Archive for March, 2009

Botox injections could make people depressed, study suggests Botox injections could make people feel depressed, researchers have warned.

Monday, March 16th, 2009

The injections are used to get rid of wrinkles by partially freezing muscles.

But scientists have now discovered that they can also stop people being able to express their feelings visually.

That could lead to them keeping their emotions bottled up inside and they could end up perceiving the world in a negative way, researchers said.

Dr Judith Grub, who led the research into the injections in Holland, told The Sun: “Suppressing negative emotions is something we do every day to be polite.

“However, my research shows that paralysing muscles that help you to express emotion leads to internalising these feelings.”

In the study 30 people were shown a series of gruesome images.

Some were allowed to show their emotions while others were asked to keep a blank face as they looked at them.

Those who did not show their feelings perceived the world as a worse place, and felt negative emotions for longer.

Dr Grub added: “Many people think ‘Oh, it’s just Botox - I can get it in my lunch break.’ But they forget that there may be side-effects.”

But British cosmetic treatment expert Dr Patrick Bowler said: “Botox shouldn’t paralyse the face and you should still be able to make facial expressions.”

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Botox on a Budget

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Recent reports show that, despite the economic recession, there has been a surge of men and women seeking Botox and other non-invasive cosmetic procedures. I’m certainly seeing this in my offices in Maryland and Virginia, where I’m treating more patients than ever with Botox, Restylane, Fraxel and other lasers. Some are getting ready for the holidays, some for job interviews and some simply want to project a positive image in both personal and professional situations. Non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox have little or no down time and, when performed by an expert, make you look naturally younger while avoiding the “done” look that may result from going under the surgical knife.

If you’re considering Botox treatment, here are four tips for getting the best value and the best results:

1. Understand the science. As you age, some of your facial muscles become overactive, causing “hyperdynamic wrinkles” between your eyebrows, on your forehead and neck, and around your eyes and mouth. Tiny amounts of Botox can be gently injected just beneath your skin to relax and re-balance overactive muscles, giving you a smoother, younger appearance. Botox is one of the most extensively studied treatments and was shown to be safe and effective when it was FDA-approved 19 years ago. Many further studies since then have resulted in thousands of scientific papers. Besides its use for no downtime wrinkle relaxing, Botox is used safely for myriad medical conditions including lazy eye in children and excessive sweating.

2. See the whole picture. Advanced Botox doesn’t just smooth frown lines; it perfects facial contours and lifts your face nonsurgically, making you look years younger. If your eyebrows have dropped and flattened, making your eyelids heavier, a little Botox in the right places will make you look - and feel - much better by lifting and subtly arching your brows, which adds definition and sparkle to your eyes. A drooping mouth or neck can be similarly lifted with expert Botox. And advanced Botox never gives you a frozen face: Botox treatment from an expert is completely undetectable. Ironically, many celebrities who are criticized for being over-Botoxed are really victims of over-zealous surgery, whereas many who are most admired for their beauty have regular, expert Botox treatments.

3. Remember fillers and lasers: The newest concept in cosmetic surgery is how to combine natural fillers and volumizers such as Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm and Evolence with Botox and state-of-the-art lasers such as Fraxel and Syneron to achieve a scar-free, non-surgical face lift that prevents you from ever having to go under the knife. Advanced techniques give you natural lift and rejuvenation, and your skin is stimulated to produce its own collagen, which tightens it from within and gives longer-lasting results.

4. Best value Botox tips. Botox, Restylane and other fillers require maintenance. This allows treatments to be adjusted to fit your face as you age so that you always look completely natural and may even be told that you never seem to age! Botox maintenance not only smoothes wrinkles; it also helps prevent them from deepening. For best value, select a cosmetic surgeon who offers discount maintenance plans. When comparing Botox pricing, make sure you know the Botox concentration. More dilute Botox may cost less in the short term but more in the long term as you will need more frequent re-treatments. Most important of all, choose an expert surgeon who can individualize your treatment to address your own unique aging pattern. The most expert surgeons are often actively involved in cutting-edge teaching, research and public education.

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Botox, Myobloc Linked to Serious Side Effects, Deaths

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

In February 2008, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc would undergo a safety review following reports of serious side effects, including the deaths of some children.  Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc are injectable drugs that contain botulinum toxin.  According to the FDA, most of the severe reactions occurred in children treated for limb spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, an off-label use of the drugs.

Botox, which is made with botulinum toxin type A, is approved for treatment of conditions such as blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids), cervical dystonia (severe neck muscle spasms), and severe primary axillary hyperhydrosis (excess sweating).  Botox Cosmetic, which also uses botulinum toxin Type A, is approved for temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe facial frown lines. Myobloc, which is made from botulinum toxin Type B, is approved for the treatment of adults with cervical dystonia.

Botox, Botox Cosmetic, and Myobloc Side Effect Reports

In January 2008, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned the agency two weeks ago to strengthen warnings on the products’ labels because of serious adverse reactions. An analysis conducted by Public Citizen of FDA data found that between Nov. 1, 1997, and Dec. 31, 2006, the makers Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc had reported 180 U.S. cases of people developing serious conditions after receiving injections. Those 180 cases included 16 deaths, four of which occurred in children.

According to the FDA the Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc reactions reported resemble botulism.   The reactions have occurred when botulinum toxin spreads beyond the site where it was injected. The most serious cases had outcomes that included hospitalization and death, and occurred mostly in children treated for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity. Use of botulinum toxins for treatment of limb spasticity (severe arm and leg muscle spasms) in children or adults is not an approved use in the U.S. The FDA said that the adverse reactions may be due to overdosing

The reports of adult botulism cases described symptoms including patients experiencing difficulty holding up their heads, dysphagia and ptosis.  Some reports described systemic effects that occurred distant from the site of injection and included weakness and numbness of the lower extremities.  Among the adult cases that were serious, including hospitalization, none required intubation or ventilatory support. No deaths were reported.

Legal Help

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of Botox, Botox Cosmetic or Myobloc, you have valuable legal rights.  Please fill out our online form for a free case evaluation by a qualified drug side effects attorney.

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