Botox: Effective, But Safe?

How does Botox work? Is Botox safe? Are there alternatives to Botox?

The rage over Botox, an injectable anti-wrinkle treatment made from the botulinum toxin (hence "bo-tox"), continues. Botox is well known to remove facial wrinkles, especially forehead wrinkles, frown lines between the eyes and whistle marks around the mouth. Botox does this miracle by causing "flaccid muscle paralysis," temporarily paralyzing the muscles needed to make the wrinkles. It is sometimes easy to spot a Botox-treated face, as it may look unnaturally smooth and relaxed. Botox treatment is a "nonablative technique," which means that it is non-surgical, with no post-operative down time. As concerns which type of Botox is more effective in reducing facial wrinkles, a study published in December 2005 concluded: "Botox [Cosmetic] 20 U provided better and more prolonged efficacy than Dysport 50 U in the treatment of glabellar lines."

Through several years of testing, Botox has been shown to be very effective, as many people, especially celebrities, can attest. But, is it safe? Are there any longterm health hazards? Should it be used repeatedly and indefinitely? Are there any alternatives? Are they safer and more practical than Botox? And what about cost? Botox is generally out of the price range for most people.

For the rest, please see Botox: Effective, But Safe?