Archive for July, 2009

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Benefits of Botox Cosmetic Injections

Friday, July 24th, 2009
Spero Theodorou recently asked:


A Safer and More Affordable Alternative to Surgery

BOTOX cosmetic injections are an FDA approved treatment for the removal or reduction of wrinkles and frown lines. These injections contain a purified version of the muscle toxin obtained from the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. This purified form, when injected in little amounts straight into the line or wrinkle-causing muscle, causes the skin creases to smooth out. BOTOX may be a short term treatment (results last for just a few months) but it’s safer and more affordable than surgery.

Treats Not Just Wrinkles

As mentioned earlier, the FDA has approved the use of BOTOX treatment only for correcting lines. However, BOTOX injections can also be used to decrease excessive hand, forehead or armpit sweating; for respite from muscle twitches; to treat frequent urination and infections of the urinary tract in men; for alleviation of chronic jaw and back pain; and for relieving migraine headaches. Studies suggest that BOTOX cosmetic injections may also help patients with arthritis.

So Many Benefits

Here’s an overview of the other benefits of BOTOX cosmetic injections:

•    Great for reducing laugh lines and crow’s feet.

•    Causes very little discomfort as the needle used is tiny.

•    Takes very little time to perform (usually 10 minutes).

•    Causes no loss of sensation in the treated region.

•    Improves the advantages of collagen, Perlane, and Restylane.

•    Nil recovery time.

•    Lends a more youthful look.

A Worthwhile Option

BOTOX cosmetic injections have their own share of side effects such as headache, nausea, swelling, symptoms similar to those of a flu; redness on the treated region; and rarely breathing or swallowing problems or serious allergic reactions. However, this treatment doesn’t pose the risks of plastic surgery, making it a good option for improving wrinkles.





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Is Botox Right For You?

Friday, July 24th, 2009
Heather Colman recently asked:


Botulin toxin, sold commercially under the brand name Botox, is an exceptionally potent neurotoxin that has found a variety of remarkable uses in modern medicine. It is also the most popular nonsurgical medical cosmetic treatment in the UK and USA.

Researchers discovered in the 1950s that injecting overactive muscles with minute quantities of botulinum toxin type A decreased muscle activity by blocking the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thereby rendering the muscle unable to contract for a period of 4 to 6 months.

Alan Scott, a San Francisco ophthalmologist, first applied tiny doses of the toxin in a medicinal sense to treat crossed eyes and uncontrollable blinking, but a partner was needed to gain regulatory approval to market his discovery as a drug. Allergan, Inc., a small pharmaceutical company that focused on prescription eye therapies and contact lens products, bought the rights to the drug in 1988 and quickly received FDA approval in 1989. Allergan renamed the drug Botox.

Cosmetic benefits of Botox were quickly realized when the frown lines between the eyebrows appeared to soften following treatment for eye muscle disorders. The increased potential of Botox as a cosmetic treatment led to clinical trials and subsequent FDA approval in April 2002.

Currently, Botox is finding enormous additional potential in several therapeutic areas including the treatment of migraine headaches, cervical dystonia (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck), blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscles), and severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Other uses of botulinum toxin type A that are widely known but not approved by FDA include urinary incontinence, anal fissure, spastic disorders associated with injury or disease of the central nervous system including trauma, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy and focal dystonias affecting the limbs, face, jaw, or vocal cords. It is also used off label for the treatment of TMJ, but a side effect in some patients is a jaw left too weak to chew solid food for about 3 months after the injection.

Treatment and prevention of chronic headache and chronic musculoskeletal pain are emerging uses for botulinum toxin type A. In addition, there is evidence that Botox may aid in weight loss by increasing the gastric emptying time.

As an alternative to Botox, anti-aging creams are heavily marketed and advertised on television, with the promise of looking younger and the reduction in visible wrinkles on the skin.

Traditionally, they have been targeted towards women, but products specifically targeting men are now common. This change may be due to the fact that many societies in recent years have seen an increased focus on young looks, including in men. Some men report that looking younger makes it easier to get a good job.

There are a range of cosmetic ‘treatments’ for the appearance of wrinkles on the skin such as plastic surgery and botox injections. One of the marketed advantages of anti-aging cream is that it is an alternative to these more extreme cosmetic treatments.

Critics take the view that the manufacturers of these products prey on the fears of women, and that the advertisements abuse science by claiming that their products are scientifically proven to work. It is said that the ’scientific data’ is based on the perception of women who have tried the product, and are asked whether or not they think they look younger. These are the hallmarks of a placebo.

However, it is plausible that some of the anti-aging products could have a rejuvenating effect, as promised. However, the effects of most anti-aging products likely depends on their concentration and mode of application, making their effects less certain.

Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and the entire resource box is included.





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A Quick Guide To Botox

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Barry Lycka recently asked:


Botox (Botulinum toxin type A) has been used for over 15 years in the cosmetic surgery industry as a popular treatment for facial wrinkles. Indeed, it has become the most popular procedure, in the world, with 6 million Americans treated last year, alone. It derives from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can be harmful when present in high doses and is the toxin that causes food poisoning. However, small dilute quantities can be injected safely under the skin to act as a muscle relaxant.

