Botox can work for both younger patients and more mature patients. Without an in-office exam, it is difficult to tell if it would work well on a specific individual. Often times combining Botox with topical products, fillers, and energy-based treatments provides even better results.The safety record of Botox is well established.

Why is Botox a bad idea?

Aside from the health risks of Botox outlined above, there are several other reasons why Botox may be a bad idea:

• Cost. Botox is expensive. Because it is used as a cosmetic procedure, Botox injections are not covered under most health plans, meaning the entire cost must be borne by the consumer. The cost of a Botox injection varies, but is generally several hundred dollars. (It may be cheaper if provided by someone who is not a doctor, but getting an injection from someone who is not a health professional is extremely risky, not only because they are not trained, but also because potentially shared needles can lead to complications such as viral hepatitis). Botox for cosmetic reasons is usually charged by area of the face. The three most common areas are the crow's feet, forehead, and the lines in-between the brows (glabella). Doctors typically use 60 units for those 3 areas and charge from $10 to $15 per unit. 
• Botox wears off. Botox is not a permanent solution to rid you of wrinkles forever, and generally lasts less than 6 months. If you like what Botox does for your appearance, you will have to continue having Botox injections every 3 to 6 months. On the flip side of this coin, if you experience a bad result, it should wear off within 6 months.
• Botox is less effective on the elderly. Elderly people may get less of the result they are seeking than younger people, a fact that they may not be aware of. Elderly people may be at higher risk for unwanted side effects of Botox than younger adults, too.
• Too much Botox can lead to an inability to show facial expression. We have all seen pictures of Botox gone wrong — people who have received too much Botox and appear plastic, seemingly unable to change expression easily. Excess Botox can lead to a frozen-appearing facial expression that may make you seem cold and uncaring.

Botox is extremely popular, despite studies that have raised concerns about its long-term safety. For most people, Botox has proven safe; however, Botox is expensive, carries the risk of side effects, eventually wears off, is sometimes less than effective on the elderly and may lead to a wooden expression. Given these facts, you may want to think twice if you have been considering jumping on the Botox bandwagon.

Is Botox safe as a wrinkle treatment?

Several clinical studies have been done to assess the safety of Botox when used for cosmetic purposes, in other words as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Some of the common side effects reported after receiving Botox injections include [2, 3]:

• Droopy eyelids (in up to 3% of people)
• Muscle weakness (in up to 2% of people)
• Heartburn or indigestion (in up to 1% of people)
• Facial pain (in up to 2% of people)
• Tooth problems (in up to 1% of people)
• Hypertension (in up to 1% of people)
• Nausea (in up to 3% of people)

Other side effects of Botox may include:

• Flu/respiratory symptoms
• Headache
• Redness/pain/swelling at the injection site
• Bleeding
• Numbness

A Canadian study has raised concerns that Botox may affect muscles not treated by Botox, as well. Researchers from the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta injected a group of rabbits with botulinum A toxin for a period of 6 months and found that the limbs that were injected lost almost ½ of their muscle mass.

Even more concerning is the fact that the researchers found that the rabbits lost muscle mass in muscles located far away from where the toxin was injected. The FDA in the United States already requires the manufacturers of Botox to label Botox with a warning that the toxin can travel to unintended parts of the body. Doctors administering Botox are also required to provide patients with a letter outlining the risks.

In 2008, Newsweek reported on a story regarding Botox and its ability to enter the brain. It seems that, prior to this time, researchers refuted the idea that Botox could travel to the brain. This changed in 2008, when researchers discovered that botulinum toxin can travel along the body's neurons from the site of injection to the brain. The study that changed their minds was performed on mice, but has raised concerns regarding the safety of Botox and others like Botox in humans. [1]

Although the number of severe side effects reported after Botox treatment seems to be low in comparison to the number of people who have used Botox, these studies raise valid concerns about whether it is a wise idea to inject a known toxin into the human body for simply cosmetic purposes.

Why is Botox a bad idea?

Aside from the health risks of Botox outlined above, there are several other reasons why Botox may be a bad idea:

• Cost. Botox is expensive. Because it is used as a cosmetic procedure, Botox injections are not covered under most health plans, meaning the entire cost must be borne by the consumer. The cost of a Botox injection varies, but is generally several hundred dollars. (It may be cheaper if provided by someone who is not a doctor, but getting an injection from someone who is not a health professional is extremely risky, not only because they are not trained, but also because potentially shared needles can lead to complications such as viral hepatitis). Botox for cosmetic reasons is usually charged by area of the face. The three most common areas are the crow's feet, forehead, and the lines in-between the brows (glabella). Doctors typically use 60 units for those 3 areas and charge from $10 to $15 per unit. 
• Botox wears off. Botox is not a permanent solution to rid you of wrinkles forever, and generally lasts less than 6 months. If you like what Botox does for your appearance, you will have to continue having Botox injections every 3 to 6 months. On the flip side of this coin, if you experience a bad result, it should wear off within 6 months.
• Botox is less effective on the elderly. Elderly people may get less of the result they are seeking than younger people, a fact that they may not be aware of. Elderly people may be at higher risk for unwanted side effects of Botox than younger adults, too.
• Too much Botox can lead to an inability to show facial expression. We have all seen pictures of Botox gone wrong — people who have received too much Botox and appear plastic, seemingly unable to change expression easily. Excess Botox can lead to a frozen-appearing facial expression that may make you seem cold and uncaring.

Botox is extremely popular, despite studies that have raised concerns about its long-term safety. For most people, Botox has proven safe; however, Botox is expensive, carries the risk of side effects, eventually wears off, is sometimes less than effective on the elderly and may lead to a wooden expression. Given these facts, you may want to think twice if you have been considering jumping on the Botox bandwagon.