Ask anyone their thoughts on Botox® Cosmetic and you’re bound to get as many opinions as people you ask! In addition to those responses you will most likely hear a few myths about this popular treatment that many people still hold true! With so many circulating thoughts about Botox® and its increasing exposure and popularity on reality shows and mainstream media, it’s important to be able to separate fact from fiction to make choices that are right for YOU!
Myth #1 “Botox® is a dangerous poison that is toxic to your body!”
Botox® Is a highly refined protein derived from the Botulinum Toxin. This toxin is a type of bacteria that thrives in poorly preserved foods and can lead to food poisoning. BUT! The concentration of Botox® actually used in a cosmetic injection is incredibly low and is administered, by your physician, with precise accuracy into a very specific muscle. As a result, it is virtually incapable of spreading to other areas of the body where it could pose a great threat.
Myth #2 “Botox® is super new to the market…buyer beware!”
BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used for over 17 years and is approved for medical use in over 78 countries. It is one of the most extensively studied medical esthetic treatments on the market. The safety and efficacy of BOTOX® Cosmetic have been evaluated in both Allergan (the manufacturer of Botox®) sponsored clinical trials as well as in 417 peer-reviewed articles in scientific and medical journals.
Myth #3 “Botox® will leave you looking like a frozen, emotionless ZOMBIE!”
“You would have to specifically ask your provider to inject you this way if that’s the esthetic you were going for, and even in that case, any responsible provider would discourage that sort of outcome,” shares Dr. Garrett Griffin of Midwest Facial Plastic Surgery. He goes on to say, “The whole point of Botox® is to prevent the future occurrence of wrinkles and to make you look like a more refreshed, youthful version of yourself…NOT an entirely different person!”
Myth #4 “You should only start Botox® when you start to see lines.”
“The name of the game is PREVENTION,” advises Dr. Christopher Tolan, also a physician with Midwest Facial Plastic Surgery and a National Botox® Trainer for Allergan. “Waiting until lines are fully formed, visible and etched into the skin makes it more difficult to smooth their appearance again,” he continues.
Botox is most often used for lines and wrinkles which form from facial movements like scowling, squinting, frowning, and raising your eyebrows. By starting Botox preventatively, a patient (and