In the cosmetics
industry, anti-aging products are perhaps one of the most saleable. When it
comes to instant effects in age-defying routines, Botox injections
are one of the most commonly heard. In the US alone, more than a million people
have made use of Botox injections to looking younger. This
number is still rising up to this date and it has beaten other cosmetic
surgeries such as breast enhancement procedures. It is said to be the instant
ticket to getting younger faster.
What is Botox?
Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin
that is used for commercial and medical purposes and is commercially known
as Botox. It is being injected in liquid form directly into the
desired muscles or nerves by a doctor or medical expert. The reason why lots of
people make use of Botox is because it is painless and only takes minutes for
the procedure to be complete. The use of Botox stared in 1989 and was first
used to treat two types of disorders involving the eye muscles which are Blepharospasm or
uncontrollable blinking and Strabismus or misaligned eyes. By
the year 2000, Botox was approved to treat other disorders of the neurological
system which causes severe neck and shoulder tightening or contractions also
known a cervical dystonia. Just like other medicines, Botox also has its own
side effects and this was especially noted for treatment of eye disorders. It
was reported by doctors to soften the vertical frown lines between the eyebrows
that made people look tired, old or angry but until this was supported by
clinical studies, it is not permitted to make such claims not until 2002 when
Botox proved to reduce severe frown lines for as long as 120 days and not until
then was it allowed for long term use.
How does Botox Work?
The mechanism of how
Botox works is by disabling the nerve cells from sending signals to the muscles
where they are placed thus preventing contractions. For cosmetic reasons, this
will cause the muscles to relax thus the lines of the skin above the muscles
fade and eventually disappear.
Side Effects of Botox
Loss of Bladder Control
Loss of bladder control
is such a serious side effect but it happens rarely when injected with Botox.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says that this is because of the traces
of the drug spreading to other parts of the body that may affect muscle
function. For people who are taking Botox injections, they should be aware of
the possible side effects but if they experience anything unusual they should
contact their doctor immediately.
Double Vision
Often times, Botox
injections cause visual problems and most of the time, patients report of
seeing double. This often happens because of the fact that Botox injections are
being injected on the corner of the eyes and affects muscles controlling eye
muscle. Double vision may be treated with special eye drops restoring muscle
control.
Muscle Paralysis
Because of how Botox
works, fatal side effects may happen such as muscle paralysis. This may happen
when Botox can spread to other parts of the body. There have been reports that
state that patients experience relaxed facial muscles such as difficulty in
swallowing and drooping of eyelids. This type of symptom does not occur often
and if they do occur it goes away in a few hours.
These are just a few
basic facts about Botox injections and how it works. If you have been on Botox
for quite some time already or if you are planning to use it for anti-aging, be
sure that you know what it is, how it works and its side effects. This way, if
there is anything unusual after being injected with it, you will be able to
tell right away and seek medical help to avoid complications.
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