The Botox Miracle - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Deborah Mitchell is a medical writer and journalist whose articles have appeared in professional journals as well as national consumer magazines. She has authored or co-authored more than fifty books about various health topics, including The Natural Health Guide to Headache Relief, The Dictionary of Natural Healing, and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.

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Foreword

Now is a great time to be aging. That may sound like an odd thing to say, but the truth is, today we are much better equipped to fight the signs of aging than we were, say, ten years ago. We have at our fingertips many wonderful, proven ways to improve the appearance of our skin. New advances in cosmetic enhancement and skin rejuvenation are being introduced all the time. We have techniques and products that allow us to move into maturity gracefully without changing who we are, without requiring a lot of downtime, and without causing a lot of troublesome side effects and risks. And now we have an exciting, innovative addition to the skin enhancement scene that meets all those requirements -- Botox injections.

It's true that Botox has been used for cosmetic purposes for about ten years, even though during much of that time most of the general public didn't know about it. Yet with the recent approval of botulinum toxin A (Botox) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of frown lines, the drug has been catapulted into the media and into the minds of mainstream America. Suddenly, people everywhere are talking about Botox. More and more physicians in cosmetically oriented fields are being trained in the proper use of Botox and are advertising their new skill. Unfortunately, inadequately trained personnel at health spas and salons who may have little to no medical background have also jumped on the Botox bandwagon. Men and women are being invited to Botox "parties." They are being told that getting Botox is "no big deal."

But it can be a big deal: it's a medical procedure, it involves injecting a potent neurotoxin into your facial muscles, and it can give you some very positive and pleasing results. It's a big enough deal that if you are considering Botox injections, you should stop and ask questions of yourself and your doctor before you undergo treatments. I believe that when you decide to pursue a cosmetic procedure, you should take the time to make sure you have all the facts before taking the plunge. This is the simplest way to avoid untoward side effects.

This book can answer those questions for you. It can help you decide if you are a candidate for Botox. It introduces you to the pros and cons of getting the injections, a history of the drug, how treatments work, and what happens during a typical injection session. It helps you find the best qualified doctor for your treatments and talks about other cosmetic procedures that you may or may not choose to complement your Botox injections. It even discusses the medical uses of Botox, such as treatment for crossed eyes and migraines. And, because aging gracefully is about more than eliminating wrinkles, it also explores ways to keep your skin healthy, through nutrition and supplements, and which ingredients in your skin care products really do what they claim to do.

In my work as director of the Center for Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, I have been using Botox increasingly over the past six years to where now, I administer Botox injections almost daily. I have been heartened by the positive responses from the people I have treated. People come to me saying, "I don't want to look different. I just want to look better and more rested." After they get their injections, they are thrilled with the results. They like what they see when they look in the mirror. It's wonderful to help improve people's quality of life.

I think it's important and valuable that how we look and how we feel be in sync. Yet many people feel out of sync. They feel a lot better than they think they look. When they stand in front of the mirror, they see frown and scowl lines, crow's-feet, and bags under their eyes. What they see on the outside doesn't reflect how they feel inside.

Although we can't wipe away all traces of maturity and aging, even with all the advances in cosmetic dermatology and surgery, I don't think that's the point. The point is not to stop aging but to age smoothly, gracefully, and with style. We now have ways to improve people's appearance without downtime, big risks, and great expense.

Although some people still have to justify for themselves why they want to look beautiful or handsome, I believe such thinking is becoming obsolete. While some people may think it's vanity that makes men and women want to improve their appearance, I have some people come to me and say, "I'm not especially vain, I just want to look better." I tell them it's okay to want to look as good as you feel. You should not feel guilty because you want to look attractive, optimistic, and happy. We've gotten past passing moral judgment on ourselves for dyeing our hair to keep the gray away, so why should we neglect our skin and let it age without grace?

It's very confusing for the general public to figure out what is good and what is not good for their skin, which doctor is best qualified to do a particular procedure, and whether a specific procedure is even a reasonable option for them. When they read something in a men's or women's magazine, they think it's the truth. It's difficult to separate the hype from the science, especially when companies use a few catchy phrases like "wrinkle reduction," "antioxidants," and "replaces what your skin has lost" to lure consumers and suddenly everyone is marketing the same products.

I'm a firm believer in education and in the concept that knowledge is power. I also consider myself to be a patient advocate, and I want people to do what works best for them. This book offers readers information they can use to help them make decisions about their skin rejuvenation that will give them the results they desire.

In the rapidly changing world of cosmetic skin enhancement, it's important to keep up with the new products and procedures and what they can and cannot do for you. Botox injections are just one dramatic example of the positive changes taking place in cosmetic dermatology, and I think it's important for people to learn all they can before they take that step. I hope everyone who reads this book walks away with a greater understanding of Botox and a better appreciation for all they are and all they can be.

Roberta D. Sengelmann, MD, Director

Center for Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

Copyright © 2002 by Lynn Sonberg