Tag Archives: review

Medical uses for Botox in Kelowna

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Although Botox is a naturally occurring substance, it can be used as an effective and powerful medication. At our Botox clinic in Kelowna, we use it primarily for cosmetic purposes but a few medical ones as well.

Researchers discovered in the 1950s that injecting overactive muscles with minute quantities of Botox would result in decreased muscle activity by blocking the release of acetylcholine from the neuron by preventing the vesicle where the acetylcholine is stored from binding to the membrane where the neurotransmitter can be released. This will effectively weaken the muscle for a period of three to four months.

In cosmetic applications, a Botox injection, consisting of a small dose of botulinum toxin, can be used to prevent development of wrinkles by paralyzing facial muscles. As of 2007, it is the most common cosmetic operation, with 4.6 million procedures in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Qualifications for Botox injectors vary by county, state and country. Botox cosmetic providers include dermatologists, plastic surgeons, aesthetic spa physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurses and physician assistants. The wrinkle preventing effect of Botox lasts for approximately three to four months, up to six months.

In addition to its cosmetic applications, Botox is currently used in the treatment of spasms and dystonias, by weakening involved muscles, for the 60-70 day effective period of the drug. The main conditions treated with botulinum toxin are:

Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck)
Blepharospasm (excessive blinking)
Severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Strabismus (Squints)
Achalasia (failure of the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax)
Local intradermal injection of BTX-A is helpful in chronic focal neuropathies. The analgesic effects are not dependent on changes in muscle tone.
Migraine and other headache disorders, although the evidence is conflicting in this indication.
Excessive sweating is a condition for the treatment of which FDA has approved the use of Botox.

Kelowna BOTOX ® Treatments

Dr. Craig Crippen MD ABPh DPD

Kelowna Botox – The use of “bad Botox” with Dr. Oz recently

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showed us that all Botox cosmetic and skin care providers are not created equal. It is simple for someone to purchase black market Botox and then inject this into someone. The problem with “black market Botox” is that there is no way to know what is in the bottle. It could be harmless and useless saline or it could be the actual bacteria itself which is lethal to humans in large enough doses.

There is only one company on the planet that makes and uses the name “Botox”, and that is Allergan, a very large multinational corporation that is committed to safety and rigorous testing of the product that ensures high quality control.

The number one way to tell you may not be getting real Botox is the price, if it is too good to be true, then you should steer clear of that establishment or individual. Only licensed, reputable skin care clinics should be providing this service, and additionally you should be having your treatment performed by a real Physician who has graduated from an accredited Medical School. I think health is the most important thing to cherish, why risk it to save a few extra dollars.

You can read more about Botox and how it works here on our site
Botox in Kelowna with Dr. Crippen

Kelowna Botox – The Safety of Botox Cosmetic in Kelowna by Dr. Crippen

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There is quite a bit of confusion surrounding Botox and whether it is safe or not to use in a cosmetic fashion.

I will give you my medical opinion as a skin care professional, but i encourage all my patients to seek out and learn as much as they can on their own so they can make a good decision for themselves.  Not everyone is comfortable about having a Botox injection and perhaps the reason for that is some misinformation.

Facts:

1. Botox has been around since the 1980′s and used for medical purposes before cosmetic ones.

2. Botox is exceptionally safe when used in the right way and in the right amount.

3. A true allergy to Botox is unheard of which is quite amazing given that many people are allergic to common over the counter medicines like advil or even tylenol.

4. Botox is not permanent, the body gradually breaks down the Botox protein over time so that any undesirable relaxant effects are temporary.

Fiction:

1. Botox will ruin your health and  your skin.(Hmmm, that’s funny because i have NEVER seen that happen and i have treated thousands of patients.  You have to wonder where that came from)

2. Botox injections are made of a lethal bacteria that will kill you. (false: Botox is a little protein that is made BY a bacteria.  it is a purified verison of the protein and no bacteria is present in the injection)

3. Only fake people get Botox injections.  (Not at all true, i treat patients from the ages of 20 to their 90′s.  Everyone wants to look good.)

4. Botox will make your lips huge. (Botox injections are not even done in and around the lip area, well i sometimes do because i have a lot of experience with the product, but it will never make your lips bigger)

Those are all the tidbits i could come up with for now, please drop us a message if you would like to know more about proper skin care treatments.

Botox in Kelowna can be found here at our website
Dr. Craig Crippen

Kelowna Botox – The Discovery of Botox and its history of use in Skin Care

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Kelowna Botox Background Information:

Botox (also known as Botulinum toxin) has been around for a very long time. Botox is a very small protein produced by a bacteria (Clostridium botulinum) which occurs naturally. Botox was originally called the “sausage poison” because it was found to be present on meats that were prepared improperly, namely sausages.

The term botulinum comes from the latin word botulus which literally means “sausage”.

