The History of Botox

10 Years of Botox: a History

April 12, 2012

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Don't DIY

The Internet and injectables make strange bedfellows. And in 2009, we got a glimpse at one of the scariest results of the online DIY movement when a Texas woman opened an online "Botox store" and began uploading YouTube videos about how to self-inject. Also, similar incidents occurred in the UK, leading to a flurry of warnings about the dangers of using such a potent (and deadly) toxin without a licensed practitioner.

In an effort to raise awareness, the FDA made Botox a black box drug. The black box is one of the administration's strongest warnings, reserved for medications with known serious or life-threatening potential effects.

Source: Flickr User igorschwarzmann

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by Miriam Lacey 3

Don't DIY

Source: Flickr User igorschwarzmann

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3 Comments

AmyDexter 1 year 2 weeks

Charice has denied the use of Botox for cosmetic reasons. She said she did it for TMJ (or something to that affect). Do you know for sure she used it to narrow her face? Can you divulge your resources? Did her Doctor tell you this personally? I believe she indeed had Botox for cosmetic reasons, but I don't know who to believe. Thanks! -Amy

Miriam Lacey 1 year 4 weeks

@feinbaby Hi! I didn't at all mean to suggest that Botox isn't a useful treatment, and I'm sorry if it sounded that way. It was meant to be a light-hearted kicker at the end of a paragraph, not an indictment of botulinum. I know plenty of people who use the drug for migraine relief, and I'm glad that it's helped you with your bruxism!

feinbaby 1 year 4 weeks

"Everyone wanted to get in on the Botox bonanza, to the point where even dentists began injecting patients with the stuff. It may well be the only situation in which you come out of a dentist's office looking less stressed." Who researched this article? Whoever gathered the information certainly missed some important points! I'm disappointed you'd be so dismissive of a medical treatment that has drastically improved my quality of life. "Even dentists"? Dentists have been using botox for off-label purposes for as long as the drug has existed. It is an excellent relief of TMJ tension and pain, or grinding known as "bruxism". While technically "off-label", the treatment is starting to be covered by many insurance plans. Botox has stopped me from wearing my teeth away, and now I can wake up in the morning without a splitting headache. Please do your research before you continue to propogate the notion that botox is just a cosmetic treatment for the shallow and appearance-obsessed.