Can Botox Combat Acne?

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Botox is often use to combat the signs of aging, treat muscle spasms, and excess sweating. Now doctors are starting to use this prescribed medicine to treat adult acne, according to Medical Daily. Anil Shah MD, a plastic surgeon in Chicago is one of the few doctors using Botox as an acne treatment.

According to Dr. Shah, Botox prevents the production of the sebum, which in turn starves the bacteria that causes pimples.  Dr. Shah published the only study demonstrating that intradermal Botox lowers the skin’s oil production. In the study, 20 patients were given a single application of botox and the results showed and improvement in oil production and a decrease in pore size.

Dr Shah also doesn’t recommend this treatment for teens since research shows that premature Botox can make you look older. “I only treat patients over 20-years-old, ” he says. “Their hormonal changes are likely permanent. For them Botox is now the safest most effective treatment we have.”

This is a pretty interesting study that can help several adults who have struggled with acne since their teen years; however, I would love to see more expansive studies done on this treatment.

Would you use botox to treat your acne?

Love this article? Be sure to check out What’s Really Causing Your Acne and How do I get rid of Acne Scars.