A Brief History of Botox

Botox

The most common non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the world, for a simple reason - it works.

Botox, short for botulinum toxin, was first discovered in the late 19th century. Originally called “sausage poison” by German physician and poet Dr. Justinus Kerner, due to its association with badly prepared or handled meat products. It wouldn’t be until the 1920s that botulinum toxin would be purified by two scientists named P. Tessmer Snipe and Hermann Sommer, making it safe for therapeutic purposes.

In the decades following researchers began exploring its potential to treat various muscle disorders. In the 1980s, Dr. Alan Scott began using Botox to treat conditions like strabismus (crossed eyes) and by the late 1980s, Botox was used to treat a range of disorders including cervical dystonia (muscle spasms in the neck), hemifacial spasms, and blepharospasm.

1989 is the year the cosmetic smoothing effect of Botox was first documented by the Carruthers, a husband and wife duo from Canada, BC. Jean Carruthers is an ophthalmologist and her husband Alistair is a dermatologist. Jean stumbled onto a cosmetic use for botulinum toxin when treating a patient with eye spasms.

In 2002, the FDA approved Botox for cosmetic use in treating wrinkles. This marked the beginning of Botox’s widespread popularity in the field of aesthetic medicine. The use of Botox for medical purposes has also increased, Botox can treat hyperhidrosis, migraines and TMJ.

Today, Botox injections are the most common nonsurgical cosmetic procedure performed worldwide, helping individuals achieve a more youthful appearance by temporarily relaxing muscles that cause wrinkles. In the early days of cosmetic Botox, it was something most people denied getting. Attitudes toward Botox have changed and today in 2023 most people share openly about their experiences with Botox.