You likely already know about Botox for wrinkles, the most common application for Botox injections. But there are many additional uses for Botox that you may not have heard of, with even more on the horizon in the coming years. Botox could even be the answer for a lingering condition of your own.

What is Botox?

Before launching into the ways Botox can help you with one of its unique applications, it’s important to understand what you’re getting when you receive Botox injections.
So what is Botox, and what is it used for?
In brief, Botox, or Botulinum toxin, is an injectable primarily used as a wrinkle reduction or prevention tool. When injected by a licensed professional, Botox temporarily stops your nerves from telling your facial muscles to contract, an action that causes those tell-tale signs of aging around a person’s mouth, eyes, forehead, chin, and neck.

Uses for Botox Beyond Wrinkle Reduction

Now let’s learn about some additional applications and unique uses for Botox beyond what the injectable is traditionally known for.

Chronic Migraines

Using Botox for chronic migraines has been one of the more popular Botox uses since the migraine therapy received FDA approval in 2010. While patients typically require several rounds of injections, the relief experienced by those who suffer from chronic migraines is worth the quick trips for therapeutic Botox treatments.

Excessive Sweating

Those suffering from primary axillary hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating from the underarms have seen positive Botox results for sweating. For those who haven’t had any luck with traditional methods for excessive sweating, like prescription-strength antiperspirants, a new treatment can mean saving them from all kinds of embarrassment. Botox has even been used for excessive sweating in the hands and feet.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there is a Chicago clinic exploring Botox as a way to treat very cold hands. They’ve had good results among those suffering from cold hands syndrome by injecting Botox as a way to relax the muscles in patients’ hands, allowing for more blood flow.

Jaw Tension and TMJ

Botox for TMJ, or disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint in and around your jaw, has seen encouraging results among patients suffering from jaw tension and pain. Injections around a patient’s forehead, temples, and jaw muscles typically offer some relief within several days, at times up to several weeks, but you’ll need repeat sessions to continue to decrease jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and excess tension.

Overactive Bladder

A series of Botox injections for an overactive bladder is an FDA-approved treatment to curb leakage and unfortunate accidents. By targeting your bladder muscle, Botox works to calm those nerves responsible for an overactive bladder, leading to far fewer leaks than without treatment.

Neck Spasms and Neck Pain

Botox isn’t only useful in targeting those wrinkle lines in your neck. If you suffer from neck muscles tight enough that they’re causing you pain, Botox could also help reduce your discomfort.
Botox is even FDA-approved to treat cervical dystonia, a painful neurological disorder that causes a neck tilt and severe neck pain. In these extreme cases, Botox has been found highly effective in reducing neck pain and the visible symptoms associated with the disorder.

Acne Reduction

When traditional methods like topical treatments and even prescription-strength oral applications don’t work, targeted Botox injections have proven effective in managing oil production in acne-prone skin. While that doesn’t mean some minimal Botox will immediately clear up your acne, it can mean your face will eventually begin to clear up thanks to fewer oils clogging your pores.

Crossed Eyes

Botox has been used for crossed eyes or strabismus since the 1970s when the FDA approved the procedure as a treatment. As in other applications, the Botox injection works to relax the muscles in the eyes, temporarily keeping a patient’s eyes from crossing in opposite directions. Multiple procedures are required for longer-lasting results.

Gummy Smiles

Yes, you can still smile following Botox treatments. But those with a gummy smile, or a smile that reveals more than 2 millimeters of your upper gum may not feel comfortable doing so. Luckily, Botox has an application for gummy smiles, too.
The procedure involves Botox injections to your upper lip, allowing that lip to relax enough to cover enough of your gums when you smile and keep that smile looking natural. It’s a quick alternative to surgical procedures that offer more permanent solutions.

Thin Lips

Among cosmetic procedures, the benefits of Botox still extend beyond wrinkle reduction. Those who aren’t quite sure they want a lip filler or more invasive procedure to plump up their lips have been turning to the Botox lip flip. The treatment gives fans of the method a subtle flip of the upper lip line, which leads to the appearance of a poutier, fuller mouth.

Cosmetic Surgery Alternatives

Along those same lines, doctors have been using Botox in various ways as an alternative to cosmetic surgery.
Botox injections can give the appearance of a face-lift with strategic injections around the jaw, nose, eyes, forehead, or even a nose job with injections at the base of your nose. That allows for the nose to lift a bit after natural droop occurs as people age. While Botox injections in this way are temporary, they may certainly be more cost-effective and less scary for patients looking for cosmetic fixes beyond wrinkle reduction.
For more information about what Botox can do for you and to answer any lingering questions or concerns, schedule a free consultation at SDBotox.