The cosmetic procedure to reduce wrinkles using injections of a neurotoxin is Botox. More precisely, Botox is a brand name for a formulation of botulinum toxin type A, which temporarily relaxes targeted muscles and smooths the skin above them.
Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. In carefully controlled medical doses, injections interrupt nerve signals that tell muscles to contract. Cosmetic treatments commonly target frown lines between the eyebrows, horizontal forehead lines, and crow’s-feet around the eyes. Results usually become visible within several days and are temporary, often lasting about two to four months.
The wrinkle-reducing use of botulinum toxin emerged from medical and surgical observations. Richard Clark published an early report on treating forehead wrinkles in 1989, and Jean and Alastair Carruthers helped establish its cosmetic use in the early 1990s. The United States approved Botox for cosmetic use in 2002. A common mix-up is calling it a filler: fillers add volume beneath the skin, whereas Botox reduces muscle movement. A facelift is surgery, not an injection.