Botulinum toxin, or Botox as it’s widely known, is famous for its ability to smooth away wrinkles. But hiding our frown lines from the world isn’t the reason early scientists started experimenting with this substance. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum .
In its most raw form, it can cause the deadly disease botulism. But in the form in which it’s used in cosmetic and medical industries, it’s so diluted and processed that this isn’t a risk. Botox was first used medically in the 1970s by an American eye doctor called Alan Scott to help patients with a condition called strabismus (better known as a squint).
The doctor noticed that when injected around the eye, not only did it help treat the squint – it also reduced wrinkles and lines. Given the public fascination with looking younger, there was huge interest in this discovery. Nonetheless, it was not approved for cosmetic use by drug regulators until 2002 in the US, then scores of other countries since then.
This is how it is most commonly used today – there were almost 9 million injections administered to reduce wrinkles globally in 2023. However, it’s also still widely used for a variety of medical purposes. Here are some surprising ones: 1.
Eye disorders People who have an eye disorder can benefit from Botox injections. The most common eye disorders treated in this way are strabismus and blepharospasm (eyelid twitching). When someone has a squint, the muscles that control eye mo.