Botox

Botox is the most popular cosmetic treatment in North America. Botox is derived from a purified protein and manufactured under strict quality control standards and is administered in extremely dilute dosages. Botox has been licensed in Canada since 1990 and has been used in children and adults alike for a variety of disorders related to muscles.

Cosmetic Treatment of Wrinkles
Young skin is full of collagen and elastin. That is why we see wrinkles on young skin when smiling or other facial expression, but they immediately disappear when the face relaxes. As we age, our skin loses the collagen and elastin, becoming thinner and less elastic. With the constant use of our muscles, the lines then start to become more permanent (it is like the creases that form behind the knees of your jeans after they have been worn for a while).

Botox is a safe product that temporarily weakens the muscles so that they do not form the creases. This allows the skin to relax and the wrinkles to disappear. Relaxing the muscles in the brow also cause an elevation of the brow – have you noticed how, as we age, that our brow makes us look angry or depressed? Well, by relaxing those muscles, the brow lifts a bit and we look much more relaxed.

Botox injections are extremely low risk. Unfortunately, they have to be repeated about every four months. The injections are given with a tiny needle so it is well tolerated. There is no recovery time and the results usually show within a day or two but can take up to 2 weeks to reach their maximum effect.

Hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating hands, underarms, etc.)
Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that makes people sweat more than they need to. Sometimes this can affect the whole body, but more commonly it affects one or two areas only. The common areas are underarms, hands, feet and face. This can be a very embarrassing condition causing damage to clothes, worrying about what type of clothes to wear, fear of meeting people due to soaking wet hands and so on. Occasionally, hyperhidrosis can be caused by a medical condition, so this is always checked. There are a few treatment options;

Topical treatments: such as applying antiperspirants
Oral medications: if there is an underlying medical condition
Iontophoresis: this involves applying a low intensity electric current to the affected area
Surgery: done by severing the nerves to the area

Botox injections: this is the simplest way to treat this condition. The Botox interrupts the signal from the nerves to the sweat glands which can create dryness for 6-12 months. The treatment is safe and simple by tiny injections in to the skin over the sweating area.
The other nice thing is that most extended health benefit plans will cover the cost of the Botox for these treatments. Check this website http://sweatmanagement.ca/.

Headaches and Other Uses
Botox is used off-label for many other conditions. Chronic headaches and migraines will often respond really well to treatment with Botox in to the tight muscles that may be triggering the headaches.
Back and neck pain can similarly respond well to injections of Botox in to the tight muscles that are often the cause of this pain.
Another very painful condition is anal fissure, which is like a crack in the skin of the anus that will not heal. Botox can relax the spasm in the muscle around the anus that causes the pain.
Even painful scars will often respond well to small treatments of Botox injections.

For more information please see; www.skincareguide.ca/botox/index.html