Botox being used to treat acne scars

A common drug for the treatment of wrinkles is now being used to help reduce the appearance of acne scars.

Monash University Professor Greg Goodman told Nine News that Botox, derived from Botulism bacterium, helped smooth the appearance of skin pitted by acne scars by relaxing the surrounding muscles.

“If it happens to be that you’re contracting a muscle that is pulling the scar apart a bit, Botox can help to ease that, relax that area so it doesn’t have so much stress on the existing scar tissue,” Professor Goodman told Nine News reporter Gabriella Rogers.

Botox is often used in combination with dermal fillers, which are injected into the skin afterwards to smooth out the scar tissue, Professor Goodman said.

Professor Goodman found Botox helped reduce the appearance of acne scarring when he was reviewing its use as a treatment against acne, publishing his findings in the journal of Cutaneous Aesthetic Surgery.

Cosmetic surgeons began using Botox to treat acne in 2009 after discovering the drug could prevent the production of excess oil and sebum in skin pores.

Since it was introduced in 1999, Botox has been used to treat wrinkles, muscle spasms in people with cerebral palsy and to reduce excessive sweating and to help sufferers of chronic migraines.

The drug works by blocking the signals from nerves to muscles, causing them to relax and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scarring.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recorded 40 cases of adverse events in people who used Botox, including vomiting and fatigue.

For more information on treatment for Acne scars, you can go to Professor Goodman’s website — at www.div.net.au

Source:  By ninemsn staff at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8212160/botox-being-used-to-treat-acne-scars