Botox is a drug that is created from the same toxin that causes a life-threatening type of food poisoning. This particular toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. You may be asking yourself why anyone would want to be injected with a toxin, more importantly a toxin that is associated with food poisoning. That is a very good question!
Doctors have used this toxin in small doses to treat a multitude of health problems including
* Severe underarm sweating
* Cervical dystonia – a neurological disorder that causes severe neck and shoulder muscle contractions
* Blepharospasm – uncontrollable blinking
* Strabismus – misaligned eyes
* Chronic migraine
* Overactive bladder
As with many FDA drugs on the market today, botox for cosmetic purposes was discovered by accident. In 1987, Vancouver doctors Jean and Alastair Carruthers, discovered cosmetic benefits in a toxin that had most commonly been used by opthalmologists. Alastair divided his Vancouver dermatology practice with Jean, who treated pediatric disorders along with conditions such as blepharospasm. This is an uncontrollable blinking and spasming of the eye and the surrounding areas. A diluted solution of botulinum toxin was used to treat the condition. Once injected into the skin, the spasming muscles were temporarily “paralyzed” which relaxed the muscles. One day, one of Jean’s blepharospasm patients came into her office upset that her forehead hadn’t been injected at her last appointment. Jean told her that her forehead wasn’t spasming and inquired why she wanted to be injected there. The patient replied “Because when you inject my forehead, my wrinkles go away”! And the rest is history….
The couple’s accidental discovery quite literally changed the face of beauty and since this time has become a billion dollar industry. Botox is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment, with more than 6 million Botox treatments administered each year.
Botulinum toxin is one of the most poisonous substances know to man. Scientists have estimated that a single gram could kill as many as 1 million people. In high concentrations, it can result in a life threatening illness. Despite botulinum being so toxic, Botox itself is in huge demand. HOW and more importantly WHY might be your next questions.
When Botox is injected, it can migrate up to 3 cm from the injection site. Even if some molecules were to travel to the bloodstream, the cosmetic doses used are significantly less than the toxic dose that would be potentially dangerous. The cosmetic dose is typically less than 100 units while the toxic dose would be anywhere from 2500-3000 units. Words such as toxic and deadly don’t really beckon the consumer but hopefully those numbers put you at ease and explain just why Botox is so safely and widely used.
Botulinum toxin (Botox) can be injected in extremely small concentrations and works by preventing signals from the nerve cells reaching muscles. It essentially paralyzes the muscles temporarily. Just as toxic and deadly aren’t comforting words, neither is paralyzing. Rest assured, the muscles are not paralyzed by rather relaxed for a period of time. Practitioners use the word paralyze as a medical term but Botox is temporary, while paralysis is not. When the Botox protein stops functioning, it is broken down into harmless components (amino acids) and is recycled for use in other proteins or excreted by the kidneys. To date there have been no reports of liver or kidney toxicity.
Perhaps the most nagging question is that pertaining to the safety of Botox. The safety record of Botox is quite robust based on the fact that there have been literally tens of millions of patients treated with Botox. In addition, Allergan, the makers of Botox, set the bar high for customer safety and product regulations and continue to test the product despite its already pristine reputation.
It’s no longer just movie stars and celebrities that are chasing the fountain of youth. Since it’s FDA approval, Botox has moved mainstream and is now available to anyone, anywhere, making it the number one cosmetic medical treatment in the country. It is the most safe and effective anti-aging procedure delivering subtle yet undeniable results. This non invasive procedure takes only minutes, requires no downtime, and while results vary, lasts anywhere from 3-4 months. The simplicity of the procedure, not to mention the results, keeps men and women of all ages returning time after time to partake of this quick fix.
Interested in taking your first step into the fountain of youth? At dermani MEDSPA®, we pride ourselves on our team of physicians assistants and injectors and are always expanding our knowledge, technique, and skills. With our commitment to continuing education, we can guarantee you will be in good hands and will love your results! Call today to schedule your free consultation at 770-212-2242 or go online to dermanimedspa.com