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A woman receives a Botox injection from a plastic surgeon. The cosmetic use of Botox is increasing dramatically every year. / Korea Times File |
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Whenever you look at actresses on the red carpet ― these days many actors, too ― you find their foreheads and eyes showing little sign of aging; they all have radiant and wrinkleless skin. Because of the use of botulinum toxin, commonly known by the brand name Botox, people look younger than ever.
Originally authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to tackle strabismus and spasmodic eye movements by interfering with the operation of neurotransmitters, the neurotoxin protein is now known to be effective for several other uses ― easing muscle pain, hyperhidrosis and treating injuries from strokes, cerebral palsy.
Allergan Korea, the manufacturer of Botox in Korea, declined to reveal its exact sales but said that revenue is growing dramatically every year. By injecting the toxin subcutaneously ― taking about 5 to 10 minutes ― one can turn back the years, they say.
Still, the use of Botox is controversial ― some point out that its toxicity is seriously bad for people's health. The fact that it is a neurotoxin that can be obtained from rotten meat or improperly canned food concerns people. There are allegations that the poison could be used as a biochemical weapon and that United States controls the amount of the chemical sent out of the country for that reason.
``It is true that one gram of pure botulinum can paralyze hundreds of people's respiratory function and can kill them,'' Dr. Seo Koo-il of Modelo Clinic said on his blog.
In fact, the Korea Food and Drug Administration warned in February that overuse or misuse of the liquid can be fatal and that doctors should take extra care with it. In the United States a person reportedly died after an injection of Botox into their leg.
Its high price_ from 350,000 won to 1 million won per session ― is also a drawback. Since the effect does not last forever and repeat injections are needed once or twice a year, the financial burden is also huge, people say. Also, having fake Botox without knowing it could cause serious muscle paralysis or other side effects.
On the other hand, doctors say the matter is mostly about ``who'' conducts the treatment, not the Botox itself.
Seo explained that Botox is produced in a careful way and people should not worry about its safety.
``It's all about the amount,'' Dr. Kim Jin-young of Arumdaunnara Clinic said. ``Most incidents take place when too much of the chemical is used. If you really want to kill a person with Botox sold on the market, you need tens or hundreds of bottles of it,'' he said. By visiting experienced doctors, one should not worry about getting fake injections, too, he added.
Allergan also stressed that Botox was recently approved by the KFDA to treat over-sweating symptoms showing that it is becoming a part of everyday life, not just a beauty product.
``It is better than eating pills or having several surgery. We expect about 400,000 people nationwide to benefit from it,'' a company spokesman said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
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