Megan Hand, 5, and Kira Glossop, 4, have spent most of their lives in a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. Botox injections have made them walk again.
Hand of Mossley, Manchester, was given seven Botox injections in each of her legs by Dr. Tim Meadows of Booth Hall Children's Hospital in Manchester. She now runs around with her three-year-old sister Chloe, and her mother Claire, 24, is proud of her.
"There's no stopping her now. She keeps saying, 'Watch me mummy', then she gets her balance and she's off. She calls them her 'magic legs'," Claire told The Sun.
Botox allowed Kira to fulfill her dream of becoming a bridesmaid at her mom's wedding. With the aid of a walking frame, she managed to walk down the aisle in a lovely pink dress.
"All our dreams came true. She's such a cheerful, brave little girl and has been through so much. We're so proud," said her 25-year-old mother Tracy of Bolton, Greater Manchester. Kira's dad Ashley couldn't agree more.
"It was just fantastic to see Kira as a bridesmaid," the 26-year-old engineer said.
Cerebral palsy is caused by a brain injury that occurs before, during or shortly after birth. It affects a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. The condition causes muscle tightness, hampering a person's ability to walk or stand. While not a cure, Botox - a purified form of the botulinum toxin - can help cerebral palsy sufferers live normal lives by making them walk again.
Unknown to many, this popular non-surgical wrinkle treatment has numerous benefits. Since scientists first used the toxin in the 1960s, they have discovered that this deadly poison has the ability to change the lives of people with debilitating diseases.
"Besides a wrinkle treatment, Botox is also used to treat several health conditions, including headaches, backaches, eye muscle problems, muscle spasms and excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis). Also, researchers have found that treating facial scars early on with Botox may improve the appearance of scars long-term. This use for Botox is experimental, however, and hasn't been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," according to the MayoClinic.com.
Tracey Raikes of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, is another Botox success story. She suffered a stroke ten days after giving birth to her youngest daughter. The incident left the 38-year-old housewife paralyzed on the left side. Physiotherapy improved her condition but her left arm was useless and she couldn't open her hand. When she read about Botox on the internet, she called her doctor for advice.
"Botox was injected into my shoulder and thumb, and at various points in my forearm. I felt nothing and it was over quickly. At first, I was disappointed because nothing changed, but just under a week later I could pull my fingers straight, and although my arm still hung down lifelessly, the hand looked perfectly normal. Even better, the pains in my shoulder disappeared. I now feel that my arm looks as good as possible under the circumstances, and I have Botox every three months," she said.
In 1989, the FDA approved Botox to treat eye muscle disorders like uncontrollable blinking and crossed eyes.
Later, doctors found it had an unusual side effect: it reduced the frown lines between the eyebrows. Since then, Botox has emerged as a popular wrinkle fighter and is used to treat crow's feet and forehead creases among others.
Still, not all wrinkles respond well to Botox and not everyone can afford the pricey injections considering that they have to be repeated every three to four months. For these people, the use of the Rejuvinol AM/PM Botox Alternative Age-Defying System might be more practical. This unique system consists of the Rejuvinol morning moisturizer and the Rejuvox night cream that work together to moisturize the skin and diminish the appearance of crow's feet, laugh lines, and wrinkles.
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author.
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