What started as an experiment for individuals suffering with crossed eyes in the 1950’s, is now widely used to alleviate deep wrinkles. Many willingly disregard the fact that this popular tool is a powerful bacterial toxin. We are talking about Botox.
In the 1990’s, pharmaceutical companies began to test Botox on people with movement disorders, such as cerebral palsy and excessive sweating. It was through this testing process that Botulinum was found to hide visible signs of aging. In 2002, Botox was passed by the FDA and has been popular ever since.
Although the treatment temporarily minimizes wrinkles, the skin returns to its original state or even a degraded state afterward. Think about a bodybuilder who stops working out. Indeed, there are some precautions that one might want to consider.
First, Botox is a relatively young treatment and scientists are still testing its effects—both short-term and long-term. According to natural holistic specialist, Claudia Louch, Botox is ahead of science.
“We don't know what happens in 10, 15 years’ time. But the toxin does accumulate inside you in some form,” says Louch.
Botulinum is referred to by chemists as a poison. One study done recently, observed regular Botox users over the course of 12 years. Scientists found that nearly half of the participants had adverse side effects including:
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difficulty swallowing
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drooping eyelid
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neck weakness
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nausea, vomiting
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blurred vision
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difficulty chewing
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difficulty speaking
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hoarseness
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edema
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heart palpitations.
Second, Botox isn’t holistic. According to pharmacist Ben Fuchs, although Botox does block the contracting of facial muscles, it doesn’t do anything for the breakdown of collagen fibers—the biochemical process that is a main cause of wrinkles. In a podcast, Fuchs reports that there “Ain’t nothing a prescription drug can do for that.” Indeed, Botox doesn’t stimulate collagen production like treatments and products that exercise the skin, such as the Wrinkle Lift Micro Channeling treatment and retinol serums. These help to produce collagen and prevent wrinkles—and without toxins, too. The question “Botox or No-tox,” is not a light one and should be considered with all its effects. We urge you to calculate the costs when considering how to treat your wrinkles. Botox may not be the best way to go.