 |
Botox
Botox injections employ a cosmetic form of the botulinum toxin. The
procedure is intended to temporarily reduce crow's feet at the
corner of the eyes, frown lines, and neck and forehead creases.
Botox is effective by temporarily paralyzing the facial muscles that
result in the appearance of wrinkles. Other uses for Botox
injections exist and are becoming more common, including using the
procedure to relieve excessive perspiration, muscle spasms in the
eyes and neck, and migraine headaches.
What is Botox?
Botox is a cosmetic form of the Botulinum Toxin Type A. Botulinum
Toxin Type A is a strong neurotoxin that prevents the release of
acetylcholine, a chemical neurotransmitter in both the central
nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), at
neuromuscular junctions. It is a protein complex that is produced by
a bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum. This is the very same toxin
that can make people very ill from food poisoning. The form of this
toxin used in medical treatments is a purified, sterile toxin. Botox
injections have become the fastest growing cosmetic procedure in the
arena of cosmetic surgery. |
 |
|
|
Botox Treatment
When used as a cosmetic procedure, Botox treatment blocks the release of
acetylcholine by nerve cells. These nerve cells normally signal muscle
contractions. Preventing these muscle contractions leads to a degree of
paralysis, preventing the underlying muscles from contracting. This results
in frown lines and wrinkles becoming smoothed out for a period of time.
Botox History
Medical uses for Botox have been available for many years. Botox was
initially approved by the FDA in 1989 as a treatment used for eye muscle
disorders, including blepharospasm (uncontrollable blinking) and strabismus
(misaligned eyes). In 2000, it was approved to treat cervical dystonia
(severe neck and shoulder contractions).
A side effect of Botox treatment of eye muscle disorders included a
softening of the frown lines between the eyebrows. This was the beginning of
Botox treatments as understood for cosmetic uses. After many clinical
studies that demonstrated the toxin's ability to reduce or eliminate frown
lines for up to 120 days, the FDA granted the manufacturers of Botox,
Allergen Inc., approval for cosmetic uses of the toxin.
Botox Side Effects
There are risks of side effects with Botox use. Many believe that the best
way to minimize these risks is to only allow doctors experienced with Botox
cosmetic uses to provide injections. It goes without saying that 'Botox
Parties' and the like do not qualify as safe use of this toxin. When a
doctor injects Botox, he or she injects a very small amount of the toxin
into a muscle, paralyzing it. Often, side effects are the result of too
great a quantity of the toxin being injected, or the toxin being injected
into the wrong muscle or too many muscles.
Botox side effects include; droopy eyelids, flu like symptoms, headache,
upset stomach, and the risk of developing botulism. The risk of developing
botulism, a potentially life threatening illness that causes paralysis
across the body, is minimal if the toxin is used properly. Having said that,
the risk of developing botulism clearly demonstrates the reality that Botox
is not a cosmetic, but a potentially dangerous drug.
Is Botox right for you?
Do not receive a Botox injection from anyone but a qualified doctor
experienced in Botox treatments, anywhere but in a medical setting. Discuss
the potential results and risks with your family doctor first. Do not
consider Botox treatment if you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or considering
becoming pregnant. Advise your doctor if you have any preexisting conditions
that cause muscle or nerve problems, or if you are taking antibiotics.
Botox Alternatives
Some products and procedures have entered the marketplace as Botox
alternatives. Botox costs can be prohibitive for many, and these
alternatives seek to make effective treatments more accessible. Those
searching for alternatives to Botox treatment may do so to avoid the risks
associated with Botox injections, or due to the fact that they have become
somewhat immune to Botox therapy
and require ever larger doses to achieve results.
The majority of products that act as alternatives to Botox are filling
agents or injectables composed of collagen, fat, Fibril, and even Gore-Tex.
Other cosmetic procedures offer the same or similar results as Botox,
including skin resurfacing procedures, and various face
lift procedures, such as forehead and mid face lifts.
A new Botox alternative product is currently awaiting FDA approval. This
product, called Artecol or Artefill is an injection composed of 75% bovine
collagen and 25% plexiglas microbeads. Another product, called Argireline,
is manufactured by the Spanish Company Lipotec. Somewhat like Botox, it is
effective by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters.
When exploring Botox treatments and Botox alternatives, always begin by
talking to your regular doctor. Your doctor can assess whether you are a
good candidate for Botox treatment, and can advise you about how to find a
qualified doctor who is familiar with Botox treatments. Learn about other
skincare products, such as
Renova and
Retin-A.
|