and the USA, Dysport is made in the UK and France, and Xeomin is produced in Germany.
Like Xeomin, Botox or Dysport are offered in glass containers of 50 or 100 units. For example, Botox is sold only for 100 units, and Dysport – for 500 units. Small dosages are convenient for use on small problems or small areas of the body. Botox, Lantox, Xeomin differ in shelf life. So, Botox and Xeomin can be stored for a day, Lantox - 4 hours, and Dysport - 8 hours.
The units of Botox, Xeomin and Lantox are not entirely different. But Dysport is not used so sparingly. For the same purpose, Dysport will require three or even five times more. Dysport or Botox - reviews of these drugs are equally positive, so without the help of a doctor it will be difficult for you to make a choice.
Advantages of Refinex and its analogues
Analogs of the drug Refinex are the following:
- Botox;
- Relatox;
- Dysport;
- Neuronox.
Experts cannot determine for sure whether Refinex or Dysport is better, or whether Botox or Dysport is better.
Botox and Refinex have received extremely positive reviews. These drugs allow you to achieve amazing results that last for about a year. The duration depends on the age of the patient. All drugs - Botox, Refinex, Lantox, Dysport are made on the basis of purified botulinum toxin A and act on the same principle. The difference lies in the technology for purifying the neurotoxin from impurities, as well as in the duration of the effect after the injection. Botox, Refinex and other analogs will allow every woman to feel beautiful and young.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite the fact that Refinex injections fully comply with the dose and schedule of Botox administration, due to the fact that the drug does not have accurate information about the manufacturing company, it is not particularly popular among specialists in beauty salons.
To make a final decision on choosing this product, you need to carefully study its positive and negative sides.
The advantages include obtaining an instant positive result, a long period of maintaining the effect, and the absence of diffusion of the product into nearby tissues.
Features of the procedure
There is no specific preparation for the botulinum therapy procedure with Refinex, but the instructions for use indicate that a week before its injection it is necessary to stop taking antibiotics (they can potentiate the effect of botulinum toxin), stop smoking, drinking alcohol and visiting saunas.
Intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin is accompanied by painful sensations, so before injections, a cream containing a local anesthetic (Emla) is applied to the patient’s skin.
The botulinum therapy procedure consists of several stages:
- determination of neurotoxin injection sites;
- dilution of the drug (information on how to dilute Refinex is contained in the instructions, which indicate the exact amount of solvent for preparing the injection solution of the required concentration; a sterile sodium chloride solution is used as a solvent);
- intramuscular injection of the solution (average doses and administration schedule of Refinex coincide with the parameters of Botox; the volume of the drug that is injected into one muscle should not exceed 0.1 mm).
