Although Botox treatments were first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2002, demand for the injectable wrinkle solution has not diminished in the more than ten years since. In fact, between 2012 and 2013, there are an eight percent increase in demand for Botox injections. More than two million soft tissue fillers, including botox, were used in the same time period. Consumer spending on the deep wrinkle treatment amounted to over $2.5 billion in 2013.
The appeal of botox lies in its ability to achieve wrinkle-reducing results without any work downtime or recovery period, minimal pain, and accessible cost. The injectable cosmetic procedure is also used in pain management and can relieve migraine symptoms for up to three months. The FDA has also approved its use for the treatment of excessive sweating. Interestingly, six weeks after a single botox treatment, a recent study found that almost half of patients reported a decrease in their depressive symptoms.
Cosmetic reasons are still the primary use for botox, though. The treatments are low risk. The average age of treatment patients is 40 to 59 and more than 80% notice improvement in just a week after the botox treatment. Treatments last for up to four months. Botox treatments take just half an hour on average. According to a report, the average cost of a botox treatment is $358.