Exploring The Fascinating History Of Botox Treatment

In the world of skincare and cosmetics, Botox treatment is a common procedure for helping to treat conditions like wrinkles, facial lines and hyperhidrosis. When thinking back to the origins of the treatment, there’s a lot of fascinating history to explore and we’re diving deep to uncover how Botox injections developed over time.

Bacterial Discoveries And Innovations

Botox comes from Clostridium botulinum, a type of bacteria first discovered in 1895 by the Belgian scientist Emile Pierre Van Ermengem. This was after an outbreak of botulism in Belgium and Ermengem got to the route of a disease that caused muscle weakness, slurred speech, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and, in some cases, death.

By the 1920s, scientists at the University of California in San Francisco were attempting to isolate the botulinum toxin of the bacteria for medical purposes. Yet it would be another 20 years before the toxin would finally be isolated into a solid form by Dr Edward Schantz.

A pioneer in the field of biochemistry, Schantz tested botulinum toxin for the military and found that it had limited capabilities as a weapon. However, his work would be instrumental in identifying the compound’s cosmetic benefits.

Testing And Patenting Botox Injections

In the 1960s, Schantz became a supplier of the toxin for scientific purposes and early tests were done on monkeys in an attempt to find a non-surgical cure for strabismus (crossed eye syndrome). This was carried out by Dr Alan B Scott, who received permission from the FDA to test the toxin on humans in 1978.

A decade later, the pharmaceutical conglomerate Allergan gained the rights to distribute botulinum toxin under the name of Oculinum. At this time, additional trials were carried out to investigate how the drug could combat cervical dystonia and blepharospasm.

After repeated testing, the FDA finally approved of Oculinum being used as a mass-market product for treating strabismus and Allergan rebranded it to Botox in 1989.

Over the next two decades, Botox was approved in the treatment of a number of other conditions.

In 2000, the FDA greenlit it for reducing the impact of cervical dystonia, while 2002 and 2004 saw it become an approved treatment option for frown lines and hyperhidrosis respectively. A more recent milestone includes Botox injections being approved for treating elbow, wrist and finger stiffness in 2010.

Specialists In Botox Treatment

From helping to reduce the signs of ageing to stopping excessive sweating, there are many benefits to Botox treatment and new discoveries are still being made for how it can help people.

At Omniya Clinic, we’re experts in Botox injections and we’re able to offer personalised treatment options based on your preferences. To learn more about our expertise, get in touch via the contact form or book in for a consultation today.