Botox for North Salem, NY

Five things people get wrong about Botox

Much of what people hear about Botox is only half right, and these are the misunderstandings worth clearing away first.

• “It is a poison.” It does come from the same bacterium that causes botulism, but what goes in is a purified botulinum toxin type A, in tiny measured doses aimed at one muscle at a time. It has held FDA approval for cosmetic use since 2002.
• “It fills in wrinkles.” Nothing is filled. Botox holds back acetylcholine, the chemical a nerve releases to make a muscle contract, so the crease that muscle keeps drawing relaxes. Hollows and folds left by lost volume are a job for dermal fillers instead.
• “You see it the same day.” The muscle needs 3 to 10 days to ease and about two weeks to show the full effect, so an occasion on the calendar means booking at least a fortnight ahead.
• “One treatment lasts for years.” It lasts roughly three to four months. As the nerve signal returns, so does the movement, and a maintenance visit renews the result.
• “Everyone ends up looking frozen.” A frozen look comes from a set formula. Here the injector maps the injection points, depth and dose to the way your own face moves, then checks and adjusts that map at later visits.

Where it is used

On the upper face and the neck: the vertical “elevens” between the brows, which are its FDA-approved cosmetic use; crow’s feet at the outer corners of the eyes; horizontal lines across the forehead; the bunny lines a scrunched nose makes; and the bands the platysma muscle draws down the neck with age. Because a resting muscle stops folding the skin in the same place, it also helps keep new lines from forming.

The people holding the needle

Every injectable at Bellava is physician-led. The medical director, Donna D’Alessio, MD, board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, leads the injector team and sets the standard it works to. The injections are given by two nurse injectors: Nicole Cardwell, FNP-BC, a board-certified family nurse practitioner who came to aesthetics from critical care and urgent care, and Grace Jacildo, BSN, RN, whose stated aim is to enhance a face rather than change it.

Down from the top of the county

North Salem is Westchester’s northernmost town, bordered by Putnam County and the Connecticut line, yet I-684 runs straight through it. From the town’s centre on Titicus Road, Route 116 carries you west along the Titicus Reservoir to Purdys, where you join I-684 south; a short stretch of the Saw Mill River Parkway then hands you to Route 117 Bypass Road and Bellava’s door at number 182 in Bedford Hills. Allow about 19 minutes without traffic. From Croton Falls, the Hardscrabble Road entrance to I-684 brings it to around 13.

North Salem patients ask

How long does the visit take? The injections themselves take about 10 to 15 minutes, each a quick pinprick through a very fine needle, and the skin can be numbed with a topical anesthetic first.

What might I notice afterwards? Perhaps slight swelling, redness or a small bruise where the needle went in, usually gone within a few days. There is no recovery period, so you can drive yourself home.

Is there anyone who should wait? Yes. As a precaution, Botox is not given during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

How do I book? Book Now opens Bellava’s online booking, where you can choose a Botox appointment or a consultation first. Financing is available, and Saturday hours run from 10 am to 2 pm.