Non-Cosmetic Botox®

Name: Non-Cosmetic Botox
Brand: The Spiegel Center
Rating: 4.6 (395 reviews)

Non-cosmetic use of neuromodulators like Botox can help with tension and migraine headaches, facial asymmetry, stop teeth grinding, and much more.

What are Botox®, Dysport®, Daxxify®, Jeuveau®, and Xeomin®?

Botox Cosmetic is a registered brand-name neuromodulator that is produced from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Small, controlled amounts of the neuromodulator have been shown to have significant positive effects on conditions like uncontrolled blinking, extreme sweating, migraine headaches, lazy eye, and more.

The FDA approved Botox for these uses in 1989. After more than a decade of use, the FDA approved Botox for cosmetic purposes in 2002. Botox along with Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, and Xeomin, are now used to reduce crow’s feet around the eyes, soften frown lines between the eyebrows, and relax lines in the forehead. Off-label uses of these neuromodulators also include relaxing lines around the lips, nose and mouth, and neck.

How Do These Neuromodulators Work?

Botox, Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, and Xeomin work to block acetylcholine, the nerve transmitter that causes muscles to contract. Injecting a neuromodulator into the muscle reduces or stops these movements, thereby relaxing the muscle. The relaxation of muscle movement is used to treat a variety of physical conditions, as outlined below.

Excessive Perspiration

Excessive perspiration, alternatively known as hyperhidrosis, is a condition that can cause people to feel self-conscious and embarrassed. Botulinum injections work by disabling the sweat glands temporarily in the affected areas, helping to substantially reduce the amount of perspiration. This treatment is used in armpits, palms, T-zone of the face, and potentially anywhere where excessive perspiration is a concern.

Facial Asymmetry And Bell’s Palsy

People with synechiae (or movement of the wrong part of the face as a result of Bell’s palsy), or who have an asymmetric appearance due to muscle weakness from Bell’s palsy, may find improvement with neuromodulator treatments such Botox, Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, and Xeomin. Neuromodulator treatment works by relaxing specific facial muscles so that drooping is not as evident, or so that only the desired muscle contracts.

Acne Scarring Correction

If you have pockmarks or facial scarring left from acne breakouts of your teenage years, there are a range of laser resurfacing treatments available to improve your appearance. However, one of the least invasive alternatives is the use of injectables like BOTOX®, Dysport®, Daxxify®, Jeuveau®, and Xeomin®. Pockmarks may be caused by muscle movement in the face that stretches the scar and makes it more noticeable. This regimen works best with skin rejuvenation modalities like Morpheus.

By injecting a neuromodulator into the area in tiny increments where muscle contractions pull on the acne scar, the tension and stress on the scar reduces, making it less visible. This treatment has been shown to minimize both the bumpiness and the width of scars, and may be a great option in combination with other treatments to increase collagen production and diminish or eliminate the scarring.

Grinding Teeth

Most people who grind their teeth are unaware they are doing it. In fact, in more than 80% of cases, the most significant grinding occurs at night while the person is asleep. Symptoms such as jaw pain and tightness can be the first evidence of tooth grinding. In more severe cases, people might break their teeth, lose fillings, or even grind the enamel away to the point that they expose sensitive nerve endings to the air.

Botox, Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, or Xeomin can be injected into the masseter muscles, which are the large muscles on the sides of your jaw that protrude when you clench or chew. When you grind your teeth, these muscles of mastication are in overdrive. Botox, Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, or Xeomin relax the masseter muscles and can put an end to the grinding and clenching. Injections are quick and nearly pain-free, and you can enjoy the results for as long as five to nine months at a time.

Migraine Headaches

Patients who suffer from migraine headache attacks know how debilitating they can be. Many different medications are available for migraines, but sometimes the best treatment is Botox, Dysport, Daxxify, Jeuveau, and Xeomin injections. These treatments are usually administered every three months and can help prevent and reduce the severity of migraine headaches. You’ll have significant improvement with your headaches as well as fewer wrinkles!

