There is often a misunderstanding as to what Botox can and cannot do. Botox Cosmetic is a toxin derived from Botulinum Toxin which is used to paralyze small muscles and thus decrease facial wrinkling.
Botox was initially approved by the FDA for treatment of strabismus or an abnormality in the eye muscles in 1989. In 2002 the FDA approved Botox Cosmetic for the temporary improvement in wrinkles between the eyebrows or for treatment of the glabella muscles.
Botox Cosmetic is the most common cosmetic procedure performed in the United States year after year and the same thing stands true in my NJ plastic surgery practice. Every week I inject patients in their glabella, which treats the “11″ lines in between the eyebrows but also off-label in areas like the forehead or crow’s feet. After injection, 2 or 3 days later, these muscles do not move and thus the wrinkles or “angry” lines between the eyebrows are no longer there.
I get many ladies coming in asking for Botox around the nasolabial folds and lip lines. In these areas fillers tend to work better and I discuss things like Juvederm or Radiesse to fill out these lines. Laser resurfacing is an exciting option for lip lines.
I hope this brief discussion helps explain these products better!
