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Worries over 'Botox parties'
A vast upsurge in the use of a deadly toxin to smooth out facial
wrinkles concerns a leading doctor - who says its long-term safety
is unproven.
Dr Peter Misra, from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
says that while immediate adverse reactions to Botox are rare,
evidence for the long-term effects of the treatment has not yet
been gathered.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, he said: "In this
atmosphere of 'Botox parties' - where champagne-sipping socialites
are injected with botulinum toxin - it is easy to forget that
it is a potent neurotoxin and that its very long-term effects
are still unknown."
Botox is actually made out of the poison which can make botulism
such a lethal infection.
A serious botulism infection is dangerous because the toxin paralyses
vital muscles needed for breathing.
However, Botox treatments involve a far smaller dose of the drug
which has a similar effect, but only on a tiny area of muscle
near to the injection site.
It has been used for some time to help reduce the symptoms of
some forms of spasticity by correcting imbalances and spasms in
muscles to improve gait and posture.
Party drug
In recent years, however, this effect has been harnessed by the
cosmetic surgery industry.
If a tiny amount of the toxin is injected into certain areas of
the face, it creates the effect of stretching out the muscles
near the site of wrinkles or crow's feet, reducing their appearance.
Of course, the patient will be unable to move these particular
muscles voluntarily.
The treatment effect lasts for a few months.
Botox is currently used in over 70 countries, and there has been
no evidence to date of any long-term safety concerns associated
with the treatment.
Revenue for the global sales of Botox has increased from $25m
in 1993 to $310m in 2001, mainly on the back of cosmetic use.
It remains unlicensed for this use in the UK - meaning that doctors
are free to use it, but must be personally responsible for any
ill-effects.
A spokesman for Allergan, which manufactures Botox, said that
the treatment had more than 13 years of successful clinical use
in a variety of conditions.
She said: "Botox is currently used in over 70 countries,
and there has been no evidence to date of any long-term safety
concerns associated with the treatment.
"As with any pharmaceutical medical product, there are potential
side-effects.
"Side-effects that can occur are known to be minor and of
temporary nature."
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