Botox Approved for Treatment of Crows Feet

crow_americanBotox was approved more than a decade ago for the treatment of frown lines (those annoying creases that appear between the eyebrows)โ€”and since then, the FDA has gradually approved it for use in other applications: for the treatment of chronic migraines and overactive bladders, for addressing eyelid spasms, and to treat hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), among other things. Until this month, however, Botox wasnโ€™t officially approved for the treatment of an extremely common malady: crows feet.

Crows feetโ€”which, as Iโ€™m sure you know, are wrinkles at the outer corner of the eyesโ€”are a casualty of aging that is virtually impossible to avoid developing at some point. We get them from smiling; from squinting in the sun; and a variety of other facial movements, most of which we do unconsciously. If youโ€™re over the age of 30, odds are you have at least a trace of crows feet.

As a plastic surgeon, I see a lot of patients (of both sexes) who want to get of these markers of maturityโ€”and I, like many of my colleagues, have long known that Botox injections are an effective (albeit impermanent) means of doing just that, so the FDAโ€™s approval isnโ€™t exactly a revolutionary move! However, for those of you who are interested in using Botox to smooth out your crowโ€™s feet but have hesitated to do so because the FDA hadnโ€™t yet given its blessing . . . hereโ€™s the green light youโ€™ve been waiting for!

As always, keep in mind that FDA approval of a drug like Botox doesnโ€™t mean that anyone is qualified to administer it: if youโ€™re going to elect for the injections, make sure you do so with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon! And if you have any questions about Botox and crows feet (or anything else plastic surgery-related), give us a call here at the San Francisco Plastic Surgery & Laser Center and set up a free consultationโ€”weโ€™d be happy to help you out.

 

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