A recent study done by Chicago Facial Plastic Steven Dayan, M.D. shows that BOTOX® can cure acne. BOTOX is an injectable drug made from Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces a toxin commonly associated with food poisoning. Small doses of the drug are approved for treatment of wrinkles and a few other medical conditions.

According to Dr. Dayan, he noticed most of his patients who have been undergoing BOTOX treatment or their forehead wrinkles for years have recorded fewer acne breakout.

Dayan and his co-doctors conducted a study and test if BOTOX really does the component to eliminate acne. Each participant received a BOTOX injection under or around the acne lesion, on one side of the face. On the other side, researchers gave injections of saline. Dayan says the BOTOX side of the face showed about a 20 percent improvement in acne.

However, he isn’t sure how BOTOX works for acne. It’s possible the drug reduces inflammation or disrupts the signals that control oil production.

The treatment appears to work best for those with mild to moderate acne and the results last for about two to three months. BOTOX also appears to work better for lesions on the chin and forehead and is less effective for acne on the cheeks.

Much more research needs to be done to test the effects of BOTOX in larger groups of acne patients. Thus, Dayan recommends patients follow the advice of their physician or dermatologists for acne skin care.

He also cautions that if too much BOTOX is used, or the drug is injected into certain areas, it can cause temporary unwanted cosmetic problems from temporary muscle weakness.

Traditionally, BOTOX for wrinkles is injected into the muscle. For acne, the BOTOX is injected just under the skin, around the area of the acne lesion.