With age, facial muscles change and fine lines & wrinkles develop. This is due to repeated facial expressions e.g., laughing, smiling, and frowning. Botulinum toxin is a very effective treatment option for the temporary improvement in the appearance of frown lines.
Botulinum toxin is a type of neurotoxin that relaxes overactive facial muscles. It works by blocking the chemical message from the nerve endings to the muscle fibers, thus stopping muscle contraction.
There are a wide range of facial areas that can be treated. These include the deep frown lines between the eyes (glabella), the forehead (horizontal lines), wrinkles around the eyes (crow’s feet) as well as the nose (bunny lines), lips, and chin. Other common conditions treated with botulinum toxin includes teeth clenching (bruxism) and excessive underarm sweating (axillary hyperhidrosis).
In South Africa there are 3 neurotoxins that are FDA approved BOTOX®, Dysport® and XEOMIN®. It is important to remember that botulinum toxin is a Schedule 4 medication and can be injected by a medical practitioner.
