Long-term effect of Botox unclear

PEOPLE using the facial treatment Botox have been warned they risk losing more than their wrinkles.

A leading neurophysiologist has cautioned it is not yet known what the long-term effects of the “miracle” anti-wrinkle treatment are on the brain, nervous system and muscles.

Dr Peter Misra said Botox, a derivative of the deadly botulism toxin, could cause fatal muscular paralysis in its natural form and should be treated with care.

Celebrities such as Céline Dion, Cher, Madonna and even Sylvester Stallone are rumoured to have gone

under the Botox needle, but only a few such as veteran comedienne Joan Rivers and Hollywood actress Annie Potts have admitted to being converts.

Touted as the quickest, safest, least invasive and least expensive treatment in cosmetic medicine, Botox stops facial wrinkles in their tracks by paralysing the muscles that create lines.

The effects on wrinkles such as the frown line, forehead creases and crow’s feet last for four to six months.

With the general public starting to catch on to the rumoured miracle effects, Dr Misra, a consultant clinical neurophysiologist based in London, has appealed for potential guinea pigs to remember Botox’s “long-term effects are still unknown”.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, he warned: “Robust evidence for the action of botulinium toxin (Botox) on sensory neurones is lacking.”

Dr Misra pointed to a study published in 2001 that found 23% of patients seeking Botox treatment at a dermatology clinic had body dysmorphic disorder, and that psychotherapy was considered the more appropriate treatment for them.

But Dr Misra did point out in his article that “systemic side effects” of Botox treatment “are rare.”

The revenue for the global sales of Botox has increased from €25 million in 1993 to almost €400m in 2001. The figure is expected to be over €450m in 2002. US use of Botox has increased by 1500% in four years.