An exciting non-surgical approach to the treatment of facial wrinkles involving a new way of using a medication that has been around for years. This fascinating procedure has created a lot of excitement across the country among cosmetic dermatologists and their patients who seek to reverse the visible effects of aging on the face. The products, known as BOTOX® and Dysport® are actually a purified toxin that is naturally produced by the bacteria clostridium botulinum. This type of medication has been used by ophthalmologists and neurologists since 1980 to treat lazy eye, eye spasms and certain other neurologic disorders. More recently, cosmetic dermatologists have been using it to treat the muscles we use for facial expression. It works by causing weakness of specific facial muscles when minute amounts of the medication are injected into them. The resulting weakness forces these muscles to relax, causing facial wrinkles to become less deep, or even disappear.    Before and After Treatment For those men and women who have frown lines between the eyebrows, "crow's feet" around the eyes or deep forehead furrows, this procedure is ideal. BOTOX® or Dysport® can be combined with other procedures such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and fillers to provide even better, longer-lasting results. Some patients choose to have resurfacing procedures first to remove the wrinkles and then receive BOTOX® or Dysport® treatments to prevent their return.    Before and After Treatment These treatments are not permanent and usually need to be repeated on average every 4-6 months. However, the effect generally lasts longer with each repeat injection. Some patients report good results over a year after treatment. Both Botox® and Dysport® have an excellent safety profile. A few uncommon side effects can occur, including mild stinging during injection, bruising, temporary drooping of the eyelid (in 1-2% of patients) that lasts a few weeks, or no response to the treatment. BOTOX® and Dysport® are FDA-approved for the treatment of glabellar frown lines. When used for other areas, it is considered an off-label use of the medication. An ideal cosmetic procedure is one that is safe, has few side effects, a rapid recovery, is inexpensive and reversible if the results are unsatisfactory. BOTOX® and Dysport® each meet these criteria and consequently, many are enthusiastic about their use. Dr. Stetler's office is a National Training Center for both Allergan, Inc and Medicis Aesthetics. She trains physicians across the country in the proper use of Botox® and Dysport®.