My Grandmother just went to see her doctor because she’s been having some twitching in her eyes and he gave her a couple injections of Botox in her forehead that suppossed to stop the twitching. That got me around to thinking about the whole Botox craze and if it is really safe. Upon reading on this article from this
site I’m not so sure we really know for sure if it is safe, and if the recent soar in usage for vanity reasons, isn’t going to cause some serious problems for people in the future.
For a genuine medical disorder, sure. Many useful medications are poisonous when used inappropriately, but effective when used correctly. This is a problem?
One of my girlfriends was kinda wrinkly in her forehead area, and it bothered her quite a bit.
She tried botox and was very pleased with the results. I can’t imagine that the botox treatment was any more harmful than the major facelift that she was considering as her other option -including general anaesthetic which is not required with botox.
IANAD (although Qadgop is), but I have looked at this botox thing.
The quantities used are much much much much much much much much much much much much smaller than those that induce illness or death in canned foods.
Compared to a facelit - which, being surgery is invasive as heck, and gone wrong can lead to things like paralysis and massive scarring - botox is probably safer, and has the advantage that it does wear off, meaning a bad result will go away.
Is it a poison? Sure - so is Tylenol if you take too much. Use only as directed, under the supervision of a competant physician, and it’s probably as safe as anything you’re likely to find in medicine.
Long-term? Probably OK, too - it’s been used for muscle spasms since, I believe, the late 70’s so we do have some info on long-term use. Shoot up your wrinkly forhead too much you might get some muscle atrophy there, but, again, as long as you don’t go too nuts with it that can be reversed by simply ceasing to use botox.
What broomstick said. Used correctly, even for non-medical reasons, there is no evidence of long-term danger. That doesn’t mean that something might not turn up later, but it has been used for over 20 years, and the scientific basis of botox is relatively well understood. It’s sure a hell of a lot safer than alcohol. And remember, a few dozen people die every year from reactions to penicillin. I know of no deaths attributed to botox use.
There have been several TV exposes on Botox. People who got a shot directly into a major facial nerve. Paralysis (possibly permanent) resulted for that part of the face served by the nerve.
It is a quite tricky process and the average “I saw it being done once so now I’m an specialist” doctor is a potential threat.
Here’s part of a Reuters article:
" RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 21 (Reuters Health) - The rapid rise in popularity of Botox (Botulinum toxin) injections for treating facial wrinkles has resulted in its misuse by practitioners other than dermatologists or plastic surgeons, dermatologists warned here.Using the toxin inappropriately can result in severe facial paralysis and deformity, according to Dr. Edileia Bagatin from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, speaking at the World Congress in Cosmetic Dermatology."
(Note that of course Dermatologists never goof, it’s those evil non-Dermatologists that are the threat. Yeah, right.)
Botox is supposed to be injected into muscle, not nerves. If the doctor doesn’t know where the nerves are (or yours are in a nonstandard location), you can have a problem. You want to play dice with your face???
But what really gets me is that it is such a short term effect. Six months later and all you have to show for it is a hole in your bank account.
ftg is right. That’s why I said “used correctly”. I too would be leery of getting injections from just any doc. In the same way I’d be leery of having a dermatologist do my back surgery.
And outcomes are not always perfect. Would I use it to erase wrinkles? No. Would I use it to stop blepharospasm, or uncontrolled closing of the eyelids? Yes.
Well, ftg, both Qadgop and I have been mentioning the used as directed and competant physician angle.
Truth is, sticking a needle into a nerve, whether it involves and injection or not, can do damage of either a temporary or permanent nature. So it ain’t necessarialy the botox at fault here.
Having been the recipient of (necessary) facial surgery that occured near the trigemminal nerve I am well aware of the seriousness of the “facial damage” issue. I will also point out that a COMPETANT doctor will take pains to determine the exact location of your facial nerves and be very careful when working around them. Once again, we’re back to the difference between a Qadgop and a quack.
Too much botox WILL cause paralysis, and one of the likeliest side effects of a botched botox forhead is a droopy eyelid. But it goes away. Eventually.
As for the pocketbook aspect - well, geez, I eat every day, have to keep re-filling the car’s gas tank, buy new toilet paper occassionally… lots of things we buy don’t last forever.
I must say I am put off by the “botox parties” I’ve heard about - that sort of thing is fine for selling Tupperware, but not medical procedures. I suspect they aren’t very common, just getting a lot of media play because of the wealth/fame of the participants and because it sells cornflakes.
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The Saturday Night Live fake Botox commercial was a hoot. (basically showed people who looked like they had strokes)
(funnier than that sounds)
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