We all wish to maintain the youthfulness of our skin even as our bodies age drastically because of time and unhealthy lifestyles. Amongst various techniques available, Botox™ is one of the most popular facial treatment for removing wrinkles. It may surprise most to know that Botox™ is a trademark for a neurotoxin, produced by Clostridium Botulinum, which can cause paralysis and is fatal at sufficiently high dose.
Botox™ works by blocking the signal from nerves to the muscle so that the muscle is paralysed and the skin does not move resulting in fewer and shallower wrinkles. In Botox™ treatment, the diluted toxin is injected into the specific muscle using a very fine needle. Other trade names for this medicine are Myobloc, Dysport, Xeomin etc.
The effect of Botox™ treatment lasts for three to four months and therefore needs to be repeated every three to four months to ensure continued benefit. In the long run it is expensive, and of course it is a voluntary injection of a neurotoxin into our systems. Some of the severe side effects of a Botox™ treatment include problem in swallowing, problem in breathing, change or loss of voice, loss of bladder control, autonomic dysrelfexia, asthma symptoms, dizziness, itchiness, double vision, laziness of eyelid, weakened muscles, spread of toxin effect to areas away from injection site, etc. Also, the chances of these serious complications actually appearing are very high (15 to 30 per cent for some). Remember, Botox™ is a very powerful neurotoxin and has the potential to dramatically change the appearance of your face and not necessarily for the good. The long term effects of the toxin on our body are still unknown.
Animal experiments have shown that botulinum toxin can affect the way nerves behave and may inhibit the release of vital brain chemicals. In a study performed by the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington, muscle and bone loss were both observed in mice that were given Botox™ — quadriceps and calf muscles both diminished as a result of the injections. In a different study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, evidence suggested that the ‘botulinum toxin’ can actually travel to the brain after being administered.
Another study reveals that a quarter of patients seeking the treatment at a dermatology clinic had body dysmorphic disorder — an illness which makes people believe they are unattractive. So what they needed was perhaps psychotherapy, not a neurotoxin.
Botox™ as a quick fix for facial wrinkles was made popular by Hollywood movie stars but after years of treatment, they are moving away from Botox™ having realised that they no longer resemble their former self due to frozen look the treatment gives. Its popularity is now dipping as people turn towards other anti-aging treatments for more natural and longer lasting results.
Stress-free lifestyle, yoga, healthy eating habits, regular exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating lot of fruits, use of herbal and organic beauty formulae, is a far better and proven method to maintain that natural glow of skin and youthfulness. The book ‘Sanatan Kriya: The Ageless Dimension’ details many ancient and 100 per cent natural remedies and practices for a youthful and glowing skin and body till the very last. Such a lifestyle will not only maintain a radiant skin, it also keeps the body fully fit for an entire lifetime.
The deadliest protein known to man is Botulinum toxin. 100 nanograms is enough to kill a full-grown man; 1kg would be enough to wipe out the entire human race. It is so deadly that it is potentially useful as a biological weapon.
Millions of people voluntarily have botulinum toxin injected into their faces every year, under the trade name Botox®.
