Botox No-tox?
I have been waiting for the day to publish this post. Waiting and waiting … thinking all the while that I will have changed my mind about Botox by the time this gets published. However, I am actually more confused. I know that millions of people have this procedure done every day. I know it’s safe, quick and easy. But I still can’t bring myself to do it. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t give into peer pressure easily.
I have many friends who do Botox. And some who do it and choose not to admit it (and that’s cool). Did you know that almost 3.3 million procedures were performed in 2005? That’s a 16% increase over 2004. I can guarantee the numbers for 2006 will show a dramatic increase. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ranked Botox as the most popular physician-administered aesthetic procedure in the US for the fourth year in a row (surgical and nonsurgical combined). I am not surprised. Here’s why:
For over 30 years, Botox has proven to be remarkably safe. It requires only a quick trip to the doctor’s office, with little to no recovery time. I’ve read countless articles on dermatologists who administer this procedure on themselves … and some for more than 15 years! So I figure, if millions of people, doctors and derms included, continue to inject poison into their face, it’s got to be safe enough for me, right? Botox is also viewed as a preventative (which happens to be the swaying factor for me). Creases that have been worn into our skin by making the same expressions thousands of times are due to the contraction of a muscle under our skin in those areas. If we aren’t contracting those muscles, we are actually preventing wrinkles from forming.
A word to the wise: Find someone who knows how to inject Botox properly. Practically everyone who is a doctor can perform this procedure. But not everyone knows how to do it right. If you are going to hop on board the Botox train, have it done by a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist (my vote would be plastic surgeon).
More info on Botox:
Definition
Botulinum is a bacterium (Clostridium botulinum) that produces seven different toxins that can cause botulism and is also medically used to block muscle contractions.
Purpose
Botulinum toxin injection is used in conditions of excessive and inappropriate muscle contraction, hyperhidiosis (excess sweating) in armpits and palms, spasticity (persistent states of muscle contraction), sphincter contraction, eye-movement disorders, tics and tremors, and cosmetically to treat facial lines and wrinkles. Botox has also been used to treat chronic muscle tension and migraine headaches.
Precautions
Botulinum toxin is produced from the bacterium that causes food poisoning in humans. High doses of the toxin can be fatal. However, doses administered therapeutically are so small that harmful effects are uncommon.
Potential side effects
Excessive muscle weakness at the injection site or adjacent muscles. However, these effects typically resolve themselves quickly. On occasion, patients report flu-like symptoms. A certain percentage of patients may experience resistance to Botox. The primary reason is said to be the presence of circulating anti-bodies to the toxin.
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