Botox To Be Approved For Cosmetic Use

BOSTON -- Within weeks, the FDA is expected to approve Botox for purely cosmetic use.

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That means it won't be long before you see multimillion-dollar advertising campaigns to try to entice you to try it.

According to some experts, botulism toxin is the most potent poison in the world. Last year, a form of this toxin was injected into 1.6 million women's faces as a way of getting rid of wrinkles.

Fern Chitel was one of them. At age 56, her aging face made her frown. As a receptionist in a dermatology office, she felt the need to do something about it.

"No woman likes to have wrinkles, especially when you work for a skin-care company. You want to look great," Chitel said.

Botox is the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the country. It's use rose more than 2,000 percent in the last five years, according to one organization. But while Botox has been approved for use in patients with certain types of facial dysplasia and spasms, it may surprise you to learn it has never been approved for cosmetic use.

Dr. Jeff Dover has been doing Botox injections for wrinkles under what's called off-label use. He said that it is very safe and effective -- in the right hands. But he worries that when the FDA does approve its use for fighting wrinkles, many physicians who are not qualified will begin offering it.

"And the problem will be that some physicians who should not be injecting Botox, who don't understand the skin, don't understand the cosmetic concerns of patients will be doing this procedure," Dover said.

In the wrong hands, Dover said that Botox can cause drooping of the eyelid or brow and, in the worst-case scenario, double vision.

Others also warn that consumers should not be needled into thinking Botox is the best solution for their wrinkles. They stress a consultation with a qualified dermatologist or plastic surgeon is best.

"There are different reasons we develop wrinkles why we age, and it's not only because of the hyper-functioning muscles, but also from sun damage and from other areas of the skin could be the damage of the skin itself," said Dr. Christine DiEdwardo from Lahey Clinic in Boston.

For Chitel, Botox has taken away her frown lines and her frown. She's satisfied and will continue to have the treatments every four months.

"People say to me, 'What did you do?' They can't quite figure out what I did," Chitel said.