What is Botox?

Botox™ is the commercial name for Botulinum Toxin. It is commonly used as a cosmetic medicine to smooth out or minimize facial lines and wrinkles.

Botox™ comes in a powder form which is diluted. The effects of this protein may take two to seven days to appear, and more than two weeks rarely, for the maximal effect on inhibition of muscle movement. Once the muscle stops moving, the skin no longer gets scrunched up into wrinkles and the wrinkles start to fade.

Until a few years ago, Botox™ was a FDA-approved drug for eyelid muscle problems such as Lazy Eye and blepharospasm, where the eye tends to squint or twitch. Botox™ is also used to treat spasticity of muscles in patients who are crooked or cannot sit up straight. While neurologists may use doses as much as 400 units, dermatologists use small doses which range up to 100 units or slightly more. It is also important for patients to note that the effectiveness and duration of the drug is based on these units rather than the number of syringes or vials used.

Botox™ is administered via an injection underneath the skin. This causes paralysis or relaxation of the facial muscles by blocking the impulse from the nerve to the muscle. Botox™ is best suited for cosmetic corrections in the forehead muscle, the muscle between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) and the muscles around the eye. As an off-label use, horizontal and vertical forehead lines and crow's feet can be effectively corrected with this protein. Even though Botox™ helps minimize muscle action, these lines will not disappear immediately. While the positive cosmetic benefits of a single dose may last for as long as two to five months, patients have to visit the doctor three times a year for best results. On the other hand, some people use Botox™ before the lines become very deep. Such patients will see a significant difference within a few days of the injection.