Botox: How Wrinkle Killer Strikes Again

The discovery of Botox, the wonder product that turns back in time - there was an accident.In the 1820s, a German doctor, Justinus Kerner began experimenting with botulinum toxin, a toxic protein produced by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism (a deadly form of food poisoning, which develops food at home canned and caused many deaths throughout the centuries).

But Kerner wanted to use the weakening of the muscles of the qualities of the bacteria for therapeutic use. His work laid the foundation for the discovery of the toxin could be used to relieve muscle spasms, specifically by blocking the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that tells muscles when to contract.

Inspired by this discovery, a dermatologist and ophthomologist, Alistair and Jean Carruthers, began to inject patients, mainly for eye muscle disorders, and the results were successful. When his assistant suggested that he injected his pronounced brow region between the eyebrows above the nose (called "frown lines). A phenomenon was born.

At first people were shocked that a poison that is used to remove wrinkles. What were the risks? The thing to clarify is that a product is injected botulism bacteria in the same way that penicillin is a product of a mold. Most antibiotics are natural products of other microorganisms, and Botox is no different.

The approved treatment

In 1989, the U.S. Organization and Drug Administration approved Botox ® for the treatment of strabismus and uncontrollable blinking (Blepharospams) and in 2000 for a neurological movement disorder known as cervical dystonia. In 2002 he was approved for a cosmetic procedure: reduction of wrinkles between the eyebrows (glabellar lines).

Botox ® works in three to six months, depending on the dose and physiology. But in very small amounts, the toxin acts as a muscle relaxant, blocking the release of acetylcholine at the nerve endings. It is administered by the units, each game in the precise dose needed to kill a mouse. A typical cosmetic treatment is 20 units per "site".

Although the treatment of glabellar lines is only for cosmetic purposes is addressed to the FDA and Allergan, doctors routinely inject other areas of the face: crow's feet around the eyes, laugh lines and wrinkles around the nose. When injected, practitioners say, a toxin, "spread" more than an inch.

Products and use

Botox ® for cosmetic use is marketed as Botox / Botox Cosmetic or Vistabel ® according to the country for approval.Another development is heated between the neurotoxins, the introduction of Xeomin ® (Merz Pharmaceuticals), another type of botulinum toxin, now recognized throughout Europe blepharospams (debilitating condition that causes uncontrolled patients have eyelid spasms and blinking), and dystonia Cervical (continuous contractions cause abnormal posture of the head and neck, but from time to time to produce jerky head movements seizures. severity can range from mild to severe.) Xeomin was introduced in Germany in July 2005. A selection of products from China and Korea, flooding the market.