Bo-Tox or Botulism Toxin, is one of the newest and hottest topics in plastic surgery.  It is a medicine produced by Allergan Corporation which temporarily paralyses muscles into which it is injected.  The benefit for plastic surgery is that many wrinkles of the face are caused by contraction of muscles and by using botulism toxin we can stop these muscular contractions and cause the wrinkles to dissolve. The muscle itself is paralyzed by the botulism toxin, completely relaxing the muscle and the skin over it. Botulism toxin is most successful in the forehead and around the eyes.  It is a quick, painless procedure that can be done at your lunch hour or at the end of the day for most patients.  It involves a simple injection of the botulism toxin into the muscle that is involved in the wrinkle, but does need to be done in a very controlled way, so as not to produce any adverse effects.  Adverse effects which people worry about are redness, hematoma/bleeding, or paralysis of muscles in the area which we do not desire to be paralyzed.  By consulting a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon such as Dr. Stelnicki, the risk of botulism toxin is markedly reduced.  Botulism toxin can be a beautiful adjunct to cosmetic surgery or used as the primary means of rejuvenating the face, especially with the beginning of some signs of facial aging.  We have significant success with it in getting rid of frown lines in the forehead, deep furrows in the forehead, or crow's feet around the eyes. In order to get a botulism consult, simply call our office and ask for a Bo-Tox evaluation.  Frequently if Bo-Tox is done in combination with one or two other people, there can be significant cost-savings to the patient, as the bottle of botulism toxin can usually be divided between 2 or 3 individuals. After the use of Bo-Tox, people can return to work immediately.  The full effects of the Bo-Tox are not seen for 2 or 3 days, but there can be a significant diminution in facial wrinkles, laugh lines, etc.  Bo-Tox can be used in the other areas of the face, such as around the mouth, but needs to be used in these areas only under very special circumstances, as it can limit the function of some of the muscles around the mouth.  Dr. Stelnicki will be happy to talk about the huge benefits that patients can achieve with Bo-Tox, as well as any potential risks to it, which are, in his hands, minimal to none.  If you have any questions, please call our office.