The Keen Origin and History of Botox

You’ve probably heard the word “Botox” mentioned here or there, maybe on TV, or in some article you’ve read on the news. It’s also very likely that you’ve heard it from someone you know personally. And it’s really not surprising considering just how popular the cosmetic treatment is and how so many people look to it for all their anti-aging needs.

But while many people may know the word, not many people actually know the origin and history of Botox, how it was created, developed and entered the commercial market of the beauty industry. Nowadays, many clinics offer Botox treatment plans in their respective cities and the procedure is considered to be a staple of any professional clinic.

In order to be better acquainted with this amazing treatment, we should at least know how it was created, what hurdles it went through and how it finally arrived at our proverbial door steps to deliver its breathtaking results of smooth, vibrant skin and youth restoration. So, here are a few facts about the history of Botox you ought to know about.

Where It All Started

Botox, or the botulinum toxin as it’s commonly referred to in the medical and scientific world, was initially discovered in the late 19th century and it would take many years of research, as well as an outbreak of botulism, to finally isolate the botulinum toxin so that it becomes usable.

Interesting fact is that botulinum toxin is one of the most dangerous chemicals in the world and can be very fatal when consumed. And it just so happened that in the early 20th century, there was an outbreak of botulism, with many people dying of the toxin as a result of rotten food. It was the Belgian scientist by the name of Emile van Ermengem that was responsible for finding and isolating the bacteria that caused all this trouble so that it could be studied and future outbreaks could be prevented.

It took him 20 years, but he managed to finish his work and new uses for the compound were beginning to be developed.

Continued Advancements

The botulinum toxin has the ability to numb and paralyze muscles. This is what makes it so dangerous. If it enters the body in an uncontrolled manner, it may start paralyzing areas of the body that it should and cause irreversible damage and perhaps even much more than that. Which is why Botox is only entrusted to the best trained specialists out there. You have to go through many hurdles to get a chance to operate with the  compound.

However, danger rarely stopped human progress. Which is why new uses for the compound immediately began to be tested. What if it was possible to utilize the chemicals paralyzing abilities to our advantage?

Which is why one of the first applications of the compound was to treat twitchy eyes. This is a disorder that is directly linked to the muscle. If the compound could somehow paralyze the muscle temporarily, then the twitchiness could go away. And yes, this was one of the first applications of the botulinum toxin and it proved to be very successful, even in the mid 20th century, when medicine and medical technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today.

After the positive results, the same idea would be tested on the facial muscles, to see if they could also be paralyzed and soothed, so that in turn, they could smooth out the skin above. And judging by how Botox is the biggest cosmetic treatment around, it’s safe to say that these tests also proved to have positive results.

The treatment was initially not all that accessible, as there weren’t many individuals who were qualified enough to perform it. This meant that it was reserved for more privileged individuals, who had the exclusive connections and knew where to go for the treatment. Only a select few clinics were allowed to operate with it and even then, the specialists would need to have some major qualifications.

And even after receiving the approval from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), it would take the treatment many more years before it became commercially available.

The Story so Far

Despite its rollercoaster of a history and its long journey into commercial availability, Botox is today’s biggest cosmetic anti-aging treatment. Nowadays, the compound is widely available and countless clinics across the country utilize it for their treatments. Many clients or varying financial backgrounds have the opportunity to try out Botox for themselves.

With the market getting bigger as Botox becomes safer and more readily available for purchase, more clinics begin to offer the treatment and the more competitive the prices become. As a consumer, this is an absolute win for you, since not only do you have more options to choose from, but you also get a very good price for them. Many clinics offer their own special deals on Botox, as they’re fully aware just how demanded the treatment is.

For example, Manhattan’s MiracleFace MedSpa offers its Botox NYC treatment plan to the New York City market with great success, as the residents of the city are more than happy to take advantage of reasonable prices and high quality of service to try Botox out for themselves.

Flash back to no more than a decade and a half ago and finding something like this would have been impossible. Unless you were a movie star paid to look young by the producers or simply had the money yourself, you had very few chances of trying out Botox or even visiting a clinic which offered the treatment.

So it’s very good to know that at least nowadays, the revolutionary treatment is widely available and clinics are always happy to welcome new clients looking to get a good deal on restoring the youthfulness of their face. And while it is true that Botox may not be for everyone, it does deliver the best results in the industry for everyone who tries it out.