Tox. What is it? Where did it come from? Is it safe?

Botulinum Toxin A or Tox, as we call it- is a protein, first discovered centuries ago as a muscle relaxer derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

So how did a bacterium become the most popular and ever growing, minimally invasive cosmetic treatment?

Well, strap in for this one, it’s going to be a crazy historical ride…

Going all the way back to the 1820’s, German physician Justinus Kerner was the first to create a medical study around this intriguing bacterium. This study found Clostridium botulinum could be therapeutic in small doses.

The toxin was then used in scientific studies during the 1960s and 70’s then in 1989, Oculinum later renamed Botox®, the most recognized brand name of Botulinum Toxin A, received its first FDA approval to treat crossed eyes and eye twitching.

The discovery of Tox’s cosmetic uses came about in an accidental way. Canadian eye doctor Jean Carruthers was using Tox to treat blepharospasm (eye twitching) in 1989, the patient she was treating complained that Jean didn’t inject her forehead, saying that the injections made her facial lines disappear. Dr. Carruthers then brought her discovery to her husband, a dermatologist. The couple began experimenting their newly discovered, wrinkle-relaxing treatment, later publishing their studies in 1992. At this point, the off-label uses of Tox became so popular it created a national shortage. 

By 2002, Botox® Cosmetic received its FDA approval for cosmetic treatments. Since then, multiple other brands of Tox (Xeomin® Dysport®, Jeuveau®) have received FDA approval for wrinkle reduction in different areas on the face. Tox is now commonly used to treat lines in the glabella (between the eyebrows, known as the frown lines), crow’s feet, and forehead areas.

Now twenty years later, Tox has a long safety record and is widely accepted as the gold standard in wrinkle reduction.

*Reference article: https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/47177/1/brief-history-botox-injection-cosmetic-surgery-simon-cowell