Botox is the trade name for an injectable drug made from a purified form of botulinum toxin type A, a bacteria originally discovered as a cause of food poisoning. When used in the forehead, Botox relieves movement disorders of the face and eyes (tics) and temporarily smooths out lines and furrows, sometimes referred to as frown lines.
History
In the late 1800s, a medical doctor identified the toxic bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which was responsible for a particular type of food poisoning that displayed a variety of symptoms, including muscle paralysis. Research over the course of the next hundred years resulted in a purified version of the toxin and its potential use for a variety of medical purposes. In 1989, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved botulinum bacteria, as Botox, for use as a drug to treat eye and facial nerve disorders. Doctors soon noticed that patients who were injected with Botox temporarily lost their wrinkles. In 2002, Botox was approved for cosmetic use to reduce the appearance of forehead lines and wrinkles.
Function
Botox blocks the release of a neurotransmitter that normally helps facilitate muscle contraction. The result is temporary muscle paralysis. When injected into the forehead, Botox paralyzes underlying muscles in that area, preventing muscle spasm disorders that cause facial tics and uncontrollable blinking. Since those same muscles are responsible for horizontal lines in the forehead and vertical furrows between the eyes, Botox injections in this area also relax those types of wrinkles.
Features
Botox injections are administered as an outpatient procedure by dermatologists and plastic surgeons. No preparation or recovery time is necessary and follow-up care is generally not required. You will be told to stand upright for several hours following the procedure. The paralyzing action on the muscle starts to take effect within three to five days of the injection. Forehead lines will start to reappear in three to six months and ongoing injections will be necessary to maintain a wrinkle-free appearance.
Location
Botox injections for the forehead are given directly into the procerus muscles, located between the eyebrows, and the corrugator muscles, slightly above. Once paralysis takes effect, you will not be able to pull your eyebrows together when you frown and the skin in that area will remain smooth. You also will not be able to raise your eyebrows, so you will not create horizontal lines across your forehead.
Side Effects
There are usually no side effects with Botox injections but when they occur, they may include bruising or discomfort at the injection site; a slight, temporary drooping of one eyelid; headache or upper respiratory infection. There have been no reports of permanent damage or side effects from the use of Botox for the forehead.
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