IT?S THE most powerful poison known to humanity. In fact, it?s so deadly that germ warfare experts fear it as a weapon of terror. But incredibly, botulinum toxin ? or BOTOX® ? is now the fastest growing new treatment for wrinkles ?In the upper face, I think that BOTOX® is incredible,? says Dr. Arnold Klein, one of the doctors who pioneered the use of BOTOX®. In normal doses, the poison kills by paralyzing muscles instantly.

But its ability to paralyze muscles was found to be a benefit to medicine when doctors discovered that a diluted solution of the poison could be used to treat patients with severe muscle spasms. When patients who received BOTOX® injections for facial tics noticed that it smoothed their facial lines, doctors realized they were onto a gold mine. BOTOX® is now regularly used to eliminate certain wrinkles, such as the furrows from muscles in the forehead or near the eyes.

By using BOTOX® to relax these muscles temporarily, or paralyze them if you want to use a scarier word, you make the wrinkles go away. But is it dangerous? Doctors say the diluted solution is safe if used properly. ?The key thing with BOTOX® is you don?t want to make a person look totally paralyzed, which you can. You don?t want to make a person look like a Kabuki mask. You just want to get rid of wrinkles.

The price? About $500 each for the forehead and the eyes. But the effect lasts only a few months so it can easily cost thousands of dollars a year. BOTOX® is proving so popular that the manufacturer sold enough for a half million doses last year ? that?s up an amazing 40 percent from the year before.

LASERING AWAY LINES

But for those who want a more lasting effect over the entire face, the latest treatment is the laser. Lasers are used to heat water molecules in the skin to boiling ? 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The idea with the laser is to moderately burn the skin so that it heals like new. This treatment, which costs between $5,000 and $8,000, is so severe that even experts urge caution.

BOTOX® A dilute solution of botulinum toxin, the same substance that causes food poisoning, is injected into facial muscles, temporarily paralyzing them. It lasts only a few months and is most commonly used in the forehead, between the eyebrows and for crow?s feet.

Chemical peels Dermatologists use acids ? most commonly lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids ? to chemically peel the skin and remove wrinkles and scars.

Collagen Collagen, usually sterilized bovine collagen, is injected just beneath the skin to ?plump up? or reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It is temporary and must be repeated every several months.

Dermabrasion Dermabrasion is a surgical process where the skin is resurfaced (or ?sanded?) by a rapidly rotating abrasive tool, such as a wire brush or serrated wheel to produce a smoother complexion. It can also be used to get rid of scars and tattoos.

Laser surgery A beam of light vaporizes skin cells by emitting a burst of radiation. Lasers are often used to burn away fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth, and sunspots.

Lunchtime peels Many dermatologists offer peels that are so quick and mild that they can be done on a lunch hour. One popular type is particle resurfacing where a vacuum moves microscopic crystals over the skin, removing the outer layer. Lunchtime peels don?t claim to affect wrinkles, but are intended to fade sunspots and improve the skin?s texture, giving it a healthy ?glow.?

Soft-tissue facial implants, made of soft pliable synthetic material, are surgically implanted under the skin to smooth wrinkles or furrows by providing support under the skin. They are most effective around the lips and mouth and can be used to fill in depressed scars.

Alpha and beta hydroxy acids Hydroxy acids are used to peel off the top layers of the skin, improving its texture and color. Alpha and beta hydroxy acids can be found in over-the-counter creams and cosmetics.

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Women spend $20 billion a year on cosmetic surgery to improve wrinkles. Like most areas of health it is important to be proactive. Although sun is extremely beneficial and vital to good health, it is very important to limit your exposure to the sun's intense rays. AVOID sun blocks and merely seek shade when you are first adjusting to the the early rays of summer. Failure to do this on a regular basis will damage the fragile collagen fibers in your skin and accelerate aging. One can use a combination of Retin A (a prescription) and alpha hydroxy acids to repair some of the damage and pretreat any potential skin cancers, but it is best to not have to use them.

It is also not fully appreciate that a high vegetable diet will supply your system with plenty of micronutrients and antioxidants which will limit damage from the sun and accelerate and repair processes. Of course it is wise to avoid smoking as it will damage the microcapillaries in the skin thus limiting nutrition to the skin and accelerating wrinkling and aging of the skin.

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