While potentially lethal, small amounts have established efficient in managing the short-term reduction of creases (the emphasis with this article), serious underarm sweating (known as "primary axillary hyperhidrosis"), cervical dystonia (a neurological disorder creating severe neck and neck muscle spasms), blepharospasm (constant and uncontrollable blinking), and strabismus (eye turn).
For the treatment of wrinkles, Botox works by temporarily paralyzing certain facial muscles, resulting in a smoother and younger skin appearance. Botox Cosmetic is actually the liquid form of a purified protein derived from the bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum Botox.
Allergan, a large pharmaceutical company, owns the rights to Botox Cosmetic. It first received FDA approval in 2002 for the temporary treatment of moderate to severe frown lines in the brows of persons 18 to 65 years old. It is administered by physicians and is available by prescription only.
Botox Cosmetic is also the only treatment of this type that has received FDA approval. (To receive FDA approval is not an easy task. In the U.S., to receive FDA approval, a product must undergo numerous rigorous clinical and laboratory tests. It is only after these tests are thoroughly reviewed and a product is shown to be effective and safe for its intended use, is a product given FDA approval. The process can take years).
