Archive for August, 2010

Addicted to Botox

Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Sharon Bell recently asked:


Jay Nichols has spent £3,000 on Botox for the past two years. The 32-year-old model and dancer from Battle, East Sussex, England, gets the shots every three months to maintain her looks.

“I hated my wrinkles and didn’t want to look old before my time. I’d already had a boob job and went for regular saline injections to plump up my lips at £500 each, so having Botox wasn’t such a big deal,” she told the Daily Mail.

Lisa Jeynes, 37, a TV presenter and former Big Brother contestant, has been very critical of the lines and wrinkles on her face. So she reinvented herself with a little help from Botox. She spends £1,000 a year for the procedure.

“Once you start having Botox, it’s very hard to stop as you get used to the way your face looks. I am terrified that if I stop now, all my frown lines and wrinkles will return,” she said.

Victoria Leighton-Clark, 45, of Haughton, Cheshire, began her Botox treatments after her husband died of a heart attack. The operations director has three injections a year at £190 a session.

“I didn’t want a facelift or invasive surgery - this is a much more subtle way of enhancing the way you look,” the Daily Mail quoted her.

Nichols, Jeynes, and Clark are but a few of the faces in the growing list of people who are addicted to Botox. For these people, beauty has become an obsession that is pursued regardless of the cost. For them, cosmetic procedures like Botox have become a quick fix to their daily problems and unreasonable insecurities.

“People can become addicted to the anticipation, the excitement and the attention they receive. There is a short-lived result of feeling fabulous, but after the post-procedure high, life goes back to normal and all the mundane problems return, so you need to go for another fix,” explained Dr. Eileen Bradbury, a consultant psychologist at the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle near Manchester.

Adam Searle, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said four in 10 people who use Botox are compelled to do so repeatedly. He believes that many patents are suffering from imagined ugly body syndrome (also known as body dismorphic disorder), where they become obsessed at improving their appearance even though nothing is wrong with them.

Searle’s suspicions were confirmed in a recent survey of 10,000 British women aged 25 to 60 made by the makers of Botox. The survey revealed that 60 percent of the respondents were willing to have injections owing to the pressure to look beautiful. Moreover, only four percent of the women felt they were attractive.

If looks are important to you but you don’t want to be a Botox junkie, get all the help you need from the Rejuvinol AM/PM Botox Alternative Age-Defying System. This powerful anti-aging formula has two components: the Rejuvinol morning moisturizer that nourishes and tones the skin; and the Rejuvox night cream that reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Visit http://www.rejuvinol.com for details.





Botox – is it Right for You?

Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Patricia Woloch recently asked:


Botox is the brand name for botulinum toxin type A. This purified form of the toxin, if taken in large amounts by mouth will cause botulism, a form of food poisoning. But, used in small amounts can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

How does it work?

Botox prevents the muscles from tightening by blocking the chemical signals that cause them to contract. The cosmetic surgeon will use a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of Botox into certain muscles surrounding your wrinkles. The chemical weakens the wrinkle-producing muscles and restores a smoother appearance to your skin.

The number of injections you will need depends on your facial features, the extent of wrinkling and the area being treated. Your doctor will determine the approximate number of treatments you will need during your consultation.

Botox treatments are usually performed in the doctor’s office and take about 10-15 minutes to complete. You may experience mild discomfort with the injections, but most patients find this to be very tolerable. These treatments will not require anesthesia.

What does it treat?

Botox is used in cosmetic surgery to treat:

• Creases in the forehead

• Crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes

• Frown lines between eyebrows and over the bridge of the nose

• Bands on the neck

It is also used to treat severe health conditions such as:

• Headaches

• Eye muscle problems

• Back pain

• Muscle spasms

• Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

Botox is being tested for early treatment of facial scars as well. It is believed that these treatments will reduce the long-term effects of the scars. This treatment has not yet obtained FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval.

What won’t it treat?

Not all facial wrinkles can be treated with Botox. Sun damaged skin can not be repaired through Botox injections. The effectiveness is determined by the thickness of your skin and the amount of wrinkling you have. Botox is also not effective for lines surrounding the mouth because it would affect the muscles needed to talk and eat.

How do you prepare?

If you have decided to undergo Botox treatments you should consult a qualified cosmetic surgeon. During your initial consultation, you and the doctor will determine if this type of treatment is right for you. Factors include your medical history, your expectations, condition of your skin and your surgeon’s predictions as to the outcome of the treatments.

What are the side effects?

