Botox Injections

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Medical Author:

Joel Schlessinger, MD

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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• Botox Injections Overview
• Botox Injection Preparation
• During the Procedure
• After the Procedure
• Next Steps
• Risks of Botox Injections
• Results
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Other Forms of Botulinum Toxins
• Other Areas of Use for Botox
• Botox Prices
• For More Information on Botox Injections
• Pictures of Botox Injections
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Botulinum toxin (Botox, onabotulinumtoxinA) is a material that has been known for over a century and used for medical purposes for more than 50 years. Its initial uses were for lazy eye (strabismus), blepharospasm (inability to move the eyelids in certain ways), and wry neck (cervical dystonia). In 2002, it was approved for improving and relaxing frown lines in the area (the glabella) between the eyes on the forehead and has been used successfully in more than over 11 million patients since that time, based on estimates from data supplied by the Allergan Corporation. In 2004, Botox was approved for sweating (hyperhidrosis), and in 2010, Botox was approved for the treatment of migraines.

A common misconception is that Botox actually paralyzes the muscles in the face. Although, this can happen with extreme amounts of Botox, most physicians strive to inject just the amount that allows the patient to have some limited activity but not so much that they have overactivity of the areas. Patients should know that Botox is not used to keep them from expressing themselves but simply to keep them from making facial grimaces and frowns that have become habits and are unintended. When done correctly, most people who are not trained cosmetic surgeons will not notice that a Botox procedure has been performed but simply that the patient looks more rested or happier.

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