A story:
In the late 18th century in Germany, a disease caused by tainted sausages was recognized. In 1895 musicians performing at a funeral in Belgium fell sick after eating some smoked ham. Dr. Emile Erengem at the University of Ghent found that the ham was contaminated with a bacterium, which he called Clostridium “botulinum”. Botulinum comes from the Latin word Botulus, which means “sausage”, due to the original association with bad sausages.
In 1965, D.B Drachman demonstrated that the toxin from these bacteria could cause paralysis in animals.
In the 1970s, American ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Scott began to investigate the toxin as a possible treatment for eye impairments. In 1978, he injected the paralytic into a patient for the first time, in an attempt to treat the eye muscles after surgery for retinal detachment. This experiment was successful, and paved the way for other patients to receive it, including those who suffered from strabismus, or misalignment of the eyes. Dr. Scott’s groundbreaking research led him to become known as the “Father of Botox.”
The Evolution of Botox
Doctors in other fields heard of Dr. Scott’s injections, and soon began using them for other issues such as jaw-clenching and migraines. But beyond addressing the root problem, these injections also came with an unexpected benefit: patients soon found that the fine lines around their eyes were also smoother afterwards.
The FDA originally approved Scott’s drug, OnabotulinumtoxinA, for therapeutic use in 1989. In addition to treating strabismus, it was also used for blepharospasm, a condition in which the eyes shut tight involuntarily. He sold the rights to the drug in 1991, and the new distributor, Allergan, rebranded to Botox the year afterwards.
Throughout the 1990s, Botox became known as a powerful tool for helping people maintain a more youthful appearance. Doctors became increasingly skilled at using it for cosmetic purposes, and by 2002, the drug received FDA approval for cosmetic applications, including treating frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines.
Today, Botox remains the only neurotoxin with FDA approval for various cosmetic applications. It continues to be used to treat eye conditions, as well as those that cause muscle contractions, chronic migraines, overactive bladder, and severe underarm sweating. Botox can also be used to strategically relax muscles in the face for wrinkle reduction, brow lifting, jawline slimming, and more. Most recently, it may even be linked to reducing anxiety.