Botox Injections
Cosmetic Botox
Prominent facial lines can be misinterpreted as anger, anxiety, fatigue or sadness and are the stigmata of the aging face. A number of factors cause these undesirable lines, including fat atrophy, solar damage, chronic gravitational changes and hyperfunctional lines. Hyperfunctional lines are the result of muscles contracting beneath the skin, and are sometimes referred to, depending on location, as crows feet, lipstick lines, forehead furrows and glabellar folds (between the eyebrows.) When attempting to eliminate these wrinkles, it is important to address the underlying physiology, which means paralyzing the muscle.
Botulinum toxin (Botox) is injected into a muscle. It then binds to receptors and blocks the nerve from stimulating the muscle. This results in temporary muscle paralysis, which usually lasts 3 to 4 months.
Botox was FDA approved in 1989 for use in treating eyelid and facial spasms. It has been used “off-label” for the elimination of unwanted wrinkles since that time. In 2002, it was FDA approved for cosmetic use for the treatment of forehead furrows. It continues to grow in popularity for the cosmetic elimination of unwanted facial lines which are secondary to underlying muscle contraction.
