Neuromodulators containing botulinum toxin, such as Botox and Dysport, are well known for their wrinkle reduction abilities, but these injectables can also reduce chronic migraine headaches. June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. The Plastic Surgery Center in Granite Bay and Sacramento offers Botox and Dysport to smoothen lines and wrinkles and decrease headache severity and frequency.
The same injectables used for facial wrinkles are injected into multiple areas of the head and neck to alleviate headaches. Botox is FDA-approved for select patients 18 and older who experience 15 or more migraine days a month. It typically takes about four weeks to see a reduction in migraine frequency, and ongoing sessions are necessary to maintain relief.
How Does Botulinum Toxin Improve Headaches?
Researchers believe botulinum toxin interrupts the pain pathway between the central nervous system and nerves that stretch up from the spinal cord. Pain-associated molecules and neurotransmitters are released by the body when a migraine arises, and botulinum toxin disrupts that transmission where the nerves and muscles meet. Researchers theorize that injections in the neck, face, and head interfere with pain-associated neurotransmission.
Botulinum toxins are part of a comprehensive treatment plan for chronic migraines. It takes a multi-disciplinary approach to reduce headache severity and frequency, and no single treatment works for all patients. However, botulinum toxins were effective in clinical trials, especially when combined with other treatments, medications, and lifestyle changes. Botox for migraines has the added benefit of wrinkle reduction!
Botox and Dysport may also improve tension headaches, and these neuromodulators have other medical uses, including excessive sweating, overactive bladder, lazy eye, and neck spasms.
How Do Botox and Dysport Reduce Wrinkles?
Botox was first used in the 1970s to treat strabismus (crossed eyes), and researchers noticed it reduced wrinkles in the glabella, or the skin between the eyebrows and above the nose. Today, Botox and other neuromodulators are some of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures.
Neuromodulators, such as Botox and Dysport, work by disrupting the signals between the brain and muscles. These injectables improve dynamic wrinkles that form after years of repeated facial expressions and muscle movements by temporarily immobilizing the underlying muscle to smooth the overlying skin. Botulinum toxin injectables are best for horizontal forehead lines, vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows (11s), and crow’s feet on the outer edges of the eyes. They may also be used for smile lines, lip augmentation (Botox lip flip), and other lines and wrinkles.
If you’re interested in Botox or Dysport for wrinkle reduction and/or headache treatment, contact The Plastic Surgery Center in Sacramento and Granite Bay, California. Schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons by calling (916) 773-5559 for our Granite Bay location, or (916) 929-1833 for our Sacramento office.
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