What Actually Is Botulinum Toxin?

For 18 years botulinum toxin has been approved for cosmetic use in the UK and since its introduction it has grown exponentially in its use. In 2018 there were 7.4 million Botulinum toxin injections carried out worldwide, making it the top nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in that year. But how much do you really know about toxin injections and all it can be used for?

What is Botulinum toxin?

Botulinum toxin is a naturally occurring neurotoxic protein that is produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Neurotoxic sounds a bit scary, but all this means is that this toxin acts as a nerve block in muscle to prevent its activity. Its effects were first described and thought to be able to be used clinically all the way back in 1820. In the NHS, it has been officially approved for clinical use for over 30 years, having first been used for a condition called strabismus, which is an eye muscle disorder. Now this substance is used for a plethora of different conditions, alongside its common cosmetic uses.

How does it work in cosmetics?

Botulinum Toxin is used cosmetically, mostly, as an answer to wrinkles and fine lines, as an anti-wrinkle injection. This works by relaxing, and therefore smoothing, underlying muscles of the face to therefore smooth the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines in the overlying skin. The result is a rejuvenated, younger looking skin surface that will leave you walking away from our Harley street and Mayfair clinics with a renewed confidence. These results will last up to 4 months and after that you will need to book in for top up injections to maintain your desired youthful look.

How can Toxin injections help me?

Apart from its well-known use as an anti-wrinkle injection, botulinum toxin can be used in multiple other ways to help increase your confidence and rejuvenate your look. It can be injected into specific facial muscles around the mouth to uplift downturned corners of the mouth, and reduce the appearance of a gummy smile by relaxing the muscles that pull up the lip. It can be combined with dermal fillers in order to treat platysmal banding and aging of the neck area. It can even be used to slim the appearance of the jawline by injecting into particular muscles of the jawline region.

Apart from these cosmetic treatments, here at Trikwan we are able to use Botulinum toxin as a lesser known tool in treatment of a range of conditions such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), bruxism (teeth grinding) and even migraines! Read more about our treatment of these conditions in our recent blogs (LINK – hyperhidrosis and migraine blogs).

BOOK IN FOR YOUR TOXIN TREATMENT WITH DR ZOYA DIWAN OR DR SANJAY TRIKHA NOW