Botox. We know you’ve heard of it before. We know you’ve laughed at celebrities with their fish lips and their slightly glazed expressions, with perhaps a hint of drool, that show the power of this cosmetic procedure. But do we really know what Botox is, and what it’s capable of?

What Is Botox?

Despite what you might think, Botox isn’t a filler that plumps out the wrinkles in your face. It’s actually a toxin produced by a certain bacteria. The name Botox comes is actually just the brand, and there are some other brand names out there. Of course, Botox is by far the most well-known.

The toxin from which Botox is drawn is called Clostridium botulinum. In large amounts, this toxin actually causes botulism, most often associated with food poisoning and death. However, in small amounts, adequately diluted, the toxin can be injected into the body and cause a controlled weakening of the muscles.

How Does It Work?

Mainly, Botox works by blocking the signals that flow between the nerves and the muscles. When the muscles are injected with Botox, they can no longer contract, leaving them relaxed and soft.

The average Botox procedure takes just a minutes and doesn’t require any pain-numbing. A trained professional will inject the Botox into the face using a very fine needle. After three to seven days, the Botox will be acting at its full potential, smoothing facial lines and wrinkles.

What Is It For?

Botox is often injected into the face, particularly along forehead lines, crow’s feet (the lines around the eyes) and frown lines. However, it’s important to remember that Botox can’t do anything with wrinkles caused by gravity or sun exposure, only those caused by squinting and muscle patterns.

Along with its cosmetic uses, Botox has been embraced for a number of other conditions. The toxin has been used successfully to treat chronic migraine, overactive bladders, lazy eyes, crossed eyes, and a number of other chronic muscle issues.

How Long Does It Last?

The effects of a Botox treatment depends on the kind of treatment you need. For the non-cosmetic procedures, it will vary greatly, as different treatments will have different amounts of Botox involved.

However, for most cosmetic procedures, patients regain the full movement of the treated areas within three or four months. At this point, you can have the procedure done again if you want to. Some doctors have noted that patients can develop a resistance to the effects of Botox the more treatments they have. If this does occur, the effects are easily avoided by switching to another brand of the toxin.

Is It True That”¦

There are a lot of misconceptions floating around the internet, and the world, about Botox. We’ve rounded up some of the weirdest myths and facts to bring the truth to you.

Botox Is A Toxin

As you’ve probably guessed from the way we’ve talked about it in this article, that one is definitely true. The toxin was discovered sometime in the 1820s following the death of a number of people who ate the same batch of sausages. Dr. Justinus Kerner eventually figured out that it was a toxin in the meat that had killed them, and named the toxin botulism (from the Latin root word meaning sausage).

Botos Is A Chronic Pain Treatment

In 2012, a study was released that showed that Botox has been successfully used to treat chronic neck pain in patients. Through regular Botox injections, the pain levels and quality of life of these patients was markedly improved.

Botox Treats Excessive Sweating

If you’ve got a problem with sweat, Botox might be the solution. In the same way that the injections work to smooth the skin, they can stop chemical signals from being sent to your sweat glands. Injections into the glands will temporarily block the signals from stimulating your sweat glands, and can last us to eight months.

Botox Helps With Migraines”¦ We Think

Then in 2013, Botox was given FDA approval to be used to treat migraine headaches. The strange thing about this is although there is a lot of proof that Botox works in the treatment of migraines, we still aren’t sure why it works.