10 Super Cool Facts About Botox That You Didn't Know

If you’re a beauty enthusiast, Botox is likely the first thing to come to mind when fine lines and wrinkles start appearing.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that more than 5 million Botox procedures are done in a year.

But, there’s more to Botox than fine lines and a popular name. Here is our pick of cool facts you might not have known about Botox.

10 Fun Botox Facts

1. Eureka! Food Poisoning Led to Botox

Botox is short for botulinum toxin, a strain discovered all the way back in the 1820s. It was when Justinus Kerner was trying to determine what blood sausages poisoned dozens of Germans. The toxin in the meat, it seems, caused their death. Kerner called the toxin “botulism,” which means sausage!

2. Botox As a Weapon

While Botox is certainly a weapon against wrinkles, botulinum toxin was once researched as a form of biological weaponry during World War II.

3. Botox Can Treat Depression

Early testing shows that one injection of Botox may help with depression. Sounds odd? Not when you think about it. Our emotions go hand-in-hand with our facial expressions. Relaxing the facial muscles disrupts the connection. Research suggests that Botox can interrupt feedback from facial muscles to the brain, which in turn alleviates negativity.

4. No More Sweating

If you’re a heavy sweater, you might want to book a round of Botox. It can be injected into your skin to block chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate your sweat glands.

5. Bye-Bye Migraines

In 2013, the FDA approved Botox as a treatment for migraines. While it’s not really known why the chemical eases symptoms, some suggest it prevents pain signals from reaching nerve endings.

6. Alleviate Chronic Pain

Botox blocks signals that cause muscle tightening, which causes chronic pain. Injections can significantly improve pain levels and, in turn, your quality of life if you suffer from chronic bouts of pain.

7. Eases Overactive Bladder Conditions

If you suffer from incontinence, consider Botox injections. When your bladder muscles spasm, it results in accidental leakage. When Botox is injected into the muscle tissue, the spasms decrease, and you can better control your bladder.

8. Relax Those Muscles

Do you frequently grind your teeth? You could benefit from Botox.

Despite being well-known as a cosmetic procedure, Botox was first used as a medical treatment for an eye condition called strabismus, a result of muscle dysfunction. Botox works as a relaxant, allowing tissue to function correctly and easing the affected area.

It was then discovered that Botox could also be used to treat other issues, such as neck and facial spasms that often result in teeth grinding.

9. It’s Actually a Brand Name

You know how you may refer to all types of adhesive bandages as Band-Aids? It’s sort of the same thing when people refer to all anti-wrinkle treatments as Botox. Generally, though, Botox is just one of a number of products containing botulinum toxin.

10. It Takes Longer than Fillers to See Results

Fillers, once they are injected, work instantly. However, Botox takes around 72 days to have a full effect. Results do vary from one person to another, and you usually need another treatment in around five months. That’s by no means a downfall of Botox, though, when you consider the benefits we’ve discussed above.

Book Your Botox Treatment

At Palmieri Dentistry, we provide Botox injections to help you stop grinding your teeth and improve your smile. If you’d like to find out how Botox can help you, please call Palmieri Dentistry at 704-247-6336 or book a consultation online.