The FDA-approved neuromodulator Botox® has been a favorite of women, men, and their dermatologists and aestheticians since 2002. Although competitors have jumped aboard, Botox is still the No. 1 form of injectable botulinum toxin for cosmetic and medical uses.
And what are those other uses? They may surprise you. Botox can not only erase your frown lines, it can give you less to frown about in the first place.
At the Rheumatology Center of New Jersey, our board-certified rheumatologists, Ahmed M. Abdel-Megid, MD, and Amanda Borham, MD, and our aesthetic team use Botox to solve a number of problems. You can request Botox at our Monroe, Flemington, and Somerville, New Jersey, locations.
What problems can Botox solve? Here are five of them.
Botox is best known for its ability to block the signals your brain sends to the most expressive, dynamic muscles in your upper face. These are the muscles that keep creating extreme, repetitive expressions, such as:
Over time, especially if your skin is damaged by exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light, those expressions don’t disappear after the emotion has passed. Instead, the repetition of continually frowning, squinting, or raising your brows creates permanent creases.
Botox smooths out those wrinkles and relaxes your face by relaxing the underlying muscles. Once Botox takes effect, within 30 days (you may see some changes within an hour), wrinkles disappear or drastically diminish. Touch up every 3-4 months.
Using a different injection pattern than we would for forehead wrinkles, we can administer Botox to prevent or reduce the impact of migraine attacks. With regular use, you may be able to bid goodbye forever to 8-9 migraine days per month.
To prevent migraines, you need to repeat Botox every three months. More than a million people have used Botox for migraines, and 99% plan to continue.
If you’ve been diagnosed with overactive bladder (OAB), the nerves in your bladder signal it to contract uncontrollably. This leads to leakage that you may have tried to control with adult pads or oral medications.
Instead, try Botox, which calms those overactive bladder muscles. A single Botox treatment can give you up to six months’ relief.
Do you suffer from an embarrassing amount of sweat, even if you’re not active? Hyperhidrosis can make you self-conscious about wearing light-colored clothing that makes sweat stains obvious.
So far, Botox has only been shown to be effective at controlling underarm perspiration. Treatment can give you relief from excessive sweating for about six months at a time.
If you suffer from muscle spasms or spasticity in various areas of your body, including your eyes, Botox may be able to give you some relief. Uses include:
By relaxing your muscles, Botox restores functionality and range of motion. A Botox treatment can also reduce pain.
To learn more about Botox, contact our team at our office nearest you, in Monroe, Flemington, or Somerville, New Jersey.
