Why Botox Cosmetic® is Attracting Women … and Men
Although Botox® wasn’t in widespread use until after 2002, Botox® entered into the medical market not as a cosmetic fix-all, but as a treatment for blepharospasm or excessive blinking and crossed eyes or strabismus about 40 years earlier. After being developed in the early 1960′s, more and more uses of Botox® were becoming known including being an inhibitor of excessive sweating and a relaxant for facial muscles causing severe headaches. During its use as a medical treatment for these problems, it was noticed that one of the side effects of a Botox® injection was the reduction of lines and wrinkles in the face.
Botox Cosmetic® was born. It took until 2002 for the FDA to approve its use for cosmetic reasons in the United States. Now Botox® is one of the most popular wrinkle treatments in the country. A few mild injections enable Botox® to improve frown lines, crow’s feet, and deep wrinkles and furrows.
It is now known that prominent wrinkles and many deep set facial lines are caused by contractions of facial muscles beneath the affected area. Botox® works by blocking the nerve impulses, thereby paralyzing the muscles so they can no longer contract. The effects of Botox® are not permanent, but can last up to four months.
There is a difference between how Botox Cosmetic® and facial wrinkle fillers work. Facial Fillers make facial folds appear softer because they restore lost volume and decrease the appearance of lines. Botox Cosmetic®, however, actually works by relaxing muscles that are the cause of wrinkling.
Other Botox® Facts:
1. Botox Cosmetic® was FDA approved in 2002 to temporarily reduce facial wrinkling and moderate to severe frown lines.
2. It is the most popular physician administered aesthetic procedure in the United States. 5.4 million+ treatments were performed in 2010, a growth of 14% over the previous year.
3. Botox Cosmetic® is a purified protein that is injected into the muscles that cause wrinkles to cause the muscle to relax diminishing the appearance of the wrinkle.
4. Botox Cosmetic® injections are minimally invasive. No anesthesia is required.
5. Results of Botox® treatments usually appear in a few days although in some cases it may take up to a week.
