What Is Botox And What Can It Do For You?
You hear a lot about Botox these days, don't you? Botox has gone from being a poisonous toxin to a sit-com joke to a commonly used substance. It's easy to see which Hollywood stars are using Botox these days. Just look for wrinkle-free actors or actresses in their 40s, 50s, 60s or older, who never move their eyebrows or forehead muscles, no matter how surprised their scripts tell them they are supposed to look.
What Is Botox Anyway?
Botox is a trademarked brand name for the botulinum toxin, a poisonous substance borne of botulism, or food poisoning. The toxin was discovered in the 1800s, when German sausage eaters mysteriously died. It is produced by the Clostridium bacterium, and it paralyzes muscles.
Usually, we think of muscle paralysis as being a bad thing. However, cerebral palsy patients who are plagued by incessant muscle spasms, individuals with uncontrollable facial tics and twitches, and cross-eyed individuals all welcomed Botox as a solution for their health problems. Thus, through the miracle of modern medicine, a poison has become an effective clinical treatment.
What Is Botox - Cosmetic Surgery?
More than 80% of cosmetic treatments performed today are non-surgical treatments like Botox injections, laser skin treatments, microdermabrasion, and the like. These non-invasive treatments require no anesthesia; therefore, they are not nearly as risky as surgical face lifts, breast implants, and other surgical procedures.
Is Botox The Best Way To Prevent Wrinkles?
Many individuals, upon learning what Botox is, search for other less toxic ways to prevent wrinkling of the skin. The best way to prevent premature wrinkling of the skin is to limit exposure to sun. This is a non-toxic, inexpensive way to prevent wrinkles from forming. When you are going to be outside in the sun, wear a hat to shade your facial skin, wear a sunscreen with high SPF, and avoid direct or reflective sunlight. Preventing sun damage can do more to keep your skin young looking and wrinkle-free than years of Botox treatments.
What Is A Typical Botox Cost?
The cost of Botox treatments vary from doctor to doctor and city to city. However, a ball park figure is $400 to $600 for a series of Botox injections. The paralysis resulting from Botox treatments is temporary, so treatments must be repeated every six months.
So, what is Botox? It's a medically safe toxin used to temporarily paralyze muscles, for medical or cosmetic reasons.
