Question Marks Over Long-Term Effects of Botox

Monday, November 25th 2002

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The long-term effects of glamour drug Botox on the brain and nervous system are not known, the British Medical Journal has warned.

"Just because it's fashionable, people shouldn't lose sight of the fact that it's a medical treatment, not a lipstick," Dr Peter Misra said yesterday. Dr Misra, a leading London neurophysiologist, wrote in the journal that despite its widespread use, Botox - a derivative of potentially deadly botulinum toxin - should be treated with care.

The use of Botox as a treatment for wrinkles has skyrocketed in recent years, especially among the rich and famous who think it makes them look young.

Celebrities who have used it include the Peter Pan of Pop, Cliff Richard, and Lulu, Cher, Madonna, and Sylvester Stallone are also rumoured to have flirted with Botox as an alternative to the plastic surgeon's knife.

But Dr Misra has warned that some people might be using Botox when they really need psychiatric help to overcome phobias about their appearance, and says the long-term health effects of the treatment are not known.

Dr John Barrett, of the Palm Clinic in Auckland, said yesterday that he had used Botox for many years, and was confident it was safe.

Dr Barrett, who is also the Australasian president of the Appearance Medicine Society, said he did not know exactly how many people underwent Botox treatment here, but it had increased 10-fold over the past five years.

"Over the years that I've been using it on patients there has been an exponential increase because it is an extremely safe, very effective treatment," he said.

"I haven't noted any deleterious effects which would lead me to have any concerns about the product, over seven years of use and thousands of injections." He said 95 per cent of users were women, aged between 30-45. Most people had the treatment about three times a year.

Potential side-effects written about in the British Medical Journal are already listed on the Ministry of Health's website information about Botox. It also reports overseas experiences where people have died from using Botox if they have cardiovascular problems or illnesses such as pneumonia.

Senior medical officer Dr Stewart Jessamine said Botox was approved for use in New Zealand for medical purposes, but cosmetically only for use in lines around the eyes and forehead. It must be administered by a medical practitioner. Dr Jessamine said that because it was relatively new treatment, there was little information on the effects of using Botox for an extended time. "We don't actually know if there are an long-term side-effects. This is a relatively new medicine. It's not been used for prolonged periods."

Source NZ Herald 23 November 2002

Footnote

At Ideal Health we prefer to take a cautious approach and would not recommend the use of Botox treatment. We have seen numerous cases over the years of so called 'safe' medical treatments, that have later been shown to cause serious harm. We wonder if botox will fall into this category?

If you need help or advice, you are welcome to email our naturopathic team with your health question.

Disclaimer: The health information presented here has been written for the New Zealand health consumer. It is of a general nature and is only intended to provide a summary of the subjects covered. The information is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide medical advice to you. While all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, no responsibility or liability is accepted, and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided. All health ailments should be treated by a qualified health professional.

 

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