A history lesson
As of the time of writing these lines, the botulinum toxin, or as it is more commonly known, "Botox" is the ultimate hit in the arena of aesthetic medicine.
A history lesson
Botox is a protein extracted from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum ("the anaerobic worm") that was discovered 230 years ago by the German doctor Justinus Kerner, who examined the circumstances of the deaths of 13 men who spent an evening of meat and alcohol in a tavern in a small German town. 29 years after that case, Kerner published His findings and conclusion was that they died as a result of "botulinum poisoning".
75 years later (1895), after a feast held at a local funeral ceremony in Belgium, three people died after eating pork. The Belgian scientist Emil van Ermenhem studied the case for about two years and was able to isolate for the first time the bacteria responsible for the production of the botulinum toxin.
Due to the prevalence of the toxin in many of our foods, it was American President Roosevelt, who in 1943, at the height of World War II, recruited a team of scientists with the aim of developing effective ways of dealing with the toxin, while trying to test its use as a biological weapon.
Churchill, who feared that Hitler would use Botox to poison England's water sources, asked Roosevelt to prevent this, and his request was granted. As mentioned, he recruited scientists stationed at the military laboratory for biological warfare at the Fort Detrick base in the state of Maryland, and they studied the toxin first and foremost and developed the first vaccine against botulism.
Roosevelt, who understood the lethal potential of botulinum, wanted to use it to vaccinate all the American soldiers sent to France before the invasion of Normandy, and also in an attempt to convince Chinese prostitutes to slip botulinum capsules into the meals of senior Japanese officers. This plan did not come to fruition because it turned out that Botox does not survive heating and degrades quickly in the air.
In the late seventies of the last century, researcher Alan Brown Scott from the prestigious Stanford University began to use Botox medically to treat strabismus, after discovering that if a small amount of it is injected, it can weaken the muscle action of one eye in a way that allows both eyes to work in coordination with each other. But he wasn't the only one. Among the users of the toxin was the ophthalmologist Jean Carruthers from Vancouver, Canada, who noticed that injecting it into the muscles of the eyes leads to a "side effect": the disappearance of wrinkles around the eyes.
At the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons annual conference, she made what became the talk of the day at the conference. "My partner (Alistair) and I will use the deadliest substance known to mankind to treat wrinkles." From here, botulinum's path to world fame was short and fast.
Botox got a serious boost in the 1980s. So the dermatologist Dr. Frederic Brandt, who is considered an authority in the field of aesthetic injections, launched a private clinic in Miami. In fact, already in the early nineties, even before the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its approval, Dr. Brandt was the largest orderer of Botox Made by Allergan, and as such it has significantly expanded its conventional use in favor of neck lift and nose lift treatment.
Madonna, who was his super patient, admitted that she owed her "good looking skin" to Bernadette. When Marc Jacobs stood before photographs and felt that his face did not meet the high standards of his toned body, it was Dr. Brandt who came to save the situation. And so the list continued with other celebrities such as: Donna Karen, Calvin Klein, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and more Many names from the art industry, the media and others, all had botox done by him.
The company Allergan Aesthetics, acquired in 2019 by the global pharmaceutical company Abbvie, was the first to develop a registered product when it introduced the medical botulinum toxin A under the trade name "Botox", more than 30 years ago. Its product is the first and oldest on the market, after which other products based on the same active ingredient were launched.
So how does it actually work?
"When Botox is injected into a muscle, it actually blocks the pulse that causes nerve stimulation in the area near the location of the injection and in a diameter of 1-2 cm from it, so that it does not reach the treated area and shrink it. In fact, the toxin, the muscle relaxant protein has a heavy effect on the muscle. In light of the fact that it does not receive the stimulation, the muscle relaxes, and the wrinkle softens and disappears for several months, when its effect wears off, it returns to functioning as before," says Dr. Monica Allman, the medical director of the Maccabi Aesthetics chain of clinics.
Botox injection is considered the most common aesthetic treatment. It is a short, simple, quick treatment, the results of which are safe and without significant risks. Of course, it is important to make sure to perform the treatment in a place that uses materials specifically approved for injections by the Ministry of Health and the FDA, and not cheap substitutes that do not meet quality and safety standards.
The syringe guide
You must come to the clinic without make-up, and it is desirable to clean the facial skin thoroughly to reduce the chances of developing an infection in the area that will be injected. After the injection, it is recommended to wait at least an hour before applying make-up, which may seal the pores of the skin. In the days after the injection, it is important to give up the use of rollers, Javasha stones and similar rollers designed to stimulate the blood in the facial skin, in order to prevent the migration of the various injection materials (including hyaluronic) to unwanted places.
