Botox is the trade name for Botulinum toxin, which finds popular use in cosmetic and medical procedures. Botox is most often used to minimize wrinkles in the forehead, crow's feet around the eyes, and to arrest excessive sweating in certain people. Apart from these cosmetic uses, Botox also finds use in certain medical procedures.
Facial wrinkles are most often formed while people smile, frown or make other facial expressions. A certain group of muscles is activated for each expression, and these muscles make the facial skin to fold or crease at certain locations, giving rise to crease lines that form into permanent wrinkles. Botox attempts to prevent the formation of wrinkles by inhibiting these muscles from causing creases on facial skin.
During the Botox treatment procedure, the physician first studies the face while the patient makes different expressions, in order to spot the locations where different creases form. Once these locations are identified, they are usually marked for later reference. Then, a series of Botox injections are administered at strategic locations into the underlying muscles to partially paralyze them. Once the muscles are paralyzed, they can no longer give rise to the furrows and creases on the skin above them. This effectively prevents the formation of wrinkles and gives a smooth look to the face.
The effect of the injections last for 4 to 6 months, while in certain cases, it can last for 8 months. The compound used in the injections is called Botulinum toxin, which is a neurotoxin and protein. It is produced by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. Once the effect of the injections wear off, the muscles will once again become active, and thereby begin to form depressions in the skin above them.
Botox has become the preferred alternative to cosmetic surgery these days. Cosmetic surgery is comparatively much more expensive, painful and uncomfortable, takes a longer time to heal, and comes with the possibility of complications. Botox on the other hand is relatively inexpensive, almost painless, requires no healing time and has almost no associated complications.
People who do not like the idea of going under the knife and are looking for a safe, painless and inexpensive treatment method to erase their wrinkle lines would find Botox a much better alternative. The only downside for this treatment is that the effects are temporary and would wear off within approximately 6 months. They might then have to undergo the procedure once again to get their youthful looks back.
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