But there’s more to meets the wrinkle with this popular neuromodulator. Botox has a bigger job in medicine than simply telling your 11s to take a hike. And since it is a popular mainstay here at Northcoast Laser, we thought our clients maybe would be interested to know some other fun facts about Botox.
The origins or Botox
Most people know that Botox derives from the bacteria that cause botulism. That would be the clostridium botulinum, the organism from which Botox is derived. That sounds kind of scary, but clostridium botulinum can actually be found in its inactive form all through the natural environment, including in cultivated soil and in forest soil, and in the sediment of lakes, streams, coastal and untreated waters. Maybe that’s why your Mom always told you to stop eating dirt!
Medicinal uses
In 2002, when Botox first made its splash in the aesthetic world, it had already been a known commodity in the medical world for a couple decades. Scientists long ago discovered that the botulinum toxin type A, when injected in very small amounts, could make muscles temporarily stop contracting. Once they knew that, Botox was tested for a variety of different uses, anything where controlling muscle spasms was involved. It is now used for the following therapeutic applications:
- Blepharospasm (involuntary eyelid spasms)
- Strabismus (crossed eyes)
- Idiopathic rotational cervical dystonia (severe neck and shoulder muscle spasms)
- Chronic migraine headaches
- Urinary incontinence
- Overactive bladder
- Severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
- Post-stroke upper limb spasticity
- Hemifacial spasm
It is also used “off-label” for:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Achalasia (esophageal problems creating difficulty swallowing)
- Sialorrhea (hypersalivation)
- Hepatopancreatic dysfunction
- Cerebral palsy
- Laryngeal dystonia (forceful contraction of the vocal cords)
- Oromandibular dystonia (forceful contraction of the jaw, face, and/or tongue)
More about Botox
Back to its wrinkle-fighting mode, more than six million Botox treatments are given each year, far and away the most of any cosmetic procedure of any type.
Although Botox is by far the most popular brand, the botulinum toxin is also sold commercially under these other brand names: Vistabel, Dysport, Bocouture, Xeomin, and Myobloc. At Northcoast, we offer Botox and Xeomin for our patients.
OK, now that you’re a Botox expert, isn’t about time to do something about those crow’s feet? Call us at 440-NEW-FACE and schedule your appointment.