If have never tried Botox, you may have a few misconceptions about it. Have you ever considered that Botox could actually be a wonder product, the solution to many common problems? According to pop culture, all Botox does is eliminates one’s ability to make expressions — causing the person to look “plastic” — but this is only the result of a bad injector. So, what is Botox? When used properly, Botox is highly effective and very safe.
In 2013, more than 6 million cosmetic Botox treatments were performed (and that doesn’t count the medical uses for Botox). It has been used since the 1980’s and is considered a very safe treatment option when used properly. Those jokes about frozen faces are completely unwarranted — as long as you have a skilled provider to administer your injections. Read on to see what is Botox, how Botox works, and how it can cure more than just wrinkles, such as eye spasms, migraines, and excessive sweating.
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What Is Botox And How Does It Work?
If you’re asking, “what is Botox?” and “how does Botox work?“, look no further. Botox is used to block nerve impulses. These impulses send information to your muscles telling them to contract. In some cases those nerve impulses can get a bit out of hand, telling your muscles to contract even when you don’t need them to, which can lead to a variety of different problems ranging from wrinkles to excessive sweating. The associated muscle will not be able to contract with Botox, thereby eliminating or reducing the problem that is caused by overactive nerve impulses. When used on wrinkles, Botox looks surprisingly natural and you’ll still be able to smile, frown, cry, etc. Now that you know that Botox is nothing to be afraid of, let’s take a look at what it really can do.
4 Uses For Botox Other Than Wrinkles
1. Eye Spasms or “Twitches”
One of the first uses of Botox — well before it was used on wrinkles — was treatment for abnormal eye spasms (a condition known as blepharospasm). This condition causes the muscles around the eye to contract involuntarily leading to uncontrolled blinking and even closing of the eyelid. Botox can stop the impulses to the overactive muscles. One study found that 90% of patients noticed improvement in just 2 days.
2. Excessive Sweating
Are you afraid to lift your arms in public? Botox can help you eliminate those dreaded underarm wet spots and leave you feeling free and confident so you can ditch that jacket and show off that adorable silk top. Rand Rusher R.N. from RR Aesthetics explains, “In addition to cosmetic uses for Botox, we use it to treat excess sweating in our patients. One treatment can provide relief for about 6 months. Botox blocks the nerve impulses to the sweat glands and can be a very effective solution to excessive sweating.” Don’t worry about sweat backing up or migrating to other parts of the body; the treated area just stops producing sweat. You’ll still sweat normally everywhere else.
3. Migraines
If migraine headaches keep you from doing the things you love, ask your doctor about Botox. It is an FDA approved treatment proven to reduce headache days by about 9 per month. The Botox is injected into 7 key areas on the head and neck once every 12 weeks. Most patients that stick to the treatment schedule experienced a dramatic reduction in the number of headaches experienced after just 2 treatments. Unlike migraine treatment options that are taken once the headache starts, Botox acts preventatively to keep the headache from ever happening.
4. Aging Face
Botox can do amazing things for your wrinkles on its own, but when combined with other injectables, the results can be even more impressive. A treatment nicknamed the “liquid facelift” uses Botox and other fillers like Juvederm and Sculptra to rejuvenate and enliven aging faces. Many patients find that they look years younger after treatment, without ever having to get surgery.
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Botox is becoming a “jack of all trades” when it comes to calming problems caused by muscle contractions. Whether it’s muscle spasms that cause wrinkles or migraine headaches, Botox can be the solution.
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