What is a BOTOX® party?
A BOTOX® party is a social gathering at which a doctor injects the participants with BOTOX® (botulinum toxin) to reduce or remove facial wrinkles.
"Botox parties are quite a trend ... I think mainly because it's a real quick fix," Frank tells ET. "Its very easy, and it makes a very dramatic result."
Treatments at a BOTOX® party can range anywhere from $300 to $1,000 and involve injecting the drug (a purified protein that inhibits a type of chemical that causes muscle contractions) just under the skin to temporarily paralyze the face muscles, allowing the skin to smooth out. A single procedure's effects can last anywhere from three to six months.
The simplicity of the procedure has led to the phenomenon of the BOTOX® party -- modeled after old-fashioned Tupperware parties -- where a group of woman gather in a social setting for good munchies, good conversation and a good ol' wrinkle zapping with the support of their friends!
"Its good because the best work is done when patients are comfortable," Dr. Frank explains. "A little hand-holding can ease their nerves about getting the procedure done."
The FDA approved BOTOX® in 1989, to treat medical conditions involving muscular spasms or twitches, especially for a disabling eye disorder called Blepharospasm. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, approximately 1.6 million s (or those using the similar drug Myobloc) were performed last year in the U.S., up from only 65,000 such procedures in 1997. MSNBC reports that BOTOX® sales increased to $310 million last year, with $100 million for cosmetic uses alone.
