What Does Botox Do to Your Body?
Botox is a drug made from a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum called botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin has proven to be a successful and beneficial therapeutic protein when the dosage, the frequency of the treatment, and the variety of treated clinical conditions are considered. Beneficial when it is done right. When it is administered incorrectly, it can cause botulism-like symptoms, which can include muscle weakness, trouble breathing, speaking, or swallowing, bladder control issues, and vision problems. That is very unlikely, but convincing enough that you should not go bargain hunting for Botox.
Botox Blocks Nerve Transmission
After the injection moves from the dermis into the desired muscle, the nerves there are blocked; more specifically, their synapses are blocked by Botox. So even though your brain may fire and signal for your body to move a particular muscle, Botox will effectively block that firing and keep the muscle from moving. The injected muscle will no longer contract, which then causes the skin wrinkles to relax and soften, and also helps prevent new ones from forming.
The Botox Effect Remains Localized
The Botox stays only where it is injected; it will not roam through your body. If injected into your face, it will not work in your toe. It does not have a systemic effect. It might migrate up to 3 cm from where it was injected. But even if some molecules were to go into your bloodstream and travel to distant sites in your body, the cosmetic doses, which are usually less than one hundred units, are significantly lower than the toxic dose that might be harmful systemically, which is 2,500 to 3,000 units.
Once Injected, It Will Last for About Four Months
After the protein stops functioning at the neuromuscular junction, it is naturally broken down into its harmless components, amino acids, and either recycled for use in other proteins or excreted by your kidneys. The bigger the muscle injected, the quicker the motion returns. Likewise, the smaller the muscle, the longer the effect of Botox will last. It does not have a tolerance effect either; your body never gets used to Botox.
Botox is used to treat a Variety of Medical Conditions
The biological blocking power of Botox is used to treat migraines, muscular disorders, and bowel disorders. It can also treat muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, an overactive bladder, or the loss of bladder control as well. It can be used to stop excessive sweating. Botox will block glands the same way it blocks nerves in your muscles. Do not expect to stop sweating entirely, because you must sweat somewhere. Botox will also last much longer in these sweaty situations since these glands are far smaller than the muscles that are treated.
Botox can be used successfully for headaches. The positive effects of Botox on migraines were actually discovered by accident because patients who had received injections to take care of wrinkles also had migraines, and they reported headache relief from the injections.
Related Article: What Are the Side Effects of Botox?