Aesthetics Services
While best known for its ability to minimize wrinkles, there is so much more to Botox. In fact, its creator was an ophthalmologist who developed the prototype did so to treat patients with double vision by injecting it into the eye muscles. It was also used for treating strabismus or crossed eyes.
Patients receiving these injections around the eyes and forehead for vision issues noticed their wrinkles disappeared after treatment. That was the start of the use for which it became famous, changing the world of dermatology and plastic surgery.
Botulism Toxin
Botox is the brand name of a form of botulism toxin type A, but it is also available in generic versions. Botox consists of minute amounts of the naturally occurring bacterium Clostridium botulinum, a neurotoxin found in soil. It is one of the most poisonous substances on Earth.
Because the amount of toxin in botulism injections is so tiny, side effects are rare. The odds of a bad reaction are very low, but they do occur. Call your doctor immediately if experiencing any of these side effects after a Botox procedure:
- Headaches
- Flu-like symptoms
- Drooping eyelids
- Swallowing difficulties
Anti-Aging Properties
Botox injections are the most common cosmetic procedure in the skincare industry, with records going back decades.
Botox works by temporarily paralyzing muscles into which it is injected. It blocks the nerve signals governing muscle movement. This paralysis effectively minimizes or eradicates the wrinkles in the treated area.
Wrinkles consist of two types — static and dynamic. Static wrinkles are always visible, but dynamic wrinkles, such as lines around the eyes and smile lines, are only apparent during facial movements. Botox is the treatment of choice for dynamic wrinkles. Dermal fillers are more appropriate for static wrinkles, such as those between the mouth and nose.
The FDA has approved Botox Cosmetic for improving the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows, known as the glabella lines. It is also approved for injection to improve the look of crow’s feet and frown lines. Only adults may receive cosmetic Botox injections.
Results are not instantaneous. They take time, and real differences will not become apparent for at least five days. The full effect is visible within two weeks.
Initially, results last for up to three months. The good news is that the longer you use Botox, the less frequently you will need touch-ups.
Botox for Menopausal Symptoms
For a woman enduring hot flashes, menopause becomes the bane of her existence. A Botox injection into the stellate ganglion, a nerve group in the neck, offers hot flashes relief.
Botox for Migraines
Botox for migraines is more effective the more frequent the headaches. The FDA approved Botox for the treatment of chronic headaches, defined as 15 or more monthly. It can prevent migraines before they start. Each treatment usually consists of about 30 injections in areas of the head and neck.
Overall, Botox cuts the number of migraines in patients by half. Maximum benefits may take up to six months of regular injections. Treatments are generally performed every 10 to 12 weeks.
Botox and Depression
A recent study by researchers at the University of California San Diego found that Botox injections may lessen symptoms of depression. It’s not the first time such a link was suspected. Many doctors found that patients receiving Botox injections also reported mood lifts. That went beyond cosmetic Botox patients who might feel better because they looked better.
The latest study, released in 2020, found that patients receiving Botox injections, no matter where the location on the body, reported depression “significantly” less often than those undergoing treatment for similar conditions without Botox.
Excessive Sweating
Having to deal with excessive extreme underarm sweating, or hyperhidrosis is embarrassing. This type of sweating may occur even in cool temperatures or when the person is relaxed. Botox injections in the affected areas can help.
Urinary Incontinence
Approximately 50 percent of women in midlife suffer urinary incontinence, according to the North American Menopause Society. Overactive bladder or urge incontinence rules and limits your life. Urologists inject Botox into the bladder to help relax muscles. This allows more time to find a restroom.
Urine retention is a potential side effect. Botox injections are not suitable for men with enlarged prostates. Results last for about six months, but injections are repeatable.
Eyelid Spasms
Formally known as blepharospasm, constant spasms in the orbicularis oculi muscles of the eye can result in functional blindness. Those with blepharospasm may not have the ability to drive or use their devices. The overwhelming majority of patients treated with Botox report improvement within two days.
Botox treatment lasts between three months and one year.
Cervical Dystonia
Cervical dystonia involves the involuntary contraction of the neck muscles, forcing the head to turn to one side. It is quite painful, but Botox injections into the muscles provide relief. Treatment is repeated every three to four months.
Sources:
- https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-creator-of-botox-never-cared-about-wrinkles/
- https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/botox-for-migraine/
- https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/botulinum-toxin
- https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2020-07-30-headline-news-botox-may-lessen-depression.aspx
- http://www.menopause.org/publications/clinical-care-recommendations/chapter-3-clinical-issues
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/botox/about/pac-20384658
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/incontinence-botox-injections-for-your-bladder/
While best known for its ability to minimize wrinkles, there is so much more to Botox. In fact, its creator was an ophthalmologist who developed the prototype did so to treat patients with double vision by injecting it into the eye muscles. It was also used for treating strabismus or crossed eyes.
