BOTOX® Cosmetic is a simple, nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people from 18 to 65 years of age. It is the only treatment of its type approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One 10-minute treatment—a few tiny injections—and within days there's a noticeable improvement in moderate to severe frown lines between the brows, which can last up to 4 months. Results may vary. BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those frown lines between the brows to form over time.
Safety:
In 2005, almost 3.3 million procedures were performed with FDA-approved BOTOX® Cosmetic. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ranked BOTOX® Cosmetic as the most popular physician-administered aesthetic procedure in the United States for the fourth year in a row (surgical and nonsurgical combined).
The Carruthers & Carruthers Report discusses a 15 year study in which 853 BOTOX® treatments were performed on 50 patients. Among these 50 patients only 1% reported adverse events. Adverse events included ptosis, dysphagia, bruising and pain. There was no increase in the number of adverse events with an increase in the number of treatments.
