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A New Wrinkle: Botox Users May Become "Addicted"

September 18, 2006

• Botox Maker Subpoenaed By Justice Department • FDA Issues Botox Warning • Public Citizen Wants Stricter Botox Warnings • A New Wrinkle: Botox Users May Become "Addicted" --- • Consumer Complaints

Could Botox be addictive? A new study suggests the anti-wrinkle treatment, a growing favorite among baby boomers, might be so appealing that its users can't stop at one or two treatments.

A psychologist and plastic surgeon compiled the research, finding that four in ten people who use Botox have a compulsion to do so on a regular basis, to keep their more youthful appearance.

Botox is injected into the facial area, almost instantly smoothing out creases in the forehead and around the eyes. The problem is, its effects are not permanent.

After a period of months, the treatment begins to wear off, meaning the wrinkles begin to reappear. Some doctors report that patients return before the treatment has worn off, demanding additional injections. The typical Botox treatment lasts four to six months.

Dr Carter Singh, a psychologist at Britain's Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, and plastic surgeon Martin Kelly, of London Plastic Surgery Associates, recently presented their full findings at the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons conference in London.

The purpose of the study is to help plastic surgeons to spot the signs of "Botox addiction".

In the study, more than 50 percent of Boxox users said they felt they were unable to control their youthful appearance without getting additional Botox injections. They said getting the treatments made them feel younger too.

So far, there are no known detrimental health effects of prolonged Botox use and to date there have been no safety issues associated with the treatments. However, the study points out that there have been no studies of possible side effects.

Botox gets its name from a toxic nerve poison, the same bacteria that causes botulism.

Approved for the treatment of two eye muscle disorders in 1989, the Food and Drug Administration approved Botox for cosmetic uses in April 2002.

Botox works by blocking signals from the nerves to the muscles. The muscle injected with Botox can no longer contract, causing wrinkles to relax and disappear.

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