Botox

If you’re concerned about the fine lines and wrinkles on your face, BOTOX is one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatments available worldwide to effectively remove, and prevent, them.

BOTOX is made from a neurotoxin, botulinum toxin, that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and must be prescribed by a medical doctor. In our clinic, Dr. David Ellis, M.D. and past President of the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery oversees all cosmetic injections.

BOTOX treatments help fight the effects of aging on your face; targeting and treating facial lines, wrinkles, crows’ feet, forehead lines, and frown lines by paralyzing the underlying muscles. You can also use Botox to treat excessive sweating, migraines, muscular disorders, and some bladder and bowel disorders. If you are having issues with any of these medical conditions and would like more information using BOTOX to treat them, please speak with your doctor.

BOTOX is administered by diluting the powder in saline and injecting it directly into neuromuscular tissue. It takes 24-72 hours for botulinum toxin to take effect. In very rare circumstances, it may take as long as 5 days for the full effect of botulinum toxin to be observed and the effects of a BOTOX treatment, which is relatively painless depending on your own pain tolerance, can expect to last 3 to 6 months.

If you are extremely sensitive to pain, we may apply a topical numbing agent 15 – 30 minutes prior to your injection treatment.

An Important Note: BOTOX should not be used in pregnant or lactating women, or by people who have had a previous allergic reaction to the drug or any of its ingredients.

History & Medical Information

BOTOX is made from a neurotoxin, botulinum toxin, that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and must be prescribed by a medical doctor. In our clinic, Dr. David Ellis, M.D. and past President of the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery oversees all cosmetic injections.

BOTOX treatments help fight the effects of aging on your face; targeting and treating facial lines, wrinkles, crows’ feet, forehead lines, and frown lines by paralyzing the underlying muscles. You can also use Botox to treat excessive sweating, migraines, muscular disorders, and some bladder and bowel disorders. If you are having issues with any of these medical conditions and would like more information using BOTOX to treat them, please speak with your doctor.

But what is BOTOX exactly? More specifically, what is the ingredient in BOTOX, botulinum toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

BOTOX is made from the neurotoxin botulinum toxin, which is derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum found in natural settings, such as soil, lakes, and forests and can be found in the intestinal tracts of mammals and fish and in the gills and organs of crabs and other shellfish.

Botulinum toxin, in extremely small concentrations, can be injected into humans to prevent signals from the nerve cells reaching muscles, effectively paralyzing them.

How Does that Happen?

For muscles to contract, nerves release the chemical messenger acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter) at the point where the nerve endings meet muscle cells. Acetylcholine attaches to receptors on the muscle cells and causes the muscle cells to contract.

By injecting botulinum toxin (used in BOTOX) we can stop the release of acetylcholine, preventing contraction of the muscle cells and causes a reduction in abnormal muscle contraction, helping the muscles become less stiff.

Although Botulinum toxin is mainly used is cosmetic anti-aging procedures to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles and fine lines, BOTOX is used to treat a many different medical conditions, including eye squints, migraines, excess sweating, and leaky bladders and is currently approved to treat Blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids), Idiopathic Rotational Cervical Dystonia (severe neck and shoulder muscle spasms), chronic migraines, severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), Strabismus (crossed eyes), post-stroke upper limb spasticity, detrusor (bladder wall muscle) overactivity – causing urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, Hemifacial Spasm, glabellar lines (frown lines between the eyebrows), canthal lines (crow’s feet).

Botulinum toxin is also used off-label (not approved) for: Achalasia (an issue with the throat that makes swallowing difficult), anal fissure and anismus (dysfunction of the anal sphincter), Sialorrhea (producing too much saliva), allergic rhinitis (hay fever), Sphincter of oddi (hepatopancreatic) dysfunction (causes abdominal pain), Cerebral Palsy, Oromandibular dystonia (forceful contraction of the jaw, face, and/or tongue), Laryngeal dystonia (forceful contraction of the vocal cords).

You will find Botulinum toxin sold commercially under the names: Botox (most commonly known), Vistabel, Botox cosmetic (OnabotulinumtoxinA or botulinum toxin type A), Dysport (AbobotulinumtoxinA or botulinum toxin type A), Bocouture, Xeomin (IncobotulinumtoxinA or botulinum toxin type A), Myobloc (RimabotulinumtoxinB or botulinum toxin type B).

Risks and Side Effects

Like with all medical prescriptions, BOTOX does warn against possible side effects. These include possible migraines, nausea, double vision, and general malaise. However, BOTOX injections are generally tolerated well, and most clients experience few side effects, if any. In rare cases, an individual may have a genetic predisposition that results in a mild, transient unusual response to the drug. Some clients may experience mild pain, local edema (fluid buildup) and/or erythema (reddening of the skin) at the injection site, numbness, headache, malaise – feeling generally unwell, mild nausea, temporary unwanted weakness/paralysis of nearby muscles, temporary upper lid or brow ptosis (drooping), weakness of the lower eyelid or lateral rectus (a muscle controlling eye movement), dysphagia – trouble swallowing, neck weakness, flu-like illness, brachial plexopathy – a condition affecting the nerves either side of the neck and chest, gallbladder dysfunction, diplopia (double vision), bleeding, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, dry mouth, fatigue, hives, rashes, wheezing, and swelling.

It is important to note that approximately 1 percent of people receiving injections of botulinum toxin type A develop antibodies to the toxin that make subsequent treatments ineffective.