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The many faces of Botox
2005-11-02
Ask the Doctor
The Many Faces of Botox
Q: Dr. Prabhu, I’ve heard that Botox® injections are more than just a beauty treatment for those who want to rejuvenate their skin by smoothing out dynamic wrinkles. Is that true?
A: Yes. Botox®, which is derived from a class of drugs called botulinum toxins, has been licensed in Canada since 1990 as a safe and effective treatment for a number of overactive muscle disorders. These include cervical dystonia (involuntary head rotation caused by muscle spasm), blepharospasm (uncontrollable blinking), strabismus (crossed eyes), and equinus foot (deformity associated with juvenile cerebral palsy).
Botox® is also being used to treat tension headaches and migraines, and Back Specialists are now beginning to use it to treat spasmodic low back pain.
Q. How does it work?
A. Botox® produces a protein that blocks messages between the nerves and the muscles, causing the muscles to relax, thereby bringing a halt to the involuntary and unwanted repetitive muscle action.
Q. Isn’t Botox® also used to control excessive sweating?
A. Yes. In 2001, Health Canada also approved the use of Botox® in the treatment of Axillary Hyperhidrosis, which is excessive sweating of the underarm. Hyperhidrosis is a chronic disorder that may affect any body part, but is often localized to the underarm, palms, soles of the feet and the face. As you can imagine, it can have a very negative impact on one’s sense of well-being.
Q. How can Botox® reduce sweat?
A. Tiny injections of Botox® within the skin of the affected area block the release of the chemical acetylcholine from the nerve fibres that stimulate overactive sweat glands. These injections, administered by a trained physician, have been found to produce amazing results that can last up to seven months or longer. This is a vast improvement over previous treatment options that were often short-lived or came with significant risk.
Q. So a patient with this condition would need repetitive treatments to permanently control his condition; does that pose any substantial risks?
A. When administered by a qualified and trained healthcare professional, Botox® is completely safe. In July of 2004, the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Drs. Jean Carruthers, M.D., and Alastair Carruthers, M.D., who discovered Botox® as a beauty treatment back in 1987, presented more than 15 years of compiled safety data on the use of Botox® for the treatment of facial lines. Their study showed that Botox® for facial aesthetic procedures is safe and well-tolerated, even when used for multiple treatment sessions over extended periods of time.
Dr. Vilas Prabhu MD, FRCS(C), FRCS (UK
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