Brave New Botox
A sculpted nose, wider eyes, smoother skin, perkier breasts, even a perfect smile . . . America's favorite wrinkle-zapper now claims to do it all. Is that a good thing?
Meet the Competitors
With the hotly anticipated approval this year of Reloxin and PurTox, two drugs made from the same neurotoxin as Botox, expect lower prices all around:
BOTOX
Made by: Allergan
Time to kick in: Three to five days
Lasts for: Three months
RELOXIN
Made by: Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp.
Time to kick in: One to two days
Lasts for: Five months
PURTOX
Made by: Mentor Corp.
Time to kick in: Three to five days
Lasts for: Three months
No More Needles
Topical Botox sounds too good to be true, but it may be a reality by 2010, says Dr. Ranella Hirsch. Made by Revance Therapeutics, a gel version is currently in stage two of clinical trials. But before you worry about accidentally turning yourself into a Real Housewives look-alike, know the treatment can be applied only by a doctor.
Originally published on March 11, 2009