BOTOX® Benefits Can Be Yours

BOTOX® injections have been the number one non-invasiveprocedure for several years now – for both men and women, and in many agegroups. That is not surprising since the BOTOX® results are visible quickly andthe procedure is short and simple.

What is BOTOX®?

BOTOX® is the trade name for a substance made from thebotulinum toxin. That toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and when ingested in its natural form it ishighly toxic. But in its purified form as BOTOX® it is not toxic at all.

BOTOX® has been used for years to treat conditions involvingmuscle dysfunction, such as Blepharospasm (twitching eyelids) and multiplesclerosis (MS). When a very tiny dose of the purified substance is injectedinto a specific muscle, it temporarily paralyzes that muscle. It prevents thatmuscle from contracting by blocking messages sent by the brain telling it tocontract. This helps an MS patient, for example, by cutting down on involuntarymovements and enabling more coordinated movements.

BOTOX® began getting FDA approvals for medical uses in 1989and in 2002 was approved for cosmetic use.

BOTOX® For Cosmetic Use

If you make repeated facial expressions, those muscles worka lot. They contract a lot and squeeze the skin above them together, forminglines or wrinkles. Over the years, those lines and wrinkles become permanentand are reinforced daily by the repeated muscle use.

BOTOX® is most often injected into the frown muscle (thecorrugator supercillii). When this small muscle is unable to contract, you donot frown. The vertical frown lines become smoother and the face takes on amore relaxed look.

BOTOX® is also used to smooth out horizontal forehead lines,crow’s feet and neck bands. Some wrinkles are caused by sun damage and some bythe daily pull of gravity, and these types of wrinkle do not respond to BOTOX®treatments.

The BOTOX® Procedure

It takes just a few minutes to perform. You may be asked toavoid alcohol for a week or so before your treatment. To prevent bruising it isbest to take no aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for about two weeksbefore treatment.

No anesthetic is required, as the injection needle is sovery fine. There may be some minor short-lived discomfort.

You will see results after a couple of days and they willlast for up to four months. Gradually the effect wears off and a repeattreatment must be done.