Botox Approved to Treat Forehead Wrinkles

On Wednesday October 3, 2017 the FDA approved the use of Botox for forehead wrinkles. This marks the first time a neuromodulator has been approved for this indication.

Botox is the first neuromodulator that was approved for cosmetic enhancement on the face. A neuromodulator is a protein that relaxes muscles by blocking nerves from stimulating the muscles to contract. The other neuromodulators available in the United States include Dysport and Xeomin. However, unlike its competitors Dysport and Xeomin, which are only approved by the FDA to treat frown lines, Botox now has three cosmetic indications on the face: frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines. The frown lines are the vertical lines seen between the brows when people frown. Often times they appear as two parallel vertical lines resembling the number “11” and are hence sometimes referred to as elevens. The crow’s feet are the wrinkles seen around the sides of the eyes when people smile or squint. And horizontal forehead wrinkles are seen on the upper forehead when people raise their eyebrows.

So what does this mean? Well, all neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin) have been routinely used on many areas of the face in the past without FDA clearance. Such treatment is very safe and called “off label” because it has not been cleared by the FDA. In order to receive clearance from the FDA a significant amount of research must be performed in the form of clinical trials to demonstrate the product’s safety and efficacy. Such trials require a large investment in terms of research and development and are not commonly performed once a drug receives its first indication. However, Allergan, the maker of Botox (as well as Juvederm, VolumaVollureVolbellaKybella, and Latisse), is an industry leader in the field of aesthetics. As such, a tremendous amount of research and development is being done for approval of Botox for other indications as well as release of new dermal fillers.

We are excited to offer treatments including BotoxVolumaVollureVolbella, and Kybella in our office. Dr. Alex has performed over 10,000 cosmetic treatments with many satisfied patients. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Alex in our Encino, CA office.

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