As with any type of cosmetic procedure, there will be some uncomfortable, but temporary side effects. These may include:

• Redness

• Pain and bruising at the injection site

• Nausea

• Headache

• Flu-like symptoms

• Facial weakness or drooping

• Possible spread of the toxin outside of the treatment area (This may cause temporary trouble swallowing, muscle weakness, slurred speech or breathing problems)

If you are considering Botox injections, seek a board certified cosmetic surgeon to perform the procedure. Be sure the doctor has experience with Botox treatments and ask a lot of questions during your consultation.





No Botox for Malaysian Muslims

Friday, August 13th, 2010
Sharon Bell recently asked:


It’s final: Malaysian Muslims should learn to live with their wrinkles after the National Fatwa Council, the highest Islamic authority, ruled against the use of Botox.

Declaring the popular wrinkle remover as “haram” or unlawful, the Council said Botox could not be used for cosmetic purposes amidst fears that it contains prohibited substances, including those derived from pigs.

For Muslim Malays, eating pork or coming in contact with pigs is strictly forbidden, even more than drinking or adultery.

“Islamic law prohibits a Muslim from consuming alcohol, eating or drinking blood and its by-products, and eating the meat of a carnivore or omnivore, such as pork, monkeys, canines, and felines (piscivorous animals, however, are not considered carnivorous). Crab meat is also seen as prohibited by some but the majority of Muslims consider all shellfish (including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, crayfish, and all non-poisonous mollusks) to be ‘halal’ or lawful,” said the editors of Wikipedia.

The Council was also concerned about the proliferation of fake Botox products in the market, the reason why they couldn’t allow its use.

Council Chair Professor Datuk Shukor Husin told The New Straits Times, Malaysia’s largest newspaper, that the decision to ban Botox was reached after six months of deliberation wherein they studied reports from abroad and the fatwas in Middle Eastern countries, and consulted with local doctors.

Surprisingly, the Council allowed Botox to be used to treat cerebral palsy, muscle spasms, and migraines provided there are no other alternative medical treatments for these conditions.

“Some 60 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million population are Muslims but doctors quoted by the newspaper said only between 10 percent and a third of their customers are Muslim. Each Botox treatment in Malaysia costs up to 700 ringgit (£105),” according to the Guardian Unlimited.

While the Council’s decision is not legally binding, Muslims who don’t follow the ruling are said to be committing a sin. However, observers said that won’t stop wealthy Muslims from seeking Botox treatments abroad.

Considering the many benefits of Botox, Muslims are sure to miss a lot from not using this drug. However, there are other safer alternatives to this costly and risky wrinkle-fighter. One popular product is the Rejuvinol AM/PM Botox Alternative Age-Defying System. This powerful system combines the nourishing effects of the Rejuvinol morning moisturizer and the muscle-relaxing Rejuvox night cream to give you healthy and younger-looking skin. Go to http://www.rejuvinol.com for details.





Botox Cosmetic: Making Your Skin Look Good At Any Age

Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Tammy Garcia recently asked:


Botox Cosmetic is a non-surgical treatment that can enhance your appearance by selectively relaxing individual muscle groups to smooth and contour your facial profile. And with over 3 million treatments performed in 2005, its clearly one of the top requested procedures. But how do you know if it’s right for you?

Let’s start with the process. Botox injection is a very simple process that can be accomplished in under 30 minutes, depending on the number of desired treatment areas. A topical anesthetic is used to numb the areas to be treated with Botox. Then small amounts of Botox are injected into the skin with a thin needle. Pain and discomfort is usually minimal, and does not persist after the injection process.

For many people, the promise of a more youthful look is tempting. Botox can help reduce the frown lines between the eyebrows, or reduce the fine lines that begin to form at the corners of your mouth. As long as a person leads a healthy, active life, why not look young and healthy as well?

Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox Cosmetic) is a protein complex produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which contains the same toxin that causes food poisoning. Yet when this same protein is used in a medical setting, small doses of this chemical will block the release of a chemical called acetylcholine by nerve cells that signal muscle contraction. By specifically targeting facial muscles and interfering with their ability to react to facial movement, existing lines are smoothed out and become nearly invisible in about one week.

For people that hold high profile jobs, or for people that desire to maintain a life long youthful look, Botox may truly be the fountain of youth. But keep in mind that along with the benefits can also be hindrances.

If you are considering Botox treatment, be sure to find a qualified doctor to perform the procedure. Because of the rise in popularity of Botox, mass marketing of the drug has caused many complications that could be avoided by selecting a reputable cosmetic surgeon.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has reported a number of unqualified people dispensing Botox in non-medical facilities, such as salons, gyms and other retail venues. Remember, Botox is a prescription drug that should be administered by a qualified physician, and should be performed in an appropriate medical setting. Safety should be your prime concern when selecting a physician.

While Botox is not a lasting procedure, it is one that will give you dramatic results for three to six months. By repeating the procedure two or three times a year, you can have the life long results you’ve been looking for.