The 10th Anniversary of FDA approval of Botox^® as a Wrinkle Reducer

Monday, April 16th, 2012

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the approval of Botox^® to relax wrinkles. Botox^® has been around for about 50 years as a treatment for eye muscle spasm. It was originally used in children treating strabismus, but later broadened to adults with eye muscle problems. In 1987, Dr. Jean Carruthers of Vancouver, BC, Canada, an ophthalmic surgeon, had a patient she was treating for facial muscle spasms tell her that the treatment gave her “a beautiful, untroubled expression.” This led to several clinical trials that resulted in the FDA approving Botox^® as a cosmetic treatment of wrinkles in 2002.

Botox^®, a potent toxin when used in large doses has proven exceptionally safe over this time. In the last year more than 5.6 million people were injected, making it the most popular cosmetic procedure in the world. Though it is officially approved only for treating the muscles between the eyes to get rid of the “11’s” there, it can be used anywhere there is a hyperactive muscle causing a problem.

To celebrate, Allergan, the maker of Botox^®, is offering a discount for the next several treatments if they are prepaid before the end of April, 2012.