Botox is best known for smoothing wrinkles and reducing the signs of aging. However, it has many applications that are not only cosmetic, but can help with your quality of life. Botox exceeds physical augmentation and can assist with migraines, excessive sweating, and severe neck spasms to name a few. With studies being completed more applications for Botox are being discovered. Here are some of the more popular applications of Botox

  • Chronic migraines 

It has been observed that when Botox was administered to individuals for their wrinkles they also reported fewer headaches. Botox was later tested on people with chronic migraines and it was approved for this disorder just over a decade ago. Botox has been highly debated by doctors on whether the drug is truly effective for migraines or whether it is a placebo effect. Migraine Canada also recommends a trial of 3 cycles, or 9 months, before making a final decision to continue with Botox. With most people seeing a difference right away, 10% of people only noticed an improvement with their chronic migraines after the third treatment.

  • Excessive sweating 

Similar to the way Botox works on blocking the signal to your muscles, it also prevents the signal from your nerves from getting to your sweat glands. In turn, if the gland doesn’t receive the signal, then it doesn’t produce sweat. Doctors are able to use Botox to treat hyperhidrosis (medically diagnosed excessive sweating) by injecting the underarms or palms of patients. Botox treatments can stop excessive sweating in areas for up to six months. For those with a sweating disorder that have tried clinical-strength and prescription antiperspirants with no success, Botox can be a possible solution. 

  • Overactive bladder 

Those who experience symptoms of overactive bladder, including urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, frequent urination, and nighttime urination can be treated with Botox for relief. Botox can be injected into the wall of the bladder and it can take a few days for it to take effect. After which you would notice improved bladder control. Improvements can last from three to nine months before symptoms will return and the Botox treatment would be repeated. Current research findings indicate that 60 – 90% of patients experience significant symptom relief. 

  • Crossed-eyes 

It may sound unexpected that Botox can assist with fixing strabismus(crossed eyes). The procedure involves numbing the eye with some eye drops. A needle is then injected directly into your eye and a small amount of Botox is inserted and correct crossed eyes for a period of time. You would notice results in just 24-28 hours. In some cases, the improvement in alignment may be long-lasting if the Botox treatment is continued.

  • Severe neck spasms 

Since Botox functions to relax the injected muscles, it can help with severe neck pain and spasms. Paired with physical therapy, Botox treatment can minimize neck pain for about three to six months depending on the disorder and the severity. Other treatments for neck pain and spasms are oral medication. These medications commonly have associated side effects such as sedation, fatigue, and dizziness, all of which are not present with Botox treatments.

  • Smooth your neck

Neck muscles can start to enlarge and protrude as we age. Many of the muscles in the neck are also connected to the muscles in our face. The neck can pull the rest of your facial features forward. Botox can relax the neck muscles to soften these wrinkles and lift the face.

Horizontal wrinkles spanning your neck can also be temporarily erased with Botox treatment. Tiny amounts are injected into the muscles above and below the lines all the way around the neck. Since Botox breaks down every three to four months, repeat visits will be necessary. 

  • Temporary face-lift 

With age comes facial lines and wrinkles. You might be considering ways to appear younger. Cosmetic surgery such as a facelift could be a solution but it can be an invasive procedure, which can take months to recover from. Botox on the other hand can be used as a temporary facelift when it’s injected directly into the muscles of your face that cause wrinkles. Botox treatments soften the look of fine lines and prevents them from becoming more noticeable. 

  • Mimic a nose job 

Around the age of 40, your nose can begin to sag and become more hooked, which can make your whole face appear droopy. Botox treatment can help in lifting the nose and taking years off of your appearance. This type of treatment involves injecting Botox at the base of the nose between the nostrils. This can release the muscle that pulls the nose downward, making the whole face appear more lifted. Compared to a surgical nose job, Botox treatments are quick and sometimes as fast as 15 minutes per session. Botox treatments are also a temporary solution to mild and moderate imperfections. 

  • Soften your jawline and chin 

Botox can be used to soften your jawline and chin. Botox on the jawline can create a more visible V-line in the face. By reducing the size of these muscles, Botox slims the jawline. In turn, making your face appear more youthful and slender while emphasizing your cheekbones. Applying Botox to the jawline can also relieve pain and teeth grinding, which is often a result of an overload of pressure in highly developed masseters. Along with softening your jawline, it can also soften the chin area. Dimpling and wrinkling can occur on the chin and is part of the natural aging process of your face. Applying Botox to the chin area will temporarily limit the movement of the muscles underneath and smooth the appearance of dimples and wrinkles. 

  • Lift your lips 

Tiny drops of Botox can be applied to the upper lip border in order to roll the top lip up and out slightly so it appears plumper. This procedure usually takes about a week before seeing any results. Since Botox is injected on the top border of the lip rather than inside the lip itself it gives the upper lip a fuller look without actually adding any volume to the inside of the lip.

Botox has many applications and can be used for cosmetic and medical purposes. With all the benefits Botox is a powerful tool. Just like any other medical procedure, there are associated risks. Book a no obligation consultation with Silverado Medical to see if Botox is right for you.