Most women, especially the rich ones are undergoing Botox treatment just to get rid of their wrinkles and fine lines in their faces. However, there’s no doubt that most of them actually didn’t know that their sought-for ‘beauty regiment’ came from a kind of life-threatening bacteria.
The truth is, Botox is actually an acronym for Botulinum Toxin, a toxin that is being produced by Clostridium botulinum, the same bacterium that causes Botulism, a rare but disabling paralytic disease. This bacterium was discovered by Emile Pierre van Ermengem, a Belgian Scientist during the botulism outbreak in their country. The scientists have tried to isolate the bacterium during the 1920s in order to make a cure. However, this was only achieved by Dr. Edward Schantz twenty years after.
The discovery of Botox usage in wrinkle removal is a kind of fortunate accident. During the time that the toxin was tested on monkeys for treating strabismus (crossed eyes), it is discovered that the wrinkles in the monkeys’ faces are somewhat removed. After the toxin was proven effective in treating strabismus, Allergan branded it by the name of Botox and had licensed the treatment. Eventually, Botox had received FDA approval for various cosmetic and medical treatment purposes.
However, if you think that removing wrinkles and treating strabismus is the only thing that Botox can do, you’re definitely wrong. As a matter of fact, it is also used to treat crow’s feet, urinary incontinence, chronic migraines and lots more.
Botox cosmetic application, on the other hand, involves injecting the toxin directly on facial areas such as the cheeks, chin and forehead in lower dosages. As for the time of this writing, there no generic version of the toxin that is available for everyone. In other words, if you want to get your Botox shots, you must consult an expert in this field.