So how does Botulinum Tox A (Botox, Xeomin, etx) actually reduce wrinkles? By blocking the release of a chemical that would allow the muscles to work.
We explain this to our patients in terms of a piece of paper. Imagine you have a piece of paper, and the more you fold it, the deeper the crease becomes. Eventually we can’t get the crease out of the paper!
Botulinum toxins work by blocking the chemical reaction that allows the paper (your skin) to fold and form a crease (wrinkle). This is why many patients like to start treatment with toxin prior to noticing lines on the face at rest. Once these lines have formed, it can be more difficult to get them to completely resolve.
FYI: We try not to say “Botox” because really Botox has become a universal term - like Kleenex - that can really mean four different brands in the US! We’ll talk about the difference in these brands in another post so stay tuned!
Did you know:
- Neurotoxins as we know them are a bi product of a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum, which is highly poisonous in large doses.
- There are several different sub types of this neurotoxin, and the one we all know and love is Botulinum Toxin A!
- All toxins are made from this same strain of Botulism, type A