What is Botox?
Botox® is a trade name for botulinum toxin A. In this way, Botox® is related to botulism. Botulism is a form of food poisoning that occurs when someone eats something containing a neurotoxin prepared by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxin an is regarded as the neurotoxins manufactured by Clostridium botulinum.
The most serious symptom of botulism is paralysis, which in some problems has proven to be fatal. The botulinum toxins (there are seven -- types are A through G) attach themselves to nerve endings. Once this happens, acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for triggering muscle contractions, is not released. A series of proteins, VAMP, syntaxin and SNAP-25, are essential for the release of acetylcholine. Certain botulinum toxins attack these proteins. Botulinum toxin A (Botox) affects the SNAP-25.
Basically, the botulinum toxins block the signals that would normally tell your muscles to contract. Say, for example, it attacks the muscles in your chest -- this might have a profound impact on your breathing. When people die from botulism, this might be often the cause -- the respiratory muscles tend to be paralyzed so it's impossible to inhale.
At this point, you might be thinking why anyone would want to have a botulinum toxin injected into his or her body. The answer is simple: If a section of the body can't move, it can't wrinkle. Go here to learn more about possible risks and complications related to Botox. Visit this link to learn about another non-invasive facelift alternative.