A recent study investigating the benefits from Botulinum Toxin, popularly known as botox, found that the cosmetic procedure can be used to speed up the healing of facial wounds, leading to less scars and a more beautiful complexion. It seems that the miracle substance is not only working against face wrinkles, but it is also extremely efficient in treating wounds and preventing scarring.

A team of researchers from the University of Buffalo in New York led by Professor David Sherris, carried out a research on the botox injections which are widely used nowadays in cosmetic and beauty field to "wipe off" facial wrinkles. Scientists conducted an exhaustive and ample research at the Mayo Clinic over the past seven years and showed that injecting botox in a facial wound during the healing process results in less scars.

Facial wounds and lesions may lead to awful scars after the healing process is over. This is due to the fact that the movement of facial muscles situated near the wounded region makes the scarring worse and gives rise to awful, prominent scars on the complexion. But botox injections in the lesion temporarily paralyze the muscles which could make it worse, bringing about less visible or no scars.


"The reason this works is because wide scars are the result of the local muscles pulling the wound apart during the healing phase. Botulinum toxin temporarily weakens the surrounding muscles, thereby lessening the pull on the wound during the acute healing phase of the first 2-4 months," explained the team.

Trials with botox have been carried out on volunteers who simply presented face lesions and on cancer patients undergoing surgery. All the participants in the study had wounds only on the forehead, as this is the facial area the most exposed to being injured. Some of the patients received botox treatment for the lesions and the other ones received treatment with a saline solution. Results showed that botox injections worked in 8.9 of the cases, while saline treatment was efficient only for 7.1 of the wounds.

This is the first medication found to minimize scarring. The result is of substantial interest in the field of scar treatment. When a wound occurs, especially on the face, people are always worried about a scar. We can now try to improve scars with these injections," stated Professor Sherris.

The leader of the study also informed that a larger trial is going to be carried out in order to study the beneficial effects of Botulinum Toxin on wounds on other regions of the body, such as the chest or the limbs. This is going to be an ampler, multi-centered FDA study. However, until then, cosmeticians may freely use the anti-scarring botox treatment for willing patients, as the botox procedures have been approved by the FDA for some time now.