What is a Botox Treatment?

BOTOX® treatments are a medical procedure that injects a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent that works at motor nerve endings (nerves that lead to muscles). BOTOX®® Cosmetic is a drug used for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines (frown lines). These frown lines come from muscles called corrugator and/or procerus muscles. A BOTOX® treatment is the name used for the process of injecting the Botox Cosmetic product into the patient.

Botox treatments were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cosmetic use in April 2002.

The effects of Botox treatments are not permanent, reportedly lasting anywhere from three to eight months. By injecting the toxin directly into a certain muscle or muscle group, the risk of the Botox treatments spreading to other areas of the body is greatly diminished.

When a Botox treatement is done and Botox is injected into the muscles surrounding the eyes, for instance, those muscles can not "scrunch up" for a period of time. They are paralyzed. So the wrinkles in that area, often referred to as "crow's-feet," temporarily go away.