Anti-Aging Treatments

Botox Treatments Review

Botox is an anti-wrinkle treatment that utilizes the Botulinum neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. When humans become infected with the neurotoxin, it can cause a life-threatening condition known as botulism. However, scientists have discovered that incredibly small doses of the neurotoxin has a beneficial effect on cosmetic appearance, as it causes muscles to relax, aiding in the disappearance of wrinkles and lines on the face.

Uses of Botox

Botox has become a common treatment option for improving the appearance of facial wrinkles. Scientists first discovered its cosmetic applications in the late 1980's, and since then Botox has become a household name, with many celebrities using it regularly.

Despite being an invasive and costly procedure, it is effective in reducing the size and severity of wrinkles and frown lines, and a single treatment lasts for up to a year. In addition to cosmetic benefit, Botox also has some therapeutic uses. 

According to one study conducted by the Houston Headache Clinic in the USA in 2009, patients suffering from chronic migraines experience a 25% improvement in pain symptoms when given injections of botulinum neurotoxins. Other studies have shown that Botox that benefit many medical conditions, such as muscle spasms and spasticity, overactive bladder, cervical dystonia and spasming of the eyelid muscles.

How Botox Works

Researchers and physicians have been using Botulinum neurotoxins to treat overactive muscles since the 1950's, injecting into muscles to reduce cramping and spasming. The toxin works by blocking the release of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, from the nerves. Acetylcholine controls the contractility of the muscles, and without it the muscles are effectively paralyzed.

When small amounts of Botox are injected into the facial muscles, it is the paralyzing of the muscles that reduces the wrinkles. Botox has little or no effect on the actual health or integrity of skin cells. After the injection of Botox, muscles are considerably weaker, and it may take several months to a year before the effects completely wear off.

Costs of Botox Injections

How much you spend on getting Botox depends on a variety of factors. Number one, how many wrinkles you have, as this effects how many units of Botox will be required during your treatment. Number two, how large a surface area you would like to have treated. Having a Botox injection into your eyebrows for example is a lot cheaper than having a Botox treatment on your entire forehead. A single unit of Botox generally costs about USD $15, and a single treatment can use as many as thirty to fifty units. A single injection costs on average USD $375, while multiple injections can cost upwards of USD $700.

Cheaper drugs are now available from cosmetic surgeons, but they are often less effective, so you require more treatments for the same effect. Many people are tempted to seek out Botox injections for less money, which can be dangerous as Botox must be administered by a cosmetic surgeon trained in using Botox -- and all surgeons get their Botox from the same place.

Safety and Side Effects

Since the start of Botox being used for medical and cosmetic purposes in 1989, the US Food and Drug Administration has reported over 1400 events of people experiencing adverse reactions, with over 200 of the events serious in nature, and 28 cases of death.

According to Health Canada, the toxins from Botox do not stay in the local injection sight but spread throughout the body, affecting other nerves and other muscles. This can result in distant muscle weakness, breathing problems, speech problems and difficulty swallowing.

In a study published in "The Journal of Biomechanics" in 2011, researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada discovered that repeated and ongoing treatments with Botox may result in a significant loss of muscle strength (up to 95%), loss of muscle tone, and loss of muscle mass. Lost muscle mass was replaced with increased body fat, and these effects were present for both muscles local to the injection site, and distant muscles.

Best Alternative to Botox Treatments?

Botox is an invasive and costly procedure, so researchers in cosmetic science are always seeking for alternatives. There is a huge market for anti-wrinkle creams, gels and emulsions, but very few of those out there actually achieve a similar job as Botulinum neurotoxins. One possible contender for the job of usurping Botox is Argireline -- a synthetic peptide.

When applied externally to the skin, Argireline is able to do what Botox does without using toxins or injections -- it inhibits the release of acetylcholine from the nerves in muscle tissues. While not as effective or long-lasting as Botox, it is a cheaper and safer option. Other similar products containing peptides that block neurotransmitters in facial muscles include Vialox, Matrixyl 3000, and Leuphasyl.

References

Click Here To Compare The Best Anti Wrinkle Creams