Botulin derivative new poor man's face-lift

July 1, 1999
Web posted at: 1:12 p.m. EDT (1712 GMT)

(CNN) -- It was originally developed to cure crossed eyes and facial spasms, but now Botox, a derivative of botulin, has become the poor man's face-lift. This deadly toxin has become one of the most popular weapons in the fight against aging.

It seems there is nothing a little botulin won't fix. When injected into wrinkles, the poison paralyzes the facial muscle, and a few days later those frown lines are gone.

"The opportunity in Botox is to take something that is a dangerous chemical in a raw form and purify and use it specifically to create a sculpting of the face," says plastic surgeon Larry Koplin.

Just about all the patients in Koplin's Beverly Hills practice have been Botoxed. Even Koplin has had the procedure.

It isn't without costs. You lose the wrinkle, but you also lose the facial expression that goes with it. But Botox enthusiasts say they don't miss their frowns.

	TIPS FOR CHOOSING A PLASTIC SURGEON
	Consider a doctor certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which means a physician has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency. The doctor should have privileges to perform the procedure at an accredited hospital in your community. Choose a surgeon who is well versed and up-to-date in the procedure. Ask whether the doctor performs the procedure frequently or only occasionally. Source: American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

In Beverly Hills, the epicenter of the beautiful people wanna-bes, Botox is the fastest growing plastic surgery procedure around. Many of Koplin's patients will pay $400 every few months for a little dose of youth.

"I don't believe we are creating a generation of Dorian Grays, but rather than that, we're creating the ability for people to look the way they feel," Koplin says.'

Some think the obsession with looks has gone too far. Sociologists say people don't need plastic surgery to have their looks reflect how they feel.

"If we were to change our values towards aging ... we might find beauty in some of the characteristics we're trying to change," said Merrill Silverstein, professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California.

Perhaps then we could learn to love our wrinkles instead of poisoning them.