In the future, Botox could be approved as a treatment for migraine headaches.  New research published in Archives of Dermatology documents the recent clinical studies of Botox as a headache treatment, finding that certain patients experienced less frequent migraine attacks: “patients who responded to Botox reported their migraines were reduced to fewer than 1 day a month from almost 7,” said Bloomberg news.

Botox manufacturer Allergan Inc has applied for FDA clearance to market Botox as a headache treatment.  However, researchers say they cannot fully explain how Botox works to relieve headaches. One co-author of the study, Rami Burstein says, “it may block the signals in sensory nerves located on the outside of the head.”

• Archives of Dermatology
• Bloomberg News

Dr. Maddali is one of two San Francisco plastic surgeons offering “Botox for Christmas” this year. The idea is to reduce those wrinkles now, early in December, so you look your best when Christmas comes around.

Or… if you want to give your loved on Botox as a gift, you can purchases a Botox for Christmas Gift Certificate.

See the website Botoxforchristmas.com or contact Dr. Maddali’s office for more information.

Stock market reports show that Allergan and Medicis, makers of popular wrinkle treatments Botox and Dysport, increased their profits this year beyond projections.

Analysts have partially attributed the growth to sales of the cosmetic treatments.
Wall Street Journal reports that a 3 percent increase in Botox sales helped Allergan’s third quarter profit rise 8.3 percent, with new medical uses of Botox on the horizon that could drive sales even further.

Dysport, the new kid on the block, apparently hasn’t managed to put a dent in Allergan’s sales, but it certainly seems to be helping Medicis make a profit.  Revenues for the Dysport manufacturer last quarter were up 31 percent from the same period last year, according to CNN Money.  Medicis CEO Jonah Shacknai says, “We are encouraged by the positive physician and patient response to DYSPORT.”

There aren’t an overwhelming number of people asking for Dysport in San Francisco, but Botox continues to attract patients to our office.  The brand awareness of Botox is hard to beat, and that probably won’t change anytime soon.

A patient was concerned about her Botox treatments failing to take effect.  It had been nearly 4 days since she had received injections for frown lines, and she complained that there were no apparent results. So she asks, what’s the problem?  Did I receive counterfeit product or does Botox sometimes fail to work?

I told her to give it more time.  It can take as long as 3-7 days for Botox to become active. Once it begins working, the treated area may continue to improve for up to 2 weeks. To get the optimum aesthetic result, many providers ask their patients to return for a follow up visit 2 weeks after treatment.

Communication is important; give feedback to your doctor and he or she will treat you properly.