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Botox might be used as a migraine headache treatment in the future, according to new research published by physicians.  In a recent study published in the medical journal Archives of Dermatology, doctors basically recommend the alternative use of Botox Cosmetic as a migraine treatment, saying that Botox injections “at doses appropriate for cosmetic purposes may be sufficient to prevent migraine attacks.”

According to writers on Bloomberg news, pharmaceutical company and Botox manufacturer Allergan applied for FDA clearance to market Botox as a headache treatment.  However, researchers say they cannot fully explain how Botox works to relieve headaches. One co-author of the study, Rami Burstein says, “it may block the signals in sensory nerves located on the outside of the head.”

• Read the article summary from Archives of Dermatology
• Read more about Botox in Maple Valley and Bellevue

The FDA just granted clearance last week to a new wrinkle filler called Juvederm Ultra XC – prepared in advance with 0.3 % lidocaine.

In the company press release (and on Juvederm.com) the manufacturer cites results of a clinical trial demonstrating a significant improvement in comfort with the new filler: over 90 percent of 72 subjects in the trial said they experienced less pain with Juvederm XC.

Don’t expect physicians to abandon existing methods of pain management, but they may use the new filler within a comprehensive treatment plan for comfortable dermal filler injection. We’ll know more about Juvederm XC if/when it is available in Maple Valley.

Every day, our bodies naturally produce evidence of what we consume. However, the process is much more complicated than the old adage “you are what you eat.” Research shows that a cell-level battle is raging within each of us — a battle between the natural process of aging and the natural systems that help us resist that very process.

For instance, let’s look at oxygen. Oxygen is everywhere; it is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in the food we eat and unfortunately, oxygen has a natural tendency to combine with cellular processes in our skin to produce free radicals. Once produced, these agents become the enemy of our skin tissue. Much like the effects of oxygen on metal, which causes oxidation and eventually rust, our bodies experience inflammation, and this inflammation can take many forms. On the skin, inflammation can make your pores look bigger and complexion look duller. Discoloration, wrinkles, acne, and even eczema are also related to the damaging effects of oxidation-related inflammation.

What can we do? Well, consider the fact that Vitamins A, C, and E are “antioxidant rich” adversaries of the free radicals that hide in our cells and attack our skin. Consider that Selenium is a mineral that experts agree is critical to the production of glutathione, another enemy of free radicals. Consider that Thiamine is a B vitamin that helps skin cells function normally. Consider that Zinc assists epidermal cell growth, that protein is essential for skin repair, and finally, that Vitamin C helps the body naturally manufacture collagen, a protein that keeps the skin supple and tight. The truth is, research shows that vitamins and minerals are essential to skin health because they maintain a system of resistance to the processes commonly associated with aging, and those vitamins and minerals reside in the foods we eat.

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