Makeup Tricks

Botox has now been used for a number of years for men and women that want to hide signs of aging; before you use this substance it could be worth dispelling a few myths that are attached. In order to appreciate just what this is we need a brief history lesson into its discovery, quite a while ago now. The substance is derived from Botulinum toxin, discovered nearly five decades ago; researchers were looking into methods to treat neurological problems in people.

Then a few decades later in 1989, the Federal Drug Administration in America finally approved its use to treat disorders associated with vision; some of these included patients with excessive, involuntary blinking and for those suffering with crossed eyes plus, on occasion, wrinkles. In the year 2000 it was approved to treat cervical dystonia; this helps people with contractions in the upper back and shoulder and neck area, plus other eye disorders. In their research, doctors discovered that Botox softened the frown lines between the eyebrows; after this in 2002 the FDA approved it’s use on the condition that it was a cosmetic procedure.

You see botox is a neuro toxin, meaning it paralyses the muscles it is injected into and makes them relax; eventually, over a period of several months, given enough of these injections, the frown lines start to soften. In many cases the lines eventually disappear completely but it can also be injected into the muscles of the face that cause crows feet, forehead lines and frown lines. To allay any fears about injection toxin into our bodies these injections only contain a diluted and purified version of the poison; Botulinum toxin can be deadly and at the very least make us unwell but when it is used in cosmetic procedures it is safe.

Unfortunately, lines and creases form whenever we laugh (especially as we get older) or make any other facial gesture; they are caused by muscles contracting. After years of making these expressions the wear and tear on your face begins to be noticeable and the lines start to become permanent; many cosmetic manufacturers have tried to create creams to eliminate the creases but this is the only treatment to date that can actually rid them from us. Muscles in the area of the botox injection become paralyzed temporarily so they cannot move fully; many people believe that overuse leaves the recipient with a look similar to that of a mannequin.

Depending on the amount of treatments, a person can look fairly normal but their facial gestures will be restricted so that the creases and lines do not show. However, this cosmetic treatment is still expensive; this is why it has been coined as something only celebrities have performed because the least expensive injection can still cost upwards of 300 dollars to in excess of 1,000 dollars. As a recent form of cosmetic enhancement it may be some time before the full facts about long term botox use will be known but for now, most people really aren’t that concerned.

Filed under: Beauty