Before BOTOX® was used for cosmetic surgery purposes, it was used to treat spastic disorders (diseases that feature involuntary muscle movement; examples are Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy). By injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic, those individual muscles are temporarily paralyzed, giving the patient relief from the recurrent, jerky movements. It is still used this way and was FDA-approved for that use in 1997.

In 2002, the FDA approved BOTOX® Cosmetic for treatment of glabellar (frown) lines. It is also used “off-label”, meaning for purposes not specifically approved by the FDA, such as horizontal forehead lines.

Off-label use is legal and frequent, as the FDA is far too busy to be able to test every new drug for every conceivable future use. Doctors make their own judgment calls in specific cases where they think use of a drug will benefit their patient in some way not specifically tested in FDA trials.

How BOTOX® Cosmetic Might Achieve a Breast Lift

At the annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in Seattle, physicians discussed using BOTOX® Cosmetic for a mild and temporary breast lift. The targeted muscle would be the pectoralis minor, a small muscle beneath the pectoralis major.

If this muscle is paralyzed, the back muscles would take over that loss by lifting the chest. Since the effects of a BOTOX® Cosmetic injection last just three or four months, and these treatments would cost between $1,000 and $2,000 for both breasts, this would be an expensive way to get any long-term breast lift.

But if you wanted a breast lift for a short time, such as a beach holiday or a cruise, it could be a good solution. There would be no scars and no downtime.

Some Professional Opinions

One plastic surgeon, Karol Gutowski in Evanston, Illinois, is skeptical.

  • “You can probably get the same effect by altering your posture,” he said. “It would be very difficult to target the smaller muscle that is covered by larger muscle … [and] … “other muscles of the shoulder, back, and chest play a role, so it is very hard to believe that just weakening the pectoralis minor would give any type of effect.”

He would give it “two thumbs down”. One of the past presidents of the ASPS, Walter L. Erhardt Jr., from Albany Georgia, also expressed doubt:

  • “I would go to the gym or take posture lessons before turning to BOTOX® Cosmetic for a breast lift,” he said. “The results will be longer lasting and it will be a lot safer.”

Other doctors do favor it though, and perhaps it will eventually become an accepted cosmetic surgery treatment.

Meanwhile, at the Cosmetic Surgical Center, Dr. Rai offers BOTOX® Cosmetic for smoothing out frown lines and horizontal forehead lines. This rejuvenates the face quite dramatically and repeat treatments can make it last indefinitely.

To schedule a free personal consultation with Dr. Rai, please call or email our Dallas, Texas office today.