Patients receiving these injections around the eyes and forehead for vision issues noticed their wrinkles disappeared after treatment. That was the start of the use for which it became famous, changing the world of dermatology and plastic surgery.
Botulism Toxin
Botox is the brand name of a form of botulism toxin type A, but it is also available in generic versions. Botox consists of minute amounts of the naturally occurring bacterium Clostridium botulinum, a neurotoxin found in soil. It is one of the most poisonous substances on Earth.
Because the amount of toxin in botulism injections is so tiny, side effects are rare. The odds of a bad reaction are very low, but they do occur. Call your doctor immediately if experiencing any of these side effects after a Botox procedure:
- Headaches
- Flu-like symptoms
- Drooping eyelids
- Swallowing difficulties
Anti-Aging Properties
Botox injections are the most common cosmetic procedure in the skincare industry, with records going back decades.
Botox works by temporarily paralyzing muscles into which it is injected. It blocks the nerve signals governing muscle movement. This paralysis effectively minimizes or eradicates the wrinkles in the treated area.
Wrinkles consist of two types — static and dynamic. Static wrinkles are always visible, but dynamic wrinkles, such as lines around the eyes and smile lines, are only apparent during facial movements. Botox is the treatment of choice for dynamic wrinkles. Dermal fillers are more appropriate for static wrinkles, such as those between the mouth and nose.
The FDA has approved Botox Cosmetic for improving the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows, known as the glabella lines. It is also approved for injection to improve the look of crow’s feet and frown lines. Only adults may receive cosmetic Botox injections.
Results are not instantaneous. They take time, and real differences will not become apparent for at least five days. The full effect is visible within two weeks.
Initially, results last for up to three months. The good news is that the longer you use Botox, the less frequently you will need touch-ups.
Botox for Menopausal Symptoms
For a woman enduring hot flashes, menopause becomes the bane of her existence. A Botox injection into the stellate ganglion, a nerve group in the neck, offers hot flashes relief.
Botox for Migraines
Botox for migraines is more effective the more frequent the headaches. The FDA approved Botox for the treatment of chronic headaches, defined as 15 or more monthly. It can prevent migraines before they start. Each treatment usually consists of about 30 injections in areas of the head and neck.
Overall, Botox cuts the number of migraines in patients by half. Maximum benefits may take up to six months of regular injections. Treatments are generally performed every 10 to 12 weeks.
Botox and Depression
A recent study by researchers at the University of California San Diego found that Botox injections may lessen symptoms of depression. It’s not the first time such a link was suspected. Many doctors found that patients receiving Botox injections also reported mood lifts. That went beyond cosmetic Botox patients who might feel better because they looked better.
The latest study, released in 2020, found that patients receiving Botox injections, no matter where the location on the body, reported depression “significantly” less often than those undergoing treatment for similar conditions without Botox.
Excessive Sweating
Having to deal with excessive extreme underarm sweating, or hyperhidrosis is embarrassing. This type of sweating may occur even in cool temperatures or when the person is relaxed. Botox injections in the affected areas can help.
Urinary Incontinence
Approximately 50 percent of women in midlife suffer urinary incontinence, according to the North American Menopause Society. Overactive bladder or urge incontinence rules and limits your life. Urologists inject Botox into the bladder to help relax muscles. This allows more time to find a restroom.
Urine retention is a potential side effect. Botox injections are not suitable for men with enlarged prostates. Results last for about six months, but injections are repeatable.
Eyelid Spasms
Formally known as blepharospasm, constant spasms in the orbicularis oculi muscles of the eye can result in functional blindness. Those with blepharospasm may not have the ability to drive or use their devices. The overwhelming majority of patients treated with Botox report improvement within two days.
Botox treatment lasts between three months and one year.
Cervical Dystonia
Cervical dystonia involves involuntary contraction of the neck muscles, forcing the head to turn to one side. It is quite painful, but Botox injections into the muscles provide relief. Treatment is repeated every three to four months.
Sources:
- https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-creator-of-botox-never-cared-about-wrinkles/
- https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/botox-for-migraine/
- https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/botulinum-toxin
- https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2020-07-30-headline-news-botox-may-lessen-depression.aspx
- http://www.menopause.org/publications/clinical-care-recommendations/chapter-3-clinical-issues
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/botox/about/pac-20384658
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/incontinence-botox-injections-for-your-bladder/
