A recent USA Today article states that Botox has grown in popularity consistently since it was first approved by the FDA ten years ago. In just a short time, it has skyrocketed in popularity, becoming one of the most common cosmetic procedures in the world.
In those ten years, Botox has grown from a $97 million per year drug treating muscle spasms to a $1.8 billion per year cosmetic industry standby. And the numbers should keep increasing, as the injections have recently been FDA approved for migraines and urinary incontinence, and are in the process of seeking approval for knee joint pain and other bladder issues.
Botox Uses Growing Along With Popularity
Originally used simply for the treatment of crossed eyes, blinking, and neck or facial muscle disorders, the uses of Botox were dramatically widened in 1987, when a married ophthalmologist and dermatologist heard a patient remark on the benefits of the Botox injections she had had for her facial muscle spasms.
Years of testing and research followed before Botox was finally approved by the FDA in 2002 to treat the lines that occur between the eyebrows. Since then, Botox has consistently gained in popularity, acceptance and diverse uses. It is constantly being researched to determine other medical and cosmetic uses for its unique properties.
Despite being derived from one of the deadliest known neurotoxins, Botox was injected over 5.6 million times last year without any cases of serious complications. In the face of competition with Dysport and Xeomin, Botox continues to be an incredibly popular procedure, and is often combined with other cosmetic procedures such as neck lifts, dermal fillers, microdermabrasion, and laser procedures.
Even though Dr. Jean Carruthers, who discovered the cosmetic uses of Botox with her husband in 1987, has not received any money from Allergen, Botox’s producer, she admits that she has benefited in other ways. In her own words, “I haven’t frowned since 1987.”
