BoomerGirl Diary

... Years may wrinkle the skin but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. — Samuel Ullman.

Given the enthusiasm many boomers have for anti-aging products, our souls AND our skin should be wrinkle-free! With over 4 million procedures attributed to Botox Cosmetic last year alone, Botox has got to be leading the “soul patrol”!

It is the continual use of muscles over time, along with the loss of elasticity, which results in persistent “frown lines”, particularly between the brows and along the forehead. Botox Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. The protein works by temporarily blocking a chemical needed for muscle contraction. Since the muscle can’t contract, the wrinkles disappear. This lasts up to about four months, by which time the muscle gradually begins working again.

Botox Cosmetic is the only FDA approved treatment of its type on the market.

Why is that important? To be FDA approved, prescription drugs or biologic products must undergo rigorous laboratory testing on animal and human subjects. Approval means the product demonstrates safety and effectiveness for the intended use. The drug was never intended for use at “Botox parties.” Although rare, side effects can occur which would require immediate medical attention by trained personnel. Having said that, side effects are usually mild, if any, and may consist of nausea, eyelid droop, headache, swelling, redness, and/or bruising.

So why doesn’t it kill us? The same reason a dash of salt on fries tastes great, but a box of salt would ruin them. It is a dose-dependent event, and the dose is so far below that required to cause serious harm that there would be no chance of that happening in the healthy individual. What of the horror stories one hears about “frozen faces” and dropped eyebrows? That is where trained medical personnel are crucial. It is imperative that the person administering the medication have a thorough understanding of facial muscle interactions, the inherent differences in patients, and realistic expectations. In addition, Botox is not always the appropriate treatment option and knowledge of other choices by the clinician makes for better judgment.

Does Botox always work? A study of over 400 users for glabellar lines (between the eyebrows) showed 89 percent responding at 30 days and 40 percent still felt they were responding at 120 days. Over time and with frequent injections, some people begin failing to respond. This is thought to be due to development of antibodies to the botulinum protein. That is why it is important to use the minimal effective dose and not to exceed recommended interval guidelines.

Overall, I consider Botox a very safe and effective treatment, especially for that “stressed out”, or “angry” appearance. It is reasonably inexpensive compared to many cosmetic procedures and is relatively painless. (In the Midwest, Botox will cost from $225 to $400 for one treated site.)

If facial wrinkles are a roadmap of your life and you want to look like you took the road less traveled, the Botox bus is going your way.