How does it work?

Botox is used to treat lines and creases by injecting small amounts into the facial muscles. Normally, chemicals released by nerve cells in the face cause the muscles to tighten, leading to frown lines. Botox blocks these chemical signals causing a slight weakening of the muscle contraction and a smoothing of the skin’s appearance. Contrary to popular belief, skillfully applied Botox does not paralyze the facial muscles completely, just relaxes and reduces their response.

What can Botox do for me?

Botox treatment can reduce the appearance of frown lines, forehead wrinkles and crows feet around the eyes. It can also be used to treat creases around the mouth. When performed properly it should have a gentle relaxing effect while still allowing natural expressions like smiling and frowning. Botox treatment will not reduce lines caused by sun damage and may not be fully effective on very deep creases. Is it safe?

A course of Botox injections is a well established and recognized treatment that is considered to be safe when carried out by a qualified practitioner. There are, however, some groups of people who should not use Botox. These include pregnant and breastfeeding women and anyone suffering from a disease that affects the nerves or muscles. Certain medicines can react with Botox and you should consult your doctor if you are taking antibiotics or drugs to control heartbeat irregularities, Alzheimer’s disease or myasthenia gravis (a chronic autoimmune disorder). If you are known to be allergic to any of the ingredients in Botox or if the area to be treated is infected, you should not have the treatment.

What happens during treatment?

First the surgeon will discuss your medical history and assess which areas of your face to treat. A series of small injections will then be directed straight into the facial muscles using a fine needle. You will not need an anesthetic as the injections cause very little pain. The whole procedure should be completed within a matter of minutes.

How quickly will I recover?

As soon as the procedure is completed, you will be able to return to normal activities. Some patients report a slight headache but this should soon pass. Sometimes you will be advised not to lie down for 3 or 4 hours after the procedure as this can encourage the Botox to spread to other areas of the face. You should not rub the treated area for the same reason. Botox usually takes 3 to 7 days to take full effect, after which time visible improvement in facial lines should be noticeable. Your normal facial expressions should still be present. The beneficial effects of Botox usually last for 3 to 6 months.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects of Botox treatment are usually mild. Some patients experience a slight headache for the first 24 hours after injections to the forehead area, especially after their first treatment. Mild bruising of the injected area can also occur. In very rare cases, excess Botox can cause droopy eyelids, a condition known as ptosis. This is unlikely to occur when the treatment is carried out by an experienced cosmetic surgeon and will gradually correct itself as the Botox wears off. If you do experience drooping eyelids, you should tell your consultant. Although very unlikely, a small percentage of patients may suffer an extreme adverse reaction to Botox. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience difficulty in swallowing and breathing or develop a rash.

What are the advantages of using Botox?

Since its initial introduction, Botox treatment has quickly gained in popularity and is consistently one of the most requested cosmetic procedures. It is a relatively safe treatment for most people with few documented reports of serious complications. The treatment is very simple and quick and almost painless. Because no general anesthetic is required, recovery time is rapid with little or no side effects. The results of the procedure are fully reversible over time as the muscle weakening effect of the Botox eventually wears off.

Individual Botox treatments are relatively cheap and, as the effects last for 3 or 4 months, do not have to be repeated too often. Some patients find that after several sessions, the time between treatments can be increased to about 6 months.

Where should I go to get Botox treatment? Once you have decided to have Botox treatment it is important to choose the right cosmetic surgeon to perform the procedure. Botox has a proven track record for safety and good results but only when carried out by a reputable practitioner. Choose a fully qualified surgeon who has already carried out many Botox procedures. Look for a clinic where the surgeon is willing to carry out an initial consultation so that you have the chance to ask any questions and thoroughly discuss the implications of the treatment. A good cosmetic surgeon should always be happy to give you lots of information and may be able to show you photographs of past clients and the results of their treatment. It’s also a good idea to ask around your friends for personal recommendations.

What else is Botox used for?

Although Botox is most well known as a cosmetic procedure for the reduction of facial lines, it is also used in the treatment of several medical conditions. Botox can be used to reduce muscle spasms and twitching of the neck or eyelids. It has also proved successful in the treatment of excessively sweaty armpits by blocking the chemical transmitters that cause the sweating. Depending on the reasons for treatment, sometimes the cost of Botox injections can be covered by medical insurance.





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Botox: a Treatment to Reduce Wrinkles Around the Area of the Eyes

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
Farzina Naznin recently asked:


Sometimes there are occurrences of certain fine lines or wrinkles in and around the areas of the eyes. More particularly, with the advancement of age such wrinkles do usually appear. But at present there is a proper solution to overcome this through a process called botox. Botox is generally a process which helps in reducing the fine lines and the wrinkles around the areas of the eyes. Botox cannot be considered as a permanent treatment to overcome fine lines and wrinkles but it is helpful in reducing it to a suitable extent. Botox is only a temporary procedure for removal of wrinkles and fine eye lines. Botox is a sort of treatment which can in otherwise also make a person go sick who undertakes it.

