Botox Gel – Another Competitor?
Could this be yet another Botox competitor – and will this fail as well? There’s a botulinum toxin type A gel currently being examined as an alternative to Botox, without the jab. Smear it on and researchers say it will help get rid of moderate to severe wrinkles around the eyes (i.e. crow’s feet). The botulinum toxin type A in the gel penetrates the skin and gets to the muscle with the assistance of peptides. The gel, to be administered by a physician, stays on the skin for about half an hour, after which it is wiped off....
read moreUndoing the Botox Freeze
We all know that too much Botox can freeze the forehead, making it abnormally smooth even when it shouldn’t be. The forehead has got to give a bit when actively smiling or frowning, since it’s part of a natural facial expression. Another symptom of too much Botox is a waxy complexion. And this explains why “power massaging” has become the latest craze south of the border (we haven’t really found anything comparable up here). Botox fans are getting their faces massaged to improve the tone of their paralyzed...
read moreAllergan Increases Sales
Things are looking good for Allergan, Inc., the makers of BOTOX®. For the quarter ending March 31, 2010, the pharmaceutical company reported total product net sales were $1,105.8 million, showing an increase of 11.2% over the first quarter in 2009. Perhaps sales were helped by the FDA approval of BOTOX®for another therapeutic purpose on March 9, 2010: to treat adults with upper limb spasticity suffering from increased muscle stiffness in the fingers, wrist and elbow. On the same day, amendments were also made to the agreement with Glaxo...
read moreHouston Doctor in Jail for Fake Botox
A doctor in Houston, Texas, has been sentenced to six months in prison and to pay a $98,000 fine for mislabeling and administering a fake version of Botox. The doctor, Gayle Rothenberg, injected 170 patients with a type of Botox that was not approved for human use. Gayle Rothenberg originally used the real version of Botox but stopped in January 2004 after the distributor raised the price. She switched to the fake version because it was far less expensive (half the price). Although she was convicted of defrauding patients in 2007, the verdict...
read moreFDA Approves Botox for Finger Spasms
The FDA recently approved Botox injections for another indication: spasms in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist and fingers. Spasticity of the elbow, wrist and fingers can result from trauma or diseases, including trauma affecting the brain and multiple scelrosis. Patients receiving Botox for this problem experience less pain and stiffness in the treated muscle(s), allowing them to carry on with daily activities more easily. Botox is believed to be effective since it targets the spastic muscles, blocking communication between the nerves...
read moreBrits Set Up Voluntary Register for Practitioners
A voluntary register has been set up for physicians and medical practitioners in the UK who administer Botox, as well as other injectables, in an effort to crack down on unlicensed, illegal and frivolous use. A seal of approval will be given to all those who have been inspected after registering and are practicing at a certain professional standard. Such standards include not providing injections at “Botox parties”, something that many practitioners continue to do despite concerns of safety. The government hopes that this will...
read moreBotox: A cure for Depression?
Could this be true? Could Botox actually help fight one of modern society’s most common mental disorders? Researchers at the University of Cardiff have found that Botox helped to improve the mood of 12 out of 25 participants who underwent cosmetic treatments for wrinkles. The other 13 had injectable fillers or other types of cosmetic treatments. An improvement in mood was shown about 2 weeks after treatment, when all of the study’s participants completed a questionnaire regarding their overall mood. The participants who received...
read moreWrinkles between the Eyebrows
The area between the eyebrows, right above your eyes above the nose, is called the glabella. The action of frowning causes the glabella to wrinkle, and over time, these wrinkles can become permanent to form what is technically called “glabellar lines”. Glabellar lines may be treated with injectable fillers effectively, particularly when the wrinkles are deeper set. Injectables add volume and fill in wrinkles, smoothing out the area to achieve a desirable result. On the other hand, Botox paralyzes the muscles that cause the skin to...
read moreThe Pros
Botox racks up the pros when it comes to comparing it with other dynamic wrinkle fighting treatments. Sure, results are temporary, but think about all the advantages: 1. No surgery involved, which means you don’t need to take time off of work, lock yourself up inside your home, away from the critical public eye after the procedure, or get some nasty incision and the resulting scar. 2. Targets the actual muscle creating the wrinkle, not just the skin over it. This is considered far more effective than more superficial treatments. 3. You...
read moreReloxin vs Botox
Reloxin is one of the most well known alternatives to Botox. Approved by the FDA and Health Canada, it is injected, much like Botox, to prevent and eliminate dynamic wrinkles. You may find physicians offering Reloxin at a lower price due to its larger vials (containing 500 units rather than 100 for Botox). Another difference between the two wrinkle fighters is that the key ingredient is suspended in lactose instead of the sodium chloride used for Botox. However, the same level of care should be taken with Reloxin as you would with Botox...
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