5 Must Known Facts About Botox

I’m not going to lie - when I hear the words ‘botox’ and ‘fillers’, images of trout pouts and botched face lifts spring to my mind. Even though both treatments have become increasingly popular in recent years, I don’t actually know a lot about them beyond these misconceptions about beauty. Here we are with 5 amazing facts about botox and fillers.

History

Botox has a long history and many uses that people are often unaware of. It was first discovered in the 1820s, when Dr Justinus Kerner discovered a toxin (botulinum toxin type A) in meat while investigating a case of food poisoning. Later, in the 1980s, an ophthalmologist used it to cure crossed eyes and realised it smoothed wrinkles in the process.

Uses

There are over 30 conditions in which botulinum toxin type A has been reported to be of benefit. It can be used in armpits to prevent excessive sweating, as well as to prevent chronic migraines and treat overactive bladders - and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Brand Name

People refer to all adhesive bandages as Band-Aids, people tend to refer to all anti-wrinkle injections as botox because it is also a trademarked brand name. But generally speaking, botox is just one of several products containing “a purified form of botulinum toxin type A to treat wrinkles. Dysport and Xeomin can be “just as effective.

Difference between Botox and fillers

Botox and fillers are commonly thought to be the same thing, [but] this is totally not true! Botox is a muscle relaxant, while soft tissue fillers such as Restylane and Emervel consist of a hyaluronic acid gel formulation [that is] injected into the skin tissue to restore lost volume and smooth wrinkles and lines. So, in a nutshell, botox helps relax facial muscles, while fillers literally ‘fill’ and plump the skin.

Temporary

Botulinum toxin type A is injected into targeted facial muscles responsible for lines, causing the muscles to relax so wrinkles cannot form in the skin lying above the muscle. But it’s not a permanent fix: After a few months, the nerve recovers as the botox wears off, meaning the muscles start moving again and wrinkles are visible.