BOTOX: The Anti-Wrinkle Story
What do BOTOX©, Penicillin and Viagra have in common? They’re all popular and ubiquitous medications that were discovered quite by accident.
The story of BOTOX© is perhaps the most fascinating one of them all because it revolutionized cosmetic medicine in ways we never could have imagined.
A New Drug that Gets Rid of Wrinkles?
In the late 1980’s Dr. Carruthers, a Vancouver-based Ophthalmologist, had developed a successful treatment for blepharospasm using neurotoxin, a drug derived for the Botulinum bacteria.
Blepharospasm is a condition where the eye involuntarily spasms itself shut. After being injected with the drug, patients were ecstatic with the results. But not for the reasons that you may think.
Yes the neurotoxin worked wonders to control their neurological disorder. But more notably, one patient in particular observed that her wrinkles had all but disappeared, and her face took on a more relaxed, unaffected appearance.
BOTOX Cosmetic© is Born
Both Dr. Carruthers and her husband, a dermatologist, were intrigued by the patient’s claims and the greater implications for anti-wrinkle treatment of the future.
In 1987, Dr. Carruthers injected neurotoxin into her own face showing that the new wonder drug was perfectly safe and incredibly effective for easing dynamic wrinkles of the upper face.
It turned out that BOTOX© temporarily “paralyzed” facial muscles that caused expressions such as frowning, smiling and squinting. The effects lasted approximately 3-4 months after which time the drug was metabolized by the body and muscle movement gradually returned.
How Safe is BOTOX© Really?
By the time BOTOX© the anti-wrinkle treatment was discovered, it was already being used in much larger doses to treat neurological disorders. Medically it was deemed safe and without serious adverse side-effects.
The dosing used in cosmetic medicine is much lower, and in this sense BOTOX© has an impeccable safety record. As with any medication, however, there are potential side-effects. In cosmetic application, side-effects tend to be minor and resolve over time and can often be blamed on injection technique rather than on the medication itself.
For these reasons, it took a number of years before BOTOX© became a household name. But once its benefits and safety become indisputable, there was no turning back.
Neuromodulators, and BOTOX© in particular, help millions of women and men look years younger and regain their self-confidence. In fact, it’s now the number one non-surgical cosmetic procedure world-wide.
Give us a call at 613-342-0220 to find out more about BOTOX© treatments, and any special offers here at BrockvilleMediSpa. We invite you to book a personalized consultation with Dr. Steyn or Nurse Vicki. Look better without looking different!
