Botox® is a very potent poison. Although it is regulated it does carry some risks. If you are considering treatment then it is important to ensure that you are aware of the risks to establish whether these are worth taking purely for a cosmetic benefit. Some of these side effects can be life threatening.
One of the main risks is that Botulinum toxin can spread to other parts of your body causing unwanted symptoms like difficulty swallowing and breathing. In extreme circumstances this can cause death. Difficulties in swallowing can last for months after treatment. If the toxin spreads further throughout your body it can result in a dangerous and unpleasant illness called Botulism causing widespread muscle paralysis.
There can also be some unwanted effects on your face. People that have received Botox® are often described as being expressionless as the muscle paralysis prevents facial muscles from contracting in the normal way. Droopy eyelids is also a common occurrence. Pain and bruising around the injection site can be problematic and there is risk of allergic reaction.
There is also a possibility of Botox® effecting your vision causing double vision, blurred vision, poor eyesight and eye dryness. There are therefore obvious implications if you need to drive as part of your job or social life.
Botox® is poison produced by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum. It is one of the most toxic substances known to man. Eating food contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum results is a dangerous and potentially fatal reaction causing muscle paralysis. The condition is known as Botulism. In the 1950s researchers discovered that is was possible to block overactive muscle activity by injecting Botulinum toxin. Today these effects are used cosmetically with injection of Botox® being the most common form of cosmetic surgery in the US. Not only is it expensive, it also carries some risks.
Botox® is a very large molecule which is not absorbed across the skin. The skins natural barrier properties prevent it from crossing into the muscles beneath. As a result, the only way to administer it is by injection. The process typically involves injecting the muscles in the brow around frown lines. By paralyzing the muscles the appearance of habitual frown lines are greatly softened. The process is relatively quick and straightforward. It's not necessary to have local anesthetic and sometimes the surface of the brow is numbed with ice before injections commence. It takes very little time to do and it's even possible to have the process completed during your lunch break from work. Once the process is complete it can last for up to 4 months before repeated treatment is required.
If you are at all tempted by Botox® one of the important things to remember is that it is irreversible. Once it's in the muscle it's there to stay until the body breaks it down. So, if you proceed and don't like the results or the sensation it's too late. You have to live with it and there is no going back. This seems like rather a drastic process to go through just to improve your appearance.