For at least two weeks from the day of the treatment, aesthetic treatments based on laser, radio wave or ultrasound technologies should be avoided, to ensure that the material is fixed in the areas where it was injected. Only after inspection and approval by the injecting doctor can you return to complementary beauty treatments with equipment.
In addition, strenuous physical activity should be avoided after Botox treatments for about two weeks. Also, it is important to maintain an upright walk after the treatment, without bending or a balanced position of the body or the face down, in order to maintain a maximum result of the injection.
Before the treatment and after consulting the doctor, you should stop taking blood-thinning drugs (aspirin, Advil, ibuprofen) as well as food supplements such as vitamin E or fish oil and also alcohol consumption, since small percentages of alcohol cause a decrease in platelets in the body and directly affect blood clotting.
By the way, Botox is not effective for every patient and there are cases where it simply "doesn't work". According to studies, about one in every hundred patients who undergo botox injection for the purpose of eliminating wrinkles, will not react to the substance.
Botox without injection:
In recent decades, cosmetics manufacturers have been busy with the question of how they can inject substances into the different layers of the skin, in order to produce effectiveness that is still only reserved for the field of medical aesthetics. Meanwhile, many of them want to trace the results of Botox and offer an alternative that will provide a similar "stretching effect".
"The cosmetics industry understands that there is no real substitute for Botox, one that manages to provide an immediate and long-lasting effect (between 4-6 months)," says Dafna Kinks, director of training at the Estee Lauder group, and explains: "However, various studies have indicated that the use of cosmetics may improve the texture of the skin and its appearance, as well as prolonging the 'life' of the medical botox and providing blood for the effect it produces. One of the most well-known cosmetic components in this regard, and which is considered a pioneer in the field of neurotransmitters, is the argyrelin peptide, or by its scientific name 'acetyl hexapeptide 3 or 8'.
The component was first developed by the Spanish manufacturer LIPOTEC from proteins derived from botulinum toxin. The peptide consists of amino acids, and because it is an ingredient known to the body, it is safe for cosmetic use. The penetration of the argyrline molecules into the skin is due to the fact that it is a short molecule. The molecule blocks the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which inhibits muscle contraction, similar to how Botox works. However, in order to prove the results of the ingredient, the recommendation is to use preparations containing it regularly, every morning and evening for a period of 12 weeks on average."
A similar recommendation is provided by other brands. Peter Thomas Roth of New York offers the Peptide Skinjection Amplified Wrinkle-Fix serum based on a complex that contains 19% peptides and includes a more advanced generation of peptides of the matrixil and argirelin type as well as 10% Argirelox™ "the helper", according to the manufacturer, "to effectively extend the need for the injection treatment The next up to six months."
His French colleague Sotis Paris also presents BX - WRINKLE CORRECTOR, a preparation that boasts a synergistic compound of two synthetic peptides in solution (Acetyl Hexa-peptide-8 + Penta-peptide-18) whose purpose is to reduce the intensity of facial muscle contraction that causes the appearance and/or deepening of wrinkles The expression, next to an ultra-hydrating compound that, according to the manufacturer, complements "the 'filling' effect and the smoothing of the expression lines."
"Argyrline is definitely an effective substance," says Or Fox, owner of Hikari Laboratories, "but it is an old ingredient that has been on the market for 20 years. The BONT-L Peptide is a new generation peptide that studies prove is about 30% more effective than the popular argyrline, and also Has Botox-like activity that provides a painless, non-invasive treatment with no side effects."
When Fox was asked why, then, the new peptide is not more common in the industry, she replied: "Manufacturers often have an interest in preserving old formulas and not incorporating new ingredients, even if they know they are better, because changing the formula is a complicated and expensive procedure, and they sell their products anyway The old ones. Few companies, even the biggest ones, can afford to change existing formulas consistently."
"Despite the research-proven effectiveness of Argirlin, its users will testify that they were disappointed with the result," notes Dr. Jenny Steiman, the professional instructor at Magirei, "here it is important to note some important principles in the correct use of this miracle peptide. First, because it is a protein, arglirin does not feel comfortable in an acidic aqueous environment, so it should not be combined with renewal preparations based on glycolic acid, for example.
The time of its application is also important, because it works effectively in preparation for aquatic activity, so it should be applied to the crease areas in the morning and not in the evening, when mimicry is hardly activated. From a chemical point of view, Argilirin works better in a well-hydrated environment, so it is important to take care of intense moisture while using this wonderful peptide. Remember, Argirlin does not provide a 'Cinderella effect', and you should not expect an immediate and temporary result. Only with daily persistence will you be able to achieve an impressive result that will remain for a long time to come."