Dr. Justinus Kerner was the first physician to conceive a medical use for this protein back in the 1820′s as he investigated the deaths of a group of people who ate improperly prepared blood sausage.  He stated that there was something in the sausages that led to those people having died or become paralyzed.  After this he began to study the bacteria that produced the “disease” and even went so far as to inject himself with it.  He suffered no long term problems, but his studies started to pave the way to understanding our nervous system better as well as how to prevent food borne diseases.

Seventy years later after Kerner’s initial experiements, in 1890 a Dr. Emile Pierre van Ermengem of Belgium studied an occurrence of botulism following a dinner where 23 people were paralyzed and died.  It was told that a tainted ham was to blame.

Dr. van Ermengem who was a student of Dr. Koch(discoverer of anthrax, tuberculosis and cholera) discovered the connection between the disease of botulism and a bacteria which he called “Bacillus botulinus”.  It is called bacillus because it is a spore-forming bacterium.  Studies were then conducted on the bacterium and many different strains of this were identified, namely, A through G although only A, B, E and F will have an effect on humans.

Botox research in the 50′s and 60′s was all about purifying the protein which caused botulism and understanding how it worked in the body. Dr. Bernon Brooks in 1953 discovered that injecting small amounts into spastic muscles blocked the release of the chemical acetylcholine that causes muscle contractions causing a temporary relaxation.

In the 1960′s, an ophthalmologist (eye physician), Dr. Alan Scott began to use Botox type A in experiments to treat strabismus (crossed eyes).

It wasn’t until 1978 when the FDA approved the use of Botox type A that Botox use and research really started to take off.  They were using Botox type A for strabismus, spasms of facial muscles, shoulder spasms, neck spasms and even vocal cord spasm.   In 1988, the company Allergan purchased the rights to sell Botox type A (oculinum as it was known back then) and then one year later they received approval to use Botox for crossed eyes and facial spasms around the eyes.  At this time they also changed the name from botulinum toxin to what we know today as “Botox”.

In the  early nineties, a Canadian eye and skin care surgeon (not in kelowna) discovered that after treating patients with facial spasms, their skin wrinkles around the eyes also improved.  The patients were also requesting that the doctor perform the same treatment on the other side because they liked the effect so much!  This physician was smart enough to realize an interesting benefit and began to study the use of Botox as a wrinkle treatment.  In 1992, Dr. Jean Carruthers and her husband Dr. Alastair Carruthers published a study in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology stating that though the effect was temporary, Botox type A injections into the muscles was a safe procedure for brow wrinkles.

Since then, the use of Botox has skyrocketed and we have found many more useful ways to harness the amazing potential of this little protein.  At the end of 2006, Botox sales surpassed 1 billion dollars with the cosmetic use accounting for half of sales.

I hope you have learned a little more about Botox and enjoyed what you have read.  I’ll admit i have also learned some more about the history of this bacteria in researching this blog.

Wishing everyone the best of the season and a Happy New Year in Kelowna or wherever you may be!

Dr. Craig Crippen – Your MD Botox injector in Kelowna, BC

Kelowna Botox – Botox Cosmetic and Safety

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Kelowna Botox Information and Skin Care Safety:

I have heard from a great many patients about their concern for the safety of Botox and what kind of long term effects one could expect after doing this treatment. I have to say that Botox is one of the safest medicines i have ever encountered. I will tell you why i believe this to be true.

1. A true allergy to Botox has never been reported in the literature. Sure you can find a great many people making claims here and there, but in reality I have never seen nor heard of this happening in a reliable way. This is unheard of for a medicine, no allergy! Even some people are allergic to common over the counter medicines such as ibuprofen and cough medicines yet these are sold without a prescription.

2. Botox will cause long term side-effects of problems is another common misconception. This is not true and has never been reported. Botox has been safely used for about three decades now with no reported long term complications. It was originally used in the field of Ophthalmology to treat facial spasm. It was only after an astute physician noticed that wrinkles improved that the ascent of Botox in the cosmetic field began.

3. Botox is also seen as a toxic substance that will damage the body somehow. Again, this is just plain untrue. I see Botox as a natural substance as it comes directly from a bacteria and is purified in the laboratory to produce a very effective and safe medicine. I personally have Botox injections performed to relax some frown muscles and it has never been anything but a miraculous treatment. I am still amazed at how well it works in the hands of a skin care professional.

Book your complimentary consultation in Kelowna for more information.
Best wishes and happy holiday season!
Dr. Craig Crippen
Dr. Crippen and Botox in Kelowna

Kelowna Botox – Botox Cosmetic in Kelowna for the Holiday Season

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Kelowna Botox Information & Skin Care during the holiday season:

What better time than now to improve those nasty lines and wrinkles than just before the holidays and all those potential photo opportunities.

Don’t shy away from the camera anymore, you’ll love how you look with smoother more refreshed looking skin after your Botox appointment.

Everyone will just think you look great and very relaxed, but it will be your secret alone, no-one has to know.
Book your Skin Care consultation now to find how Botox Cosmetic in Kelowna can work for you!

