The bacterium clostridium botulinum is the toxin used to produce the product with the brand-name Botox. In large amounts, this toxin can produce botulism. Paralysis is one of the more severe symptoms of botulism. However, scientists have learned that if the botulism toxin is diluted and small amounts of it are injected into selected muscles, the muscles can relaxed in a controlled way.
Toward the end of the 1980’s, the FDA approved the use of Botox in medical procedures when it was learned that Botox was effective at treating ailments like blepharospasm and strabismus. In the early 2000’s, the FDA approved the use of Botox in cosmetic treatments. Since that time Botox has been used to treat dynamic wrinkles. Examples of dynamic wrinkles include crow’s feet and frown lines on the forehead. Other cosmetic uses for Botox include preventing auxiliary hyperhidrosis.
Botox works by blocking the signals between nerves and muscles. The treated muscle loses the capacity to tighten forcefully. As a result, wrinkles in the skin begin to soften and relax.
Botox is administered via an injection using a fine needle. When the injections are performed properly, only the specified muscle is treated, and the patient experiences little to no discomfort. Botox injections only take a few minutes. In most cases, patients do not require anesthesia.
Botox begins to affect the treated muscles the moment it is injected. However, it may take between three to seven days for the effects of Botox to be noticeable.
At What Age Do People Start Using Botox?
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, seven million Botox injections were performed last year. Experts comment that more and more younger patients are coming in for preventative treatments. In fact, in 2013, the JAMA Dermatology, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/1737181 comments that it is “rarely too early” to begin Botox treatments that are “conservative and thoughtful.”
Most people start Botox treatments when dynamic wrinkles become visible, usually in their mid-30’s to early 40’s. Elizabeth Tanzi, who works as a clinical professor at the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington DC commented that most Caucasian women who have not had a lot of sun damage respond best to Botox somewhere between age 35 and 40. Caucasian woman who have had extensive sun damage may want to start when they are in their 30’s.
The age limit is a little higher for women with darker skin tones. An appropriate age for them may be somewhere between 40 and 45. But that will also vary depending on their circumstances. If a person has had a lot of sun exposure or if they have made lifestyle choices such as smoking and living in high altitudes that are bad for the skin, then it may be appropriate to start sooner.
Most professionals agree that there is no chronological age that’s best to start using Botox. Instead, it’s important to look at the wrinkles themselves. When dynamic wrinkles linger after a person has stopped making facial expressions, then it is time for them to consider Botox treatments.
Can Botox Be Preventative?
The FDA has approved the use of Botox for individuals between the ages of 18 and 65. Many are turning to Botox in their 20’s with the hopes of preventing the formation of wrinkles in the future. The same Journal of the American Medical Association’s Dermatology article mentioned earlier says that getting noninvasive treatments earlier could make the results last longer and even make the need for re-injections not necessary.
Dr. Kenneth Arndt, the co-author of the article, emphasized in a later interview that they were not advocating using this treatment for infants, teenagers, or children. He also comments on the benefits of preventing age-related issues as opposed to trying to correct some later.
Of course, other doctors see things differently. For example, Dr. Sarah Tonks, from Omniya clinic in Knightsbridge, U.K believes that individuals who have hyper mobile faces, which is a face that does a lot of frowning and smiling, may want to look into treatment in their 20’s to stop wrinkles. However, individuals who don’t have hyper mobile muscles may not benefit from the treatment.
A potential side effect of using Botox too early can be muscle atrophy. If your muscles are not used for years on end, they will begin to wither. Smaller facial muscles mean less facial volume, which in turn makes you look older.
Is Botox Only Cosmetic?
Botox is not just a beauty treatment. Before Botox was used for cosmetic reasons, it was used to treat disease. For example, Dr. Alan Scott was the first one to use Botox to treat a patient with cross eyes. When Botox is injected into the muscles that control eye movement, they relax, making the patient look less cross eyed.
The FDA approved the use of Botox to treat migraines. Patients will receive multiple injections around their head and neck, releasing muscle stiffness, thereby minimizing the intensity and duration of migraines. Botox is used as a treatment of last resort.
Individuals with a hyperactive bladder can be treated with Botox. Botox can prevent the bladder muscles from having spasms. This has been a life changer for individuals battling with this embarrassing condition.
Final Thoughts about Botox
Botox is an effective tool to help individuals plagued with dynamic wrinkles. Botox can be administered in under 30 minutes. Patients will begin to see the effects of Botox within the first week after their injection. Results should last for three to four months.
Botox produces little to no side effects. Most side effects are mild and result from the injection. They include redness, bruising, and mild swelling. The drawbacks to Botox use are negligible because Botox only affects the treated area for a few months. Once that time has passed, the treatment wears off. Unless the patient has a touch up treatment, their muscles go back to their pre-treatment functionality.