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The U.K.’s drug regulator became the first in the world to approve Botox as a tool for preventing chronic migraine headaches, Allergan announced last week. Best known as a wrinkle treatment, it can now be used on migraine patients in the U.K. who have headaches at least 15 days a month, including migraines on 8 days.

Allergan’s clinical trial involved 1,384 adults who had a history of migraines and experienced 15 or more headache days of which at least 50 percent were migraine or probable migraine during the 28-day period.  At the end of the baseline period, patients were randomized to receive either Botox injections or placebo.

By week 24 following treatment, patients who received Botox averaged 8.2 fewer migraine days, which was significantly greater than the change from baseline observed in placebo treated patients of 6.2 days.

Lee Tomkins, director of Migraine Action, stressed it was not a “cure” but it offered hope for those who suffer the most frequent migraines. Migraine symptoms may include severe headache; visual disturbances such as spots or flashing lights; sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; and nausea and vomiting.

“We have been following these studies really closely and the evidence is really pretty solid. These people spend half their lives in pain. Even if they get half the attacks, it can really improve their quality of life,” said Tomkins.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is likely to decide this month whether the product can be sold for migraines, Aaron Gal, a Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst in New York, said in May. In the U.S., in addition to treating wrinkles Botox can be used to treat eye muscle spasms and muscle stiffness in the elbow, wrist, and fingers in adults with upper limb spasticity.

Botox was the number one minimally-invasive cosmetic procedure in 2009 according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ most recent statistics, which showed that the procedure was performed 4.8 million times in the U.S. last year for cosmetic purposes. Dr. Stacy performs the procedure in her Bellevue, Washington office.

While women make up the majority of cosmetic procedure patients, men see the benefits as well. Men received 13 percent of all cosmetic surgical procedures and 9 percent of all cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures performed last year in the United States, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Bill Neville, 52, recently shared his cosmetic surgery story with reporter Elise Morgan of WHNT NEWS 19 in Huntsville, Alabama. Neville, who has a four-year-old son, began to worry about looking old: “He’s [his son] going to start t-ball, swimming, and I don’t want to be out there with the rest of the dads and have them looking at me like, ‘Hey! Grandpa is out here to watch his grandson!’”

Neville changed his diet and exercise but decided to get plastic surgery as well. “Just rolling back the clock a bit on this turkey gobbler and possibly getting the skin off my eyelids would be great,” he said before he had surgery.

His procedures included a facelift, a neck lift, laser resurfacing of his skin, and injections to fill in wrinkles. “I was hoping not to look real “plasticky” and stretched, and I don’t think I do,” said Neville. “I think it looks real natural and everyone I’ve talked to thinks it looks great.”

ASPS statistics show that the top 5 minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures for men last year were:

1. Botox
2. Microdermabrasion
3. Laser hair removal
4. Chemical Peel
5. Wrinkle fillers

Read the full story, “Plastic Surgery for Men Isn’t Taboo,” on Bill Neville on the WHNT News website.

Related story: “A guy could get used to this no-lines life” – A male Los Angeles Times reporter writes about his experience getting Botox treatment.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons just released its statistics for 2008, and they show a possible shift in the popularity of certain cosmetic surgery procedures, most notably with breast augmentation.  According to the new figures, breast augmentation procedures have exceeded liposuctions for the first time.

341,144 liposuction procedures were performed in 2008, while breast implants far exceeded that figure with a surprising 355,671 procedures. Eyelid surgeries numbered at a lower, but relatively strong 195,104 procedures.

President of the ASPS, Dr. Alan Gold MD tells, “for the first time in the twelve years these statistics have been collected, liposuction is a runner up in popularity to breast augmentation. He went on to predict that “this turnabout will generate discussions in the medical community and the public at large.”   “Changes in fashion, i.e. décolletage baring styles, might be a factor in bringing about this change” he theorized.

The new data also shows an overwhelming female component – 92 percent of the 10.2 million cosmetic procedures were had by women.

Here are the top five surgical procedures for 2008:

* Breast Augmentation
* Liposuction
* Eyelid Surgery
* Rhinoplasty
* Abdominoplasty

and the top five non-surgical procedures included:

* Botox
* Laser Hair Removal
* Hyaluronic acid wrinkle fillers (Juvederm, Restylane)
* Chemical Peel
* Laser Skin Resurfacing