Everything About Botox

As a person ages, wrinkles develop. And for a person who wants her youthful beauty to last a long, long time, wrinkles are simply a nightmare. It is comforting to think that medical science had found a way to make people look like 25 even if they are 50. The wonder drug that makes all of these possible is called Botox.

Botox is actually the commercial name or trademark of a drug whose main ingredient is botulinum toxin. Incidentally, botulinum toxin is the most poisonous protein and naturally occurring substance. However, further studies have shown that this same protein can actually be helpful if used in small quantities. This is the start of the commercial use of Botox, the drug that is initially used to treat muscle spasms but is today's most demand cosmetic drug for the removal of wrinkles.

The FDA approved Botox in 1989 for commercial distribution. The known effect of this drug is to decrease muscle activity. Botox can do that because it primarily blocks the release of the substance called acetylcholine. As such, the immediate muscles where Botox is injected to won't contract for as long as 6 months.

Botox became a popular cosmetic drug several years later it was introduced in the market. Because it can decrease muscular activity, Botox can also reduce the fine line and the wrinkles found in the face. By injecting just a small amount of Botox to the facial area, all your laugh lines, crow's feet, frown lines, and worry lines would disappear.

After injecting Botox to the face, the skin would appear unwrinkled and smooth. However, in the areas where the drug isn't administered, the muscles continue to contract and the person's facial expression remains the same.

Botox treatments are relatively safe. Of course, the procedure has to be conducted by a licensed and expert cosmetic surgeon. Botox is very effective, as it has been around for more than 10 years now. Initially, the drug is exclusively used for treating neurological and ophthalmologic disorders.

To remove wrinkles using Botox, fine needles are injected into the different parts of the face. It is important to use a micro needle for this procedure, as Botox in large amounts is actually damaging instead of helpful. And because a very tiny needle is used to administer the drug, the pain associated to the procedure is minimal. The patient doesn't need local anesthesia or sedatives at all. Instead, ice will be used in their place. Most patients say that the injections they have to endure feels more like a mosquito bite rather than a strong piercing pain.

And finally, here are some tips for Botox procedures you've all been waiting for:

1. Before you start using botox, you should consult with your doctor to make sure it is right for you.

2. Before you are going to have the procedure, make sure to get as much information as you can. Ask friends that made the procedure, read online to find out about risks and benefits, and use the botox treatments forums to ask as many questions as you can.

3. Go only to certified places that know what they are doing and have the right substance and materials.

4. Make sure the doctor that performs the procedure is qualified in cosmetic skin surgery of the face.

5. Cheap is expensive! Remember that when you have your botox treatment. You might pay cheap but then you might have to fix your face for more money. Just go to well known places with reputation and certifications.

6. The FDA recommends to use the lowest effective dose possible and also to wait minimum of 3 month between Botox Cosmetic treatments.

7. After you have the procedure made, don't drink alcohol and try to sit vertically for a few hours.

The author is the owner of www.plastic-surgery-information.org . For more information about Botox visit www.plastic-surgery-information.org/cosmetics/botox.aspx