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Botox
Botox injections involve the application of a cosmetic form of
the botulinum toxin injected into
facial regions. This cosmetic procedure addresses the
appearance of frown lines, crow's feet at the
corner of the eyes, and forehead and neck creases. The effects
of a Botox injection are temporary, as
they temporarily paralyze the facial muscles that cause the
appearance of wrinkles. Non-cosmetic uses
of Botox injections are becoming more common. They are
increasingly being employed to address migraine
headaches, excessive perspiration, and muscle spasms in the
neck and eyes.
What is Botox?
Botox is a cosmetic form of the Botulinum Toxin. Botulinum
Toxin Type A is a neurotoxin that acts to
prevent the release of acetylcholine, a chemical
neurotransmitter present at neuromuscular junctions
in both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central
nervous system (CNS). Botulinum Toxin
Type A is a protein complex produced by the bacteria
Clostridium Botulinum. The bacteria is a toxin
that can render people ill from food poisoning, however, the
form used in medical treatments is a
sterile, purified form of the toxin. Botox injections are the
fastest growing type of cosmetic
procedure.
Botox Treatment
Botox used as a cosmetic procedure blocks the release from the
nerve cells of the chemical
neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The nerve cells blocked by
Botox normally signal muscle contractions.
Some paralysis results by preventing the underlying muscles of
various parts of the face from
contracting, thereby smoothing out lines. It is the
contraction of the underlying facial muscles that
result in the development of frown lines and wrinkles.
For every woman, skin care is very important. To keep your skin looking young botox cosmetic is the wrinkle reducer for you.
History of Botox
Medical uses for Botox have been around for years, but it was
initially approved in 1989 by the FDA as
a treatment for eye muscle disorders, including strabismus
(misaligned eyes) and blepharospasm
(uncontrollable blinking). In 2000, it received FDA approval
for the treatment of cervical dystonia -
severe neck and shoulder contractions.
A side effect of the treatment of eye muscle disorders using
Botox was the softening of the frown
lines between the eyebrows. This began the development of
Botox treatments for cosmetic purposes. Many
clinical studies and trials demonstrated ability of Botox to
reduce or eliminate frown lines for up to
4 months. The FDA granted Allergen Inc., the manufacturers of
Botox, approval for cosmetic uses of the
toxin 2002.
Side Effects of Botox Treatment
Botox use involves risks of side effects. Ensuring that your
doctor is qualified and has experience
with Botox use is one of the best ways to minimize risks.
Obviously, 'botox parties' do not qualify.
Proper Botox use involves very small quantities of the toxin
being injected into the facial muscles.
Too large an amount of the toxin being injected, or the
injections being implemented into the wrong
muscles or too many muscles can cause unwanted side effects.
The most documented side effects of Botox include; flu like
symptoms, headache, droopy eyelids, upset
stomach, and a risk of developing botulism. Botulism is a
potentially life threatening condition, and
this risk is very small provided the correct amounts of Botox
are applied to the appropriate facial
muscles. The mere presence of such a risk, however, clearly
demonstrates that Botox should never be
considered a cosmetic, but instead be managed as the
potentially dangerous drug.
Is Botox the right choice for you?
Any use of Botox should be discussed with a patient's primary
physician. Not only can one's primary
physician assess a patient's suitability for Botox use with
full knowledge of a patient's medical
history, but a primary physician can also direct a patient to
a qualified doctor with experience in
administering Botox treatment in an appropriate medical
setting.
Certain individuals should not consider Botox. These include
pregnant or breastfeeding women, and
women who are considering becoming pregnant. Any individuals
currrently taking antibiotics or who have
preexisting health conditions related to nerve or muscle
problems should discuss Botox use with their
physicians prior to treatment.
Learn about
cosmetic surgery
procedures.
Alternatives to Botox Treatment
Some individuals prefer alternatives to Botox, for reasons
including price, risks, and some immunity
to Botox due to long term use. Alternatives typically include
injectables or filling agents composed
of fat, collagen, Fibril, and Gore-Tex. Other alternatives
include a variety of other cosmetic
surgeries, including forehead and mid-face lifts and skin
resurfacing procedures such as
microdermabrasion.
A relatively new product, Artecoll, has been considered an
alternative to Botox treatment. It is an
injection composed of 25% plexiglas microbeads and 75% bovine
collagen, and was approved by the US FDA
in 2006 to treat nasolabial folds. It continues to be studied
in the US.
Speak with your primary physician about Botox and it's
alternatives before seeking treatment. Only a
qualified doctor with knowledge of a particular patient's
medical history can effectively assess
whether Botox treatment is safe.
The National Institutes of Health Medline Plus reports on
FDA mandates for new warnings about Botox. (April,
2009) NIH reports on current
Botox clinical trials.
Copyright
2003
Healthreserve.com
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