Botulinum Toxin

Botulinum toxin has become one of the most talked about drugs in the last 20 years. In the UK it is commonly called "Botox" for short. However Botox® is the trade name or the botulinum toxin produced by a company called Allergan. When people use the word Botox®, they are only referring to one sort of botulinum toxin although most people are unaware of this.

Botulinum toxin used medically it is a genetically engineered version of botulinum toxin, called botulinum toxin A. The two main companies producing the botulinum toxin A are Allergan which produces Botox® and Vistabel®, and Ipsen which produces Dysport®. There is also a botulinum toxin B available.

Botulinum toxin works by destroying the nerve ends that make muscles move or that make sweat glands work.

Botulinum toxin is most well-known for injecting into the muscles of the face to relax them and to take away facial wrinkles. Botulinum toxin has been licensed for the use of taking away wrinkles in the "Glabellar". This is the vertical line, or the lines, between the eyebrows. It can also be used for wrinkles on the forehead, crows feet by the side of the eyes and elsewhere on the face, neck and chest although this is "off licence". Doctors are able to use drugs off licence provided they are happy there's no better alternative.

Botulinum toxin is also used for muscle spasm, particularly in severe back or neck pain. Injections of botulinum toxin into muscles in spasm relax them taking away the pain of a spastic muscle.

Botulinum toxin is also used in the treatment of sweating - a condition known as hyperhidrosis. The botulinum toxin treats the nerve that make the sweat glands work.

For more information on Botulinum Toxin please see the Botulinum Toxin information site

Vist the Botulinum Toxin website for more information on what Botulinum Toxin is and how Botulinum Toxin is used in treatments

Further Reading on Botulinum Toxin - Medical Pages Information Sites