Fact or Fiction: Botox® injections are poisonous to the body.
FICTION!
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which reduces the activity of the muscles that create the wrinkles and lines caused by repetitive active movements of the muscles.
BOTOX® is a refined protein derivative of the botulinum toxin, a form of food poisoning. The toxin normally resides in poorly preserved foods, including canned meats. This toxin primarily affects the central nervous system. The safety of BOTOX® is ensured by its direct administration into a certain muscle or a group of muscles. Because the concentration of the toxin is very low, a BOTOX® injection is purely incapable of spreading its effects outside the given area.
As with any other drug, BOTOX® is nontoxic when administered in the proper dosage. For cosmetic use, the typical patient receives an average of 20-60 units of BOTOX® per treatment. Over a period of time, the body naturally eliminates the administered BOTOX®. As with nearly every medication, excessive amounts can be dangerous to one’s health. A lethal dose of BOTOX® is 2800 units, 100 times the average dose given for the treatment of lines and wrinkles. Even Advil, one of the safest pain medications can cause liver failure and death when used in very hefty dose.
BOTOX® is a simple, non-surgical, physician or physician-extender administered treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe dynamic wrinkles in people. It is the single treatment of its type approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
One 10-minute treatment consisting of a few tiny injections and within a few days there’s a noticeable improvement in moderate to severe dynamic wrinkles that can last up to 4 months.
Kristi Robert, PA-C