Twitching And Spasm Conditions

Patients who suffer from eye or muscle twitching, spasms, and even varying degrees of squinting can also benefit from having treatment on a regular basis. In people with strabismus (crossed eyes), Botulinum injections are administered directly into the affected eye in an effort to relax the muscles responsible for the squinting, and in most cases, this enables the eyes to re-align correctly. As with many other Botox-related treatments, it is recommended for injections to be carried out every six months.

Gummy Smile

Does your smile show too much gum? This is what is referred to as a gummy smile (excessive gingival display); if it makes you feel uncomfortable and uneasy about smiling, there is something you can do about it. According to dentists and cosmetic surgeons, the ideal smile has the upper lip drape over the top of the upper teeth with little to no gum showing. Some people with aggressively gummy smiles show more gums, and their lips may thin during a smile.

A gummy smile can be of skeletal, dentoalveolar, or soft tissue origin. While the first two causes may need to be treated with dental surgery, one relatively simple solution is the use of a neuromodulator like BOTOX®, Dysport®, Daxxify®, Jeuveau®, and Xeomin®. Injections into the hyperactive muscles relax the lip so that it does not raise as much when you smile. It is a simple procedure but, as with other uses of BOTOX®, it lasts for only three to four months.

Jaw Reduction (AKA Masseter BOTOX or Jawtox)

One of the strongest muscles in the face is the masseter muscle of the jaw, which is used for chewing. For people who chew or grind their teeth excessively, this muscle can grow in size. This may make the jaw look larger and more square-shaped. By injecting a neuromodulator directly into the masseter muscle on each side of the jaw, the muscle will relax and, over time, reduce in size.

This will slim the face and create a V-like appearance in the jawline. As with any reduction of muscle, it will take two to three weeks to see the effect of the treatment. The application of BOTOX®, Dysport®, Daxxify®, Jeuveau®, and Xeomin® can last from four to six months before needing to be repeated. The beautiful thing about Jawtox or Masseter BOTOX is that not only does it give a V-like appearance of the jawline, it also reduces clenching and tooth grinding.

Saggy Neck (Nefertiti Lift)

Whether it’s aging or genetics that makes you feel subconscious about your “heavy neck” and lack of jaw definition, there are different corrective options available. One is a procedure known as the Nefertiti Lift. Nefertiti was a queen of Egypt in the 14th century and was well known for her distinct and elegant jawline and smooth neck. The Nefertiti Lift uses either BOTOX®, Dysport®, Daxxify®, Jeuveau®, or Xeomin® injections.

The injections are made along the lower jaw and down the patient’s neck, and target the platysma muscle. When this muscle contracts, it pulls down on the tissues of the lower face, reducing jaw definition and producing the look of sagging skin on the neck. By relaxing the platysma muscle, the downward pull is lessened, which can create the appearance of a snatched, lifted, and tighter jaw and neckline.

The result is a closer appearance to the elegant jaw and neck of Queen Nefertiti. The Nefertiti Snatched Jaw is most effective with patients who do not have excess fat along the jawline or loose and folding skin on the neck. As with other botulinum treatments, the patients should expect to repeat it three or four times per year to maintain the effect.

Ideal Candidates For Non-Cosmetic Neuromodulator Treatment

If you are experiencing any of the conditions above, you may be an excellent candidate for non-cosmetic neuromodulator injections. You must have realistic expectations in terms of results, and you should also be in overall good health.

Any past allergic reactions to the substances in Botox or other neuromodulators must be brought up during the consultation. Patients who are currently undergoing other types of medical treatments or are taking certain types of medications will also need to discuss these during their consultation.

Non-Cosmetic Neuromodulator Aftercare

The effects of the non-cosmetic use of Botox and other neuromodulators become apparent rather quickly, and the recovery period is practically non-existent. Patients can come in for treatment during their lunch break and then go right back to work.

Depending on where the injectable was administered, patients are advised not to put pressure on the target area for a certain period of time. Temporary minor swelling, bruising, and redness may be present but will disappear shortly.