Botox Injections for Wrinkles: Botulism’s New Career

Who would have ever thought the nasty bacteria that produces botulism toxin might have a new and illustrious career in cosmetic surgery? As odd as it seems, strategic injections of purified botulism toxin, called Botox injections, has gained a great deal of popularity in recent years as cheap cosmetic surgery. Botox injections for wrinkles have gained in popularity since the early nineties, and it looks like its fame is only growing.

Botox injections for wrinkles are increasingly popular because they are a cheaper solution for getting rid of unsightly wrinkles on the face, especially those around the eyes and mouth - the dreaded “crow’s feet.” It has also been used to reduce the wrinkle of the forehead, the jaw-line, and the neck. A great deal of its popularity has to do with how relatively inexpensive it is as compared to most other cosmetic surgeries. As the technology expands, the cost of producing Botox decreases, meaning the treatment itself becomes less expensive.

More than that, the Botox injection for wrinkles lasts roughly four to six months before the next injection is needed. The side effects are sparse and mild. On average, a person will experience mild swelling and discoloration around the botox injection for wrinkles site. This is no different than any other injection you might receive—swelling and soreness is the body’s reaction to invasion by a metal cylinder.

Other than a mild headache that often occurs during the first day of the treatment, but typically fades shortly after, the biggest risk you run when taking a botox injection for wrinkles is a drooping of an eyelid or an eyebrow. This, while somewhat contradictory to the intent of getting a Botox injection for wrinkles, is a temporary effect, and typically cures itself within two to three weeks of the initial injection.

Why Does You Eyelid or Eyebrow Droop After a Botox Injection for Wrinkles?

The answer is simple: it is the nature of the botulism toxin. The botulism toxin, as previously stated, is a paralytic toxin—it causes paralysis in the muscles, making it impossible for them to contract. On a large scale, this can be deadly as the toxin can paralyze the lungs making it impossible for you to breathe.

However, the chances of that happening with a botox injection for wrinkles is nearly impossible. The injection uses a purified form of the toxin that is injected into an isolate area, without hope of spreading. So, when the toxin is injected into the face, at times it will cause the eyelid and the eyebrow muscles to relax, paralyzing them, making them droop. Since you tend to use these muscles more vigorously, the toxin tends to wear off sooner in these areas than in the other areas where it was intentionally injected.