Cosmetic and Medicinal Uses of Botox | Renewal MD

Botox is a powerful neurotoxin prescribed by physicians not only in Maple Grove and St. Cloud, but around the world for treating a number of medical and cosmetic conditions, including advanced skin care, muscle pain, acne, muscle spasms, anti-aging, migraines, cervical dystonia, and even sweating. Botox is administered through injection into a muscle which targets nerve endings to eliminate pain or stop muscle spasms. A treatment with Botox typically lasts three months.

Cosmetic Uses

Botox, a popular brand name for the medication botulinum toxin type A, is used cosmetically to smooth wrinkles on frown lines between the eyebrows or on the forehead. This advanced skin care treatment is also used to treat certain cases of acne.

Medicinal Uses

Botox is used medicinally to treat conditions such as sweating and upper limb spasticity. Chronic tension headache sufferers use Botox to relieve pain around their forehead, temples, scalp, and back of the head as well as to prevent chronic headaches from occurring. Botox is also used to treat a condition called blepharospasm, a condition that causes eye twitching, eye blinking, light sensitivity, eyelid spasms, and eye pain. Botox is used for treatment of cervical dystonia, which is a painful condition which causes neck muscles to involuntarily contract resulting in the head twisting and tilting to one side. Botox is injected directly into the affected muscles to relieve pain up to three or four months.

Side Effects

When performed by a qualified and experienced physician, Botox injections are relatively safe. However, side effects such as fatigue, dry mouth, cold-like symptoms, headache, pain or bruising around the injection site, redness, itchiness, temporary muscle weakness, and nausea can occur. In rare cases, botulism, a serious side effect, may occur. Botulism symptoms include extreme fatigue, double vision, trouble breathing, difficulty swallowing, loss of strength, and voice changes. These side effects are rare, and most Botox users find the benefits far outweigh any mild discomfort associated with the injections.