Consumer Health News
Botox turning into miracle treatment for more than wrinkles
By April MacIntyre Oct 11, 2012, 14:30 GMT
"Not only does Botox alleviate the grinding but it also loosens up the jaw area giving the face a more oval look which gives it a more youthful, softer appearance."
For years the brand name Botox was synonymous with wrinkle removal via injection.
It still is, but many doctors have experimented with the controlled delivery toxin that paralyzes muscle and apparently so much more.
Unlike soft tissue fillers such as Juvederm, Radiesse and Sculptra Aesthetic that add volume to skin depressions, Botox blocks the release of a chemical called acetylcholine which triggers the muscle contractions that create wrinkles.
Botox essentially paralyzes the muscles and stops them from contracting. Results are visible within one week after treatment and remain for a minimum of three months.
Miraculously, Botox can also help relieve shaking in the limbs of patients with multiple sclerosis, according to a study published in the July 3, 2012, issue of the journal Neurology. Patients in the study had "significant" improvement in tremors as well as in drawing and writing ability after Botox injections.
The product has been the easy go-to cosmetic procedure that surprisingly has helped with issues such as migraine headaches, foot pain from high heels, TMJ pain and teeth grinding and even excess sweating from the scalp, underarms and feet.
Frequent M&C guest commentator and board certified expert Dr. Peter Fodor, (website) the former president of ASAPS and Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, is a master plastic surgeon whose work and reputation are unequaled in the field. He understands the importance of initiating minimally invasive treatments to improve body contours and skin integrity.
Dr. Fodor shared with us his uses for Botox that most of us don’t know about.
Hollywood has long known the benefits of injecting Botox in foreheads to erase wrinkles; hands, feet and under-arms to help alleviate severe sweating (hyperhidrosis); and at the temples to get rid of chronic migraines.
He shared with us some of his most popular in-office procedures you probably didn’t know about:
1. Treating Frey's Syndrome
"This is a rare salivary disorder (gustatory perspiration). It is a strange abnormality or can come about due to complications during facial surgery that affects the parotid glands and creates excessive sweating on the face (cheeks) while a person eats. You virtually needs three hands to eat. Two for the utensils and one for constantly wiping the sweat off your face. Imagine sweating profusely into your food! Botox is injected directly in the sweat glands at the side of your face and solves the problem."
2. Bruxism
"We know that Botox helps stop severe teeth grinding, but did you know that the grinding can also change the shape of your face causing your jaw to be more square-like and therefore giving you an older look? Not only does Botox alleviate the grinding but it also loosens up the jaw area giving the face a more oval look which gives it a more youthful, softer appearance."
3. Gummy Smile/Horse Smile
"This happens when a person’s gums are overly prominent. By injecting Botox in the upper lip area, near the lowest part of the nostril, the condition is eased allowing the lips to not 'over smile.' The doctor must know facial anatomy extremely well or it could have the exact opposite effect and this would be irreversible until the Botox wears off."
4. Nefertiti Neck Lift
"This is done by using a series of Botox injections in the neck area, it tightens and sculpts the jaw line with little downtime, and at minimal cost."
5. Tip of nose
"As one ages the tip of the nose drops down causing a nasal bump which makes the nose look larger. By injecting Botox the tip can be lifted which is more attractive and gives a more youthful appearance."
*See more BOTOX uses here
