Many people, both men, and women have been getting treated with Botox, with numbers rising in the past few years. This is because Botox is an effective way to change your look and give you more of a youthful, radiant appearance while not having to undergo traditional plastic surgery procedures. But the thought of side effects and long-term issues with Botox is still a question: are there long-term side effects of Botox? Or is this miracle injection really as good as everyone is hoping for?
What is Botox?
Botox is an injectable toxin that has been used to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for many years. While an injectable toxin might not seem like the best thing to inject into the muscles, it has actually been found to be quite safe and has been approved by the FDA for both medical purposes and cosmetic purposes.
Botox works by freezing, or paralyzing, the muscles of certain areas in the face and body, depending on where it has been injected. Botox can be used for a variety of reasons, including incontinence in the bladder and fine line removal in the face. Migraines are another popular reason people seek out treatment with Botox – it can help reduce or eliminate them altogether. Another popular reason that people may seek out Botox is that it can help eliminate overactive sweat glands – so if you sweat too much and it becomes embarrassing, believe it or not, this treatment can help!
Side Effects of Botox
Since Botox has been around for quite some time (it has actually been FDA approved for over twenty years!), we are beginning to learn a lot more about the drug. Researchers have discovered that there are several side effects that can result from long term Botox usage, although they are mild and many men and women choose to receive the treatment anyway. Long term side effects that have been observed so far in the life of the drug include the following:
- Muscle weakness in the area
- Smoother skin (although this one isn’t particularly a bad one!)
- Gradually atrophying muscles
While there are several side effects that have been observed from short-term Botox usage, these are the main ones to be on the lookout for when it comes to long-term use.
If you would like to learn more about Botox, including the benefits and risks of this injectable procedure, please call the office of Dr. Ghozland today!