Whether or not you’re on board with Botox and its ability to smooth fine lines, do not underestimate its near-magical abilities.
Botox, a muscle-relaxing injectable, is commonly used a preventative measure to help preserve the skin and stop lines from developing.
But there is a growing list of uses for the injectables. Experts say that Botox injections also help with migraine relief, excessive sweating, and teeth-grinding, among other things.
We spoke to Alice Henshaw, owner and director of Harley Street Injectables, on the surprising things Botox can do other than relax wrinkles.
1. Migraine relief
Migraines and frequent headaches can be debilitating and while there are no cures, Botox injections can help to ease symptoms.
‘Botox is only FDA-approved for chronic migraines, which means headache on 15 or more days a month,’ says Alice.
Not recommended for people who experience less than 15 headache days a month, ‘Botox is injected around pain fibres that are involved in headaches’ to provide migraine relief.
‘Botox enters the nerve endings around where it is injected and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission,’ says Alice.
‘This prevents activation of pain networks in the brain. Botox prevents migraine headaches before they start, but takes time to work. One treatment lasts for 10-12 weeks, and patients reported that two Botox treatments reduced the number of headache days by approximately 50%.’
2. Reduce excessive
sweating Botox is, is a popular remedy for severe sweating (hyperhidrosis). Alice explained that you may be a candidate for underarm Botox ‘if your sweating fails to improve with prescription antiperspirants’.
‘Botox has been FDA-approved for people who sweat excessively from their armpits,’ she said. ‘It may also be used “off-label” to reduce sweating in other areas, such as the hands, feet, and face. Off-label use refers to using a medication for something other than what it was approved to treat.
‘In this case, it means that Botox hasn’t gone through the same amount of rigorous testing to confirm its effectiveness for treating excessive sweating in other areas of the body.’
Back in August Chrissy Teigen revealed that she got Botox injections in her armpits, dubbing the treatment as ‘truly best move I have ever made.’
3. Teeth-grinding
(bruxism) prevention Bruxism, or teeth grinding, can result in jaw pain, persistent headaches, teeth damage and even that ‘square-jawed’ look as a result of growth of the muscles attached to the jaw. But Botox injections can prevent you from clenching and grinding your teeth resulting in a softer jawline.
‘The grinding and its symptoms can be dramatically reduced by injecting Botox into the masseter (the muscle attached to the jaw), which reduces local muscle activity leading to dramatic changes in face shape after regular treatment,’ says Alice.
‘The Botox will start working within the first three two seven days, however, the overall result will be seen within 6-8 weeks.’
4. Non-surgical nose job
Did you know with just a few needle pricks it’s possible to change the shape of your nose?
‘Filler is usually the most effective treatment for non-surgical rhinoplasty however, for a select few patients, a few drops of Botox may actually be the magical touch,’ explains Alice.
The process, that’s relatively painless, fast and reversible, can be used to elevate drooped nose tips and even to make the nostrils appear slightly smaller: ‘This is done by treating the ala (nostril area) with Botox to reduce the flaring of your muscles.’
‘A different treatment for the nose is ‘bunny line Botox’ which targets the upper part of the nose, for bunny-like wrinkles that may form on the bridge (just below where glasses may sit) when you smile.’
5. Treat acne
Botox can help to shrink large pores which in turn can reduce sebum (oil production), reducing breakouts.
Better yet, it can help reduce pesky scaring: ‘Botox injections can reduced both the bumpiness and the width of the scars,’ says Alice. ‘The tension on a wound causes scars to be thicker and wider and a major source of tension on a scar is motion using Botox to weaken the muscles under a healing incision, and thereby reducing motion can make its appearance less obvious.’
Book Now