Botox is a drug that weakens or paralyzes muscle. In small doses, it can reduce skin wrinkles and help treat some medical conditions. Botox is a protein made from Botulinum toxin, which the bacterium Clostridium botulinum produces.
Botox is a neurotoxin. These substances target the nervous system, disrupting the nerve signaling processes that stimulate muscle contraction. This is how the drug causes temporary muscle paralysis.
In order for any muscle to contract, the nerves release a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the junction where nerve endings meet muscle cells. Acetylcholine attaches to receptors on the muscle cells and causes the cells to contract, or shorten.
Botox injections prevent the release of acetylcholine, which stops the muscle cells from contracting. In this way, the toxin helps the muscles to become less stiff.
Clinicians use Botulinum toxin by diluting the powder in saline and injecting it directly into neuromuscular tissue.
It takes 24-72hours for the toxin to take effect. Rarely, it can take as long as 5 days for the full effects to show. They may last 3–12 months, depending on the treatment.
People should avoid using Botox during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if they have ever had an allergic reaction to the drug or any of its ingredients.
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