News: Can You Really Botox Away Your Acne?

Photo courtesy BotoxFAQs.com

According to the February 2008 issue of Elle magzine, dermatologists have been noticing that patients have clearer skin in areas where Botox has been injected. In fact, according to dermatologist Dr. David E. Bank, M.D., “Skin is noticeably clearer in Botox-treated areas.”

Why would Botox make skin look clearer?

Relaxation of the facial muscles may relax oil production as well, as Dr. Anna D. Guanche, M.D., tells Elle, “A relaxed duct doesn’t continually pump out sebum, so glands aren’t stimulated to refill.” Anil Shah, M.D., a facial surgeon, hypothesizes that Botox blocks transmission of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that influences oil manufacture. According to the textbook Cosmetic Dermatology, botulinum toxin has three domains: the binding domain, the translocation domain, and the enzymatic domain. The binding domain that binds to the cell; once inside the endosome, the toxin’s translocation domain changes with the acidic environment, so that a chain of the toxin crosses the endosome membrane and enters the cytosol. There, the enzymatic domain of the toxin cleaves a protein in the SNARE complex that prevents the release of acetylcholine. And, less acetylcholine leaves, as Shah says, less oil manufacture. Further, as Shah elaborates, “With less sebum (oil), bacteria can’t thrive within the pore and cause inflammation.”

How much is it, and how long does it last?

According to BotoxFAQs.com, Botox injections cost between $350-$550 per injection. Results can occur in as little as 24 hours, according to Elle, and can last for approximately four months.

Are there any downfalls?

According to Dr. Fredric Brandt, M.D., who was reported in the November 2007 issue of Allure magazine to be the nation’s largest consumer of Botox, there is concern about using Botox all over the face, rather than in selected areas. Brandt tells Elle, “I’m still concerned that the toxin could penetrate deeper and trigger overall facial weakening.” In addition, Botox for acne may not be advisable for the mouth region and below, as Dr. Leslie Baumann, M.D. writes in Cosmetic Dermatology, “Botulinum toxin has also been used to treat the lower one-third of the face; however, this area has an increased incidence of side effects…and should only be treated by experienced botulinum toxin users.”

So is this a sound treatment?

From what has been researched so far, for now, if you experience acne in the top 2/3 of your face, you may wish to talk to your dermatologist about using botulism toxin as a possible form of treatment. However, keep in mind that treatment all over your face may weaken facial muscles, and also keep in mind that it is a risk to treat acne in the lower 1/3 of your face with Botox. See your doctor with any concerns.

What are some additional acne treatments?

For more on acne formation and over-the-counter drugstore treatments for acne, please visit this post.

For more on the PPx vacuum system for acne, please visit this post.

I have also reviewed the Obagi Clenziderm M.D. Acne Therapeutic System in this post.

Please let me know if there are more acne treatments you would like to see reviewed!

Next up: The Ten Best Hand Cream Treatments!