The Botox Generation is Going Strong
It seems that the therapeutic uses as well as cosmetic applications for BOTOX® (Allergan) know no bounds. As expected, the newest FDA approval for onabotulinumtoxinA BOTOX® was announced this week for the prevention of migraines, considered one of the most disabling types of headaches. Chronic migraine sufferers, mostly women, complain of excruciating pain that interferes with their daily work, life and activities. In March 2010, the FDA approved BOTOX® as a treatment for flexor muscle spasms of the elbow, wrist and fingers.
BOTOX® is currently approved in approximately 80 countries for over 20 different indications including cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, strabismus, increased muscle stiffness in elbow, wrist, and finger muscles, and axillary hyperhidrosis. In the U.S., BOTOX® is currently being investigated for the treatment of other medical conditions. The next BOTOX® indication to be studied appears to be to treat overactive bladder.
According to New York Dermatologist Judith Hellman, M.D. (www.bigappleskin.com), “In my practice, the number one use for BOTOX® and Dysport® (Medicis) is to soften the glabellar frown lines between the brows, both for women and men. However, more recently, patients are asking about BOTOX® for hyperhidrosis. It has been proven to be a very effective treatment for patients who sweat more than average and are constantly embarrassed by wetness under the arms year round. The effects of treatment are temporary, but long lasting and my patients are extremely satisfied with the results we can achieve.”
In the range of injectable therapies, BOTOX® and Dysport® appear to be relatively recession resistant due to the growing popularity and consistent outcomes that can be attained. Once consumers have experienced the benefits of these treatments, they are less likely to just give them up entirely. They may see their dermatologists or cosmetic surgeons less frequently if needed for treatment, but they clearly want to maintain the effects for the long term. This bodes well for those with Botox training from IAPAM. Wrinkle relaxing treatments have become a baseline therapy that complements many other most popular cosmetic treatments including dermal fillers, light based systems and laser resurfacing. We have seen instances of prices coming down in certain markets as well as physicians and clinics offering more creative pricing to keep it affordable for their loyal patients. The fear factor surrounding wrinkle relaxing injections also seems to have been eroding as more and more celebrities are speaking openly about their use of these beneficial age-reversing treatments. Consumers are also more inclined to talk among themselves and in online forums to share their experiences, making BOTOX a household name today.
It will be interesting to watch what happens to this growing market, since Xeomin® (Merz) was also granted FDA approval for cervical dystonia and blepharospasm in August of this year, making it the third neurotoxin to be FDA approved in the U.S. which opens the door for more competition. The future looks bright for the Botox® generation.
Source: by Wendy Lewis, Beauty/Skincare Columnist – HealthNewsDigest.com on Oct 18, 2010 at http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Skin_Care_600/The_Botox_Generation_is_Going_Strong.shtml
