Botox - Anti Wrinkle Treatment with Botox Injections

There are so many anti-wrinkle treatments available now for people who wish to get rid of the wrinkles that come with age or because of exposure to environmental pollutants or harsh sunlight.  One of these treatments is the use of botox.

Botox, which is also called Botulinum toxin type A, is actually an injectable drug that is derived from the toxin that is known to be sourced from the bacterium named Clostridium botulinum.  This is the same toxin that is the culprit in the food poisoning type known as botulism, which can be quite life threatening.

Small dosages of this drug are used by doctors to treat certain health problems through injecting it on the skin.  These problems could include: cervical dystonia, which is a disorder of the nervous system that result in severe muscle contractions at the neck and shoulder; blepharospasm or blinking that could not be controlled; and, strabismus or eyes that are aligned wrongly.  It is also used to correct some cosmetic problems like underarm sweating that is quite severe as well as remove wrinkles in the face temporarily.  The drug causes the facial muscles under the wrinkles and frown lines to become paralyzed, resulting in your face looking smoother.

Botox Injections - Precautions for Botox Injections

A botox injection functions by causing certain muscles to become paralyzed or weak or through creating a blockage on some nerves.  The results of this treatment would only be good for an estimated period of a maximum of four months.  It is noted to be 90 percent effective in wrinkle reduction though, especially on areas like the forehead and the creases that appear between the brows.  There might be some side effects to this type of treatment though like headache, pain at the site where the drug was injected, some flu-like symptoms and stomach upset.  A botox injection done at the face may also bring such side effect as eyelids that droop temporarily.  Because of these side effects, this drug should not be used on anyone who is still breastfeeding or who might be pregnant.

If you are planning to use botox as a wrinkle treatment but are quite apprehensive because of the drug's toxic components and the possibility of the paralysis on the face becoming permanent, then there are botox alternatives that you could use.  One of these alternative measures to wrinkle treatment is the use of a collagen injection, which is also intended to smooth out wrinkles and reduce their appearance on your skin.  Other botox alternatives include skin resurfacing, dermabrasion and face-lifts.