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Over the last ten to fifteen years, Botox has become one of the top
cosmetic procedures sought out by men and women who want to preserve
their youthful appearance and reduce signs of aging. However, few people
know the full history of this seemingly miraculous fountain of youth. In
fact, Botox as a procedure has only been around for about 15 years,
making it a relatively new medical treatment. However, its history can
be traced back much further; as far back as the early 19th century.
The first step to uncovering Botox was actually the discovery of a
deadly disease: botulism. Botulism first came to light in the early
1800s when Dr. Justinus Kerner began studying people who were getting
very sick with food poisoning after eating pork sausage. By the end of
the century, scientist Dr. Emile Pierre Van Ermengem had clearly
identified four variations on this virus that posed a threat.
At first, the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which causes botulism,
was seen as yet another disease to battle. However, in the 1950s, Dr.
Edward J. Schantz discovered a positive use for the virus. During his
experiments, he proved that that a crystallized form of the virus could
be used to temporarily relax muscles by acting as a block to
neuromuscular communication. This soon led to the realization that
botulinum could be used to correct cross-eyed vision in both animals and
humans. As time went on, more and more uses for the virus were
discovered. For example, botulinum could stop vocal cord spasms as well
as spasms in the eye muscle. It could even alleviate excessive sweating.
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After
years of treating patients with botulinum, which had been bought by a
pharmaceutical company and named Botox as a marketable product, one
doctor noticed something interesting. In the 1990s, Dr. Jean Carruthers
saw that her patients were showing remarkably few wrinkles. Dr.
Carruthers brought this to the attention of her husband, a
dermatologist, and the two produced a study on the topic. This led to
the Botox boom that has been continuing ever since. |
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In 1986, Botox was approved in the United States for treating eye
muscle disorders. Later, in the year 2000, it was certified as a
treatment for cervical dystonia. It was not until 2002 that enough proof
was discovered to approve Botox for cosmetic use. It was found that the
bacteria-based product could soften frown lines temporarily, for up to
120 days. The following year, more than two million Botox injections
were doled out.
In the United Kingdom, Botox was first approved for human use in 1994
for the treatment of blepharospasm or uncontrolled blinking. Over the
following two decades, it was progressively approved for more and more
treatments including cosmetic procedures.
Today, Botox is manufactured in the United States by Allergan, Inc.
Despite being made from a highly toxic bacterium, the product is among
the most popular beauty treatments worldwide. In fact, Botox injection
is the most widely used non-surgical cosmetic procedure. It is used to
reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, forehead creases, frown lines, and
other facial wrinkles. |
