A quick online search for the term Botox will reveal that there are as many people searching for Botox as there people searching for Botox alternatives. Botox was approved by the FDA in 2002 as a cosmetic procedure to get rid of wrinkles. A simple needle injection was demonstrated to miraculously eliminate nagging lines and wrinkles and the boom was on….until people started to read about what “tox” in Botox really was. Botox is the trade name used for Botulinum Toxin Type A. Yes, I said toxin as in poison. Botox is in fact a relative of botulism, a kind of food poisoning. This food poisoning occurs when a person eats any kind of food that contains a neurotoxin which is created by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum Toxin Type A, which is just one of seven of the neurotoxins that are produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum Toxin Type A causes serious fatal conditions such as paralysis. When this occurs, the neurotransmitter that is in charge of triggering muscle contractions (acetylcholine) can no longer be released. The Botulinum toxins have attacked the proteins such as SNAP-25 that are supposed to be essential for release of this acetylcholine. The Botulinum toxins have now accomplished blocking the signals that are supposed to tell the victim's muscles to contract. By now you’re probably wondering why anyone would want to inject these toxins into their body INTENTIALY. The reason is that we want to get results fast and Botox does work. If any area of your body can be prevented from moving, then it can't contract and guess what? It can’t wrinkle - that is the phenomenon of Botox! Botox starts to work within hours but the results will not last permanently. Depending on your body, the effects of Botox can last anywhere from 3 to 8 months. As for whether Botox is dangerous or not, the dangers remain fairly low. Botox is definitely not recommended for people with neuromuscular disorders as it would be dangerous for them. It is also not recommended for people with cardiovascular disease. If you don’t have either of these problems you should still consult with your physician before considering Botox. Studies have shown that if you are a person that is a good candidate for Botox injections and the injections are administered by a qualified profession you should not experience any dangerous side effects. If you are searching for a way to look longer, generally Botox is a relatively safe way to combat the aging process.