But there are of course those who believe otherwise. "In at least two studies that examined the effect of argireline as a cosmetic ingredient, no change in wrinkles was observed. In addition, in a study that tested its ability to penetrate when applied to human skin, it was found that the peptide does not penetrate beyond the stratum corneum of the skin, which is very far from the muscle layer, so we can only conclude that It is an interesting cosmetic ingredient, but its practical effectiveness is highly questionable and the connection between it and the treatment of wrinkles has not yet been proven in controlled scientific studies," says Dr. Marina Landau, dermatologist and expert in aesthetic dermatology.
Scientific breakthrough:
In 2021, the American physiologist Dr. David Julius and the Lebanese neurobiologist Dr. Erdem Patpotian won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their discovery of temperature and touch receptors, filling critical gaps in the understanding of the relationship between our senses and the environment.
The skin was presented for many years as having layers that are gradually renewed every few weeks. The cells of the outer layer (epidermis) - were presented as "dead cells", but the two researchers discovered that they actually have properties that do not match the definition of these cells because they have sensory receptors capable of sensing temperature differences, pressure differences and, among other things, also conducting "communication" with micro -Organisms and warn of danger to the immune system. The good news in the aforementioned research is in the discovery of the effect of certain protein sequences on the skin - without the need to penetrate them into the depths of the skin.
"In the cosmetic aspect, the same communication manifests itself in changes in the skin's behavior when certain protein sequences (peptides) are applied to its surface," says Liora Hitron, one of the owners of the Anna Lotan company. "Receptors located in the skin respond to peptides as instructions to turn on or off. "Shrink" or "avoid shrinking", increase or decrease redness.
Through the utilization of this communicative ability, it is possible to influence the changes in the texture of the skin and its appearance. The uniqueness of the cosmetic peptides lies in the fact that it turned out that they also have an effect on the layer of 'dead cells' in the epidermis - and that a change in the texture of the skin can be achieved through them without injections into its "creative" layers. The epidermis may therefore be considered 'dead' but it is not 'stupid' and certainly not useless."
Recently, the cosmetics giant Lancome also reported that, in collaboration with scientific partners from the USA (Ometa Labs in California) and France (CNRS - the French National Center for Scientific Research), it studied the wide variety of peptides derived from plant extracts. In this study, it discovered the advanced "peptide profile" derived from three Botanical extracts: flax seeds, lupine and peas.
"Unlike the conventional synthetic peptides that are widely used cosmetically, the peptides in the new RÉNERGIE H.P.N. 300-PEPTIDE CREAM formula were produced from three plant extracts obtained from Biotech and Green Sciences and can be identified with PLANT NAME EXTRACT (in the list of ingredients). Their extraction process from the plants provides besides oil and sugar Lancome also extracts the peptides from them and selects the part of the protein relevant to the desired effect. About 300 different peptides have been combined in the preparation in question, it is a huge concentration that utilizes advanced biotechnology - green and not synthetic, whose purpose is to help the skin receive the greatest benefits," says Hanit Netzer, the main instructor. in the brand.
"The architecture of the skin consists of a number of horizontal and vertical elements," points out Judith Blavat, LaFerrari brand guide, and elaborates: "The vertical elements are the skin strips. These are unique structural units that create flexibility and yet, a strong network throughout the hypodermis that is essential for the skin's stability. The first breakthrough in the matter Firming and stretching was in 2022 with the introduction of the product Skin Caviar L'Extrait. Since then, the company has expanded its research on the subject to also focus on the area of the eyes. It was found in the laboratories that cells and bands in the hypodermis are essential for achieving a youthful appearance, and in turn, they regulate the production of new cells. This is a particularly essential process for maintaining the contours of sculpted eyes."
In addition, Blavat points out that effective communication between the ligaments and the cell is also essential when it comes to the eye area, where the hypodermal tissue plays an extraordinary role in maintaining the contours of sculpted eyes. "As age advances, the ligaments weaken and disrupt the intercellular communication and change the shape of the eye. Bella Ferrari has developed an advanced 3D imaging protocol, the purpose of which is to reveal the effect of active ingredients on the structures of the skin ligaments and adipocyte cells.
The studies proved unequivocally that caviar may reactivate the communication between the ligaments and the cells and thereby prevent the effects of time and wrinkles in the eye area. The renewed serum in the Caviar series boasts a formula that works on the skin strips in the hypodermis layer, and provides immediate stretching with an excellent result, far beyond expectations, both in the feeling of the stretch and in the appearance, just like after a Botox injection."
Although cosmetic preparations will not smooth out the wrinkles, they may certainly help you maintain the results of the injection and blur the fine lines. Bottom line - if the syringe is still heavy on you, help yourself by applying preparations that work on relaxing the muscles and thus you will contribute to an incredibly vital look.