Botox (onabotulinumtoxin-A) is a protein that prevents the release of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter). When a muscle doesn’t get the acetylecholine it needs at its neuromuscular junction (where nerve tells muscle to move), the muscle is unable to move how it normally does and it results in a flaccid paralysis.
Words like “paralysis” and the bacterium Botox is made up of, clostridium botulism, may sound scary but Botox is incredibly safe when used for aesthetic or medical purposes. Botox was the first neurotoxin to gain FDA approval over 20 years ago and since then other types of equally effective brands of neurotoxins have hit the market. Of the four neurotoxins, LARA carries Botox, Dysport and Xeomin.
All of the toxins work the same way and essentially provide the same results. However, it seems that everyone has a favorite or one that may work a little better them. Your provider can help you with this, whether you’re a first time or a long time tox user. You can take our neurotoxin quiz here and we can discuss your quiz results together.