Botox Cosmetic in Kelowna

Kelowna Botox – Botox Therapeutic in Kelowna with Dr. Crippen

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Botox is also very effective for other common conditions. One i will write some more about here in Hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis: Follow this link to read more on the topic with Wikipedia.

Hyperhidrosis is a very common condition, afflicting a few percent of the population at any one time.

The effects of this disease are usually quite debilitating and devastating for patients because they live in fear of their excessive perspiration.

This condition will cause dysfunction with their work and social lives. Imagine having to constantly worry about sweating through clothes in public and having to interact with people who may mock you behind your back. These patients will also carry clothes around with them to change constantly when the sweating becomes noticeable.

Botox treatments will effectively stop the excessive sweating in a couple of days. It is such a simple treatment with no side-effects, one wonders why would anyone choose another treatment. Surgery is another option where the doctor goes in near your spinal cord and cuts the sympathetic nerves that cause the sweating in that dermatome. Problem is that there is a very high recurrence of the sweating elsewhere after surgery and this is not a minor procedure, there are many risks with a general anesthetic and a major surgical operation inside your chest cavity.

Speak to a physician who performs Botox daily and you will learn about all the options you have.

Cheers

Dr. Craig Crippen

Botox for Hyperhidrosis (sweating) here

Kelowna Botox – Botox Cosmetic in Kelowna with Dr. Crippen

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Botox Cosmetic is a very popular treatment for those “dynamic” frown lines caused by muscle contraction.  The advantages to having a Botox Cosmetic treatment are no downtime, no potential for allergic reaction, high efficacy and excellent patient satisfaction.  This is such a simple and effective treatment, I highly recommend it to all patients who would benefit from using it.

I receive my Botox injections every 3 months and i don’t think i could live without it now :)

Each patient is unique and so each treatment is tailored to each individual person.  Discuss Botox with a highly qualified specialist in the field of aesthetic medicine to see if Botox is right for you.

Cheers

Dr. Craig Crippen
DermMedica – Kelowna Vein and Skin Solutions. Since 1994

Kelowna Botox – When Choosing someone for a kelowna botox treatment

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It seems like everyone is advertising the ability to do kelowna botox these days.  A Botox Treatment is non-invasive, can be quickly performed, and in my opinion one of the safest drugs.  However, the biggest problems come when you are getting treatments by someone who does not know what they are doing.

So, Tip number one is to choose a company that has a licensed physician doing the procedures.  Choosing a licensed doctor will mean that you are choosing not someone who has gone through a quick course to be allowed to use the product, but someone that has spent years of schooling and practical experience to gain the understanding of not just giving an injection, but understands the entire body and how it works and functions and know where and where not to do botox injections correctly.

Remember this is your body.  You have to live with the effects of the treatment with whomever you choose.  So, choosing someone not qualified because it is a good deal, sometimes is not the best choice.

I have literally treated thousands of patients and have met with some prospective patients who have made poor choices and the results that it creates.  The side effects alone of letting someone unskilled should be enough to help you in choosing a licensed physician.

Tip 2.  Do some research.  Set up an appointment with the clinic and when you visit, ask for a tour.  What does the place look like?  Is it clean?  Do they have licensed staff or nurses to help?  Do you feel comfortable there?  Were they helpful, kind and did you feel like they really cared about you?  Ask lots of questions.  Here are some helpful hints:

  • Who actually performs the treatment?
  • How does botox work?
  • How does kelowna differ in Botox treatment?
  • Is Botox Safe?
  • What are the advantages of Botox or Filler Injections?
  • What should I expect to happen?

Dr. Crippen
DermMedica – Kelowna Vein and Skin Solutions. Since 1994.

Kelowna Botox – More information on kelowna botox treatments?

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Wrinkles come from smiling, laughing, frowning, any type of facial expression and muscle movement.  Simply put, wrinkles happen.

That is where we come in.  One of the benefits of a kelowna botox treatment is that it weakens the muscles responsible for squinting or crinkling in the eye area.  Removing wrinkles from the area between the eyes can dramatically change a persons appearance from one of continual anger or sadness to one of  contentment and restedness.

These botox injections can be used to relax the facial muscles, resulting in smoother skin and of course, fewer wrinkles.

Here are some additional benefits:

The FDA originally approved Botox for several non-cosmetic treatments, including blepharospasm, a condition in which the eyes twitch uncontrollably, migraine headaches, and excessive sweating.

  • To remedy blepharospasm and muscle spasms in other areas of the body, treatments are used to block the nerve impulses that cause the affected muscles to twitch.
  • Injections in the forehead, brow, side of the head, and back of the neck, can reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches for up to six months.
  • Treatments can also reduce excessive sweating by blocking the chemical transmitter that induces sweating.
  • Reduction of chronic back pain and jaw tension are two additional health benefits that extend beyond aesthetic enhancement.

Dr. Crippen
DermMedica – Kelowna Vein and Skin Solutions. Since 1994.