Botulinum toxins are powerful substances that can cancel nerve signals to muscles, resulting in paralysis that can last for months. The doses are usually measured in trillionths of a gram, and the targets are carefully chosen to silence only the desired motor nerves.
Botox
injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or by blocking certain nerves, with effects lasting about three months. Actress Dana Delany told Prevention magazine that her doctor hit a nerve by injecting Botox into her forehead, causing a big bruise.This permanently killed the nerve and she still experiences a drooping eye, years after receiving this treatment. Similarly, “Smash” co-star Angelica Houston reported that her face was “frozen” after receiving a round of injections. She has since given up the so-called “miracle drug”. Botulinum is the pathological agent that causes botulism, a rare and life-threatening paralytic disease.
It is able to block nerve-muscular communication, so it causes paralysis for a long period of time (up to four months in humans). The chemical goes into action, blocking nerve transmission in nearby muscles and effectively freezing the area.
Botox
, or botulinum neurotoxin type A, is more commonly known for its cosmetic use as a wrinkle softener. The risks are very small with Botox, but as with any other medical or cosmetic treatment, things can go wrong.When I first proposed to my husband the idea of getting a little Botox for the frowning eyebrow I had earned from a decade of writing and editing behind a computer screen, he was strongly against it. We hope to take advantage of the stealth mechanism that Botox uses to escape and wander through the central nervous system to try to develop drugs for certain viral infections. For example, Stevie Nicks, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, claims that he was surprised to find his eyebrows raised in a strange way and his drooping eyes the morning after receiving three small injections of Botox. And although I am personally still undecided as to whether to go under the needle, at least I can effectively argue with my husband that Botox is safe for his body.
Botox is a drug made from a neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum called botulinum toxin. Botox is a neurotoxin, which is scary, but it is perfectly safe as long as it is done and administered by a licensed professional. The biological blocking powers of Botox are used to treat migraines, muscle disorders and some intestinal disorders. That's when he discovered a forum of people who had suffered from Botox poisoning, and he recognized their symptoms immediately. Since Botox is primarily used as a treatment for wrinkles and fine lines, I initially thought that a few injections would remove these unwanted imperfections from my face.
But is Botox right for you? Take the time now to find out about this medication labeled “liquid facelift” and decide for yourself. The good news is that Botox has proven to be remarkably safe, despite its grim origin as the most potent neurotoxin known to mankind. But her life changed three years ago when she received a Botox injection that would eventually leave her with permanent damage to the nerves in her face. So before you decide if you want to try this popular cosmetic procedure, make sure you understand all the risks involved.