But what exactly is a botox? The answer to this can be explained as such that, botox is a substance which is usually injected to make the areas around the eyes more soften and relaxed. It consists of a toxin which is called as botulin toxin. Botulin toxin is generally considered as an enzyme which breaks the fusion proteins which lead to the formation of wrinkles. On the other hand, it helps in the release of acetylcholine which helps in the reduction of the fine lines and the wrinkles around the eyes.

Botox as it is effective for reduction and smoothing out of the wrinkles, it is also quite prone to certain side effects like dry mouth. It can also to an extreme level impair and paralyze the muscles which work in the process of breathing. Thus in certain pretext botox can be very much deadly. But in spite of all these side effects, botox has been enormously used for removal of wrinkles and the fine line around the areas of the eyes. Botox is considered as a basic treatment which can be meted out for the purpose of removing the wrinkles. Botox also helps in the relaxation of the eye muscles and thus lessens the appearance of wrinkles and the fine line in the area of the eye which is called the crow’s feet or the laugh lines.

But if we overrule the side effects of botox, we can confidently refer botox as the “vital cascade of youth.” Botox is a general form of therapeutic treatment which works appropriately over the muscles and the nerves around the area of the eyes. The way that it works for the reduction of the wrinkles is through the process of blocking the transmission of the nerves in order to reduce the facial contraction of the muscles. Thus in this way the wrinkles and the fine lines around the eyes are eventually reduced to a certain extent.





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The Emergence of Botox as A Headache Treatment

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
Lee Dobbins recently asked:


Botulinum toxin A has been around for about three decades, but its many benefits to the health of patients taking it are just starting to surface.

Medical doctors, especially in the United States, started injecting what is more popularly known as botox to patients who suffer from an eye disorder known as strabismus. Strabismus is characterized by an abnormal misaligning of the eyes, leading to crossed eyes.

In 1989, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of botox as a treatment for eye muscle disorders like uncontrolled twitching. Thus, the use of botox in the medical profession became wide spread.

But like many other drugs, the potential of botox has expanded beyond its original purpose. In the recent years, the drug has also been discovered to treat the awkward excessive underarm sweating and more importantly, to get rid and prevent wrinkles in the face.

Cosmetic treatment

It is its use as cosmetic treatment that botox’s popularity rapidly shot up. From the United States, cosmetic surgeons and practitioners from across the globe started injecting botox to vanity-conscious patients who aim to prevent the onset of ageing in their faces.

Many ageing ladies, and several men as well, prefer to use botox to preventive premature and timely ageing wrinkles. It is because unlike other forms of treatment, botox does not involve the use of scalpels and surgical procedures.

The doctor would just need to inject the drug to several specific areas of the face and the neck for its effect to linger for at most six months. The satisfying result on earlier patients also has helped make the popularity of botox even more evident.

Botox as headache treatment

But did you know that recently, another used of the drug has been discovered accidentally? Yes, aside from helping patients prevent and control ageing wrinkles and eye muscle spasms, botox has been discovered as a potent drug to treat severe headaches.

In the medical profession, headaches were largely dealt by neurologists who specifically focus on the illness’ diagnosis and cure. But until recently, plastic surgeons were accidentally linked to a longer-term treatment of headaches or migraines.

Several clinical tests have proven that the patients who were injected with the botox treatment for eye spasms and aesthetic purposes were spared from the onset and occasional attacks of migraines.

Surveys covering botox patients also confirm the notion. Those patients emphasized that after using botox, they have not experienced severe and even mild headaches, for at least six months.

Specific injection points

However, doctors note that to be able to treat headache episodes, botox has to be injected in specific areas of the body. Particularly, studies and reports of patients indicate that botox has to be injected in any of the following areas: the side and the back of the head, the forehead, the eyes and the muscles of the brow.

Other than the specified areas, botox injections are not found to lead to the prevention and cure of headaches. Those who suffer migraines on a daily, weekly and regularized basis are singled out as the primary beneficiaries of the new botox purpose.

It is logical that from the start of this new discovery, botox would further become popular not just for beauty-conscious people, but also for those who have grown tired of consulting to neurologists for the treatment of headaches.

Surpassing neurologists’ prescriptions

The traditional headache treatments have almost become obsolete with the emergence of botox as a headache treatment. Thus, neurolgists’ patients have expressed relief that they have been given alternative treatments than the conventional drugs for headaches like the sumatriptan, or more commonly known as Imitrex.

Side effects

Almost all medicines and treatments have side effects, and of course, botox is of no exception. However, the side effects linked to botox treatment are limited to inability to move the brow muscles, which to some patients is good because frown lines in the forehead can be alleviated.

Other than that, there is no other side effect linked to botox intake.

Botox has truly become extremely useful in the medical world. It is no wonder that the drug’s popularity continuously rises up as years go by. Those who are afraid of needles are now given more reasons not to fear injections anymore.





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