Do you think of Botox as just a wrinkle remedy? Well, think again!
A few years ago, a study confirmed the anti-depressant effect of Botox. Patients who received Botox showed improvement in mood and self-esteem that outlasted the clinical improvement to their wrinkles. So, aside from being a potent wrinkle reducer, it seems that Botox has several other interesting benefits. We have also been using Botox in Phoenix to effectively stop excessive sweating in the underarms, treat migraine headaches, urinary incontinence, and even cardiac arrhythmias, but now it seems we may have stumbled upon two more applications for this precious product.
Botox for Skin Rejuvenation
A new study released in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery (published online May 21, 2015) showed that Botox (BTX-A) not only relaxes muscles, but also rejuvenates aging skin. Intrinsic changes were seen after an injection of Botox (BTX-A) that actually altered collagen and elastin fibers in the skin, which not only makes the skin look less wrinkled but also makes it appear younger overtime. Even studies looking at UV damage in the skin have shown minimization of damage with Botox (BTX-A), and a link has been established to Botox (BTX-A) injections and the prevention of free radical release by cells—essentially an antioxidant effect. Dr. Joely Kaufman, a board-certified dermatologist out of Miami, has been studying this effect for years and agrees that Botox (BTX-A) softens the skin and makes it look more radiant.
Botox for Treatment and Prevention of Scars
Another study in the September/October edition of Wound Repair and Regeneration is demonstrating the effectiveness of early post-operative Botox (BTX-A) injections for minimizing surgical scars. The study seems to indicate that Botox (BTX-A) may also improve keloid scars and prevent the muscle tension along scars that can lead to scar thickening. Again, it is hypothesized that this improvement results from the ability of Botox (BTX-A) to effect collagen production.
Both of the studies mentioned above are smaller-scale studies, but the results seem promising and point to the fact that more research is needed to determine other possible indications and benefits of Botox.
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