What is Botox? Overview of the FDA Approved Anti-Aging Injection
Everybody is looking for the fountain of youth, a way to retain ageless beauty as the years add up to one’s life. Over the decades, science has come up with methods to delay the signs of aging. One of these is through Botox injections. Botox is in reality the commercial name or trademark of a drug whose main ingredient is botulinum toxin. Although believed to be the most venomous protein around, additional studies have shown that this same protein can actually be helpful if used in small-scale amounts. Such breakthrough made Botox one of the most marketable cosmetic drugs for the removal of wrinkles. The FDA authorized Botox in 1989 for commercial distribution. Later it became the most popular cosmetic drug in the market. Botox was initially used to treat muscle spasms as it can decrease muscular activity. Botox can do that because it primarily blocks the release of the substance called acetylcholine. As such, the immediate muscles where Botox is injected to won’t contract for as long as 6 months. Later, Botox was found to be effective in reducing fine lines and the wrinkles found in the face. By injecting hardly a small amount of Botox to the facial area, all your laugh lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, and worry lines would go away. After injecting Botox to the face, the skin would appear unfurrowed and smooth. Yet, in the areas where the drug isn’t administered, the muscles continue to contract and the person’s facial expression remains the same.