Off-label Botox Treatments to Expand your Menu

By: Aly Boeckh

Although we all know Botox is primarily used for smoothing wrinkles, today, more and more physicians are expanding their menus by providing off-label uses for Botox that actually have nothing to do with age prevention. According to Time magazine, "More than half of Botox's revenue comes from its therapeutic uses for conditions as varied as chronic migraines and back pain to excessive sweating and twitching eyelids." If done right, offering these treatments could be a real differentiator for your medical spa. Following are just a few treatments that you can add to expand your menu:

1. Chronic Migraines 

In 1992, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon named Dr. William Binder observed a correlation between the use of Botox and the alleviation of pain in patients with headache symptoms. Although this study reported patients having few headaches, some doctors still question if the drug is truly effective or simply has a placebo effect. Nonetheless, if you take a look at the RealSelf approval rating, nearly 90% of patients are happy with the results. 

2. Excessive Underarm Sweating

Botox was approved in 2004 to treat the condition called severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, "Research demonstrates that treating excessive sweating of the armpits, hands, feet, head and face (craniofacial), and other relatively small body areas (like under the breasts) with onabotulinumtoxinA is safe and effective." It has been shown to result in an 82-87% decrease in sweating, and 86% of Real Self users say that it is worth it. 

3. Painful Sex

You can use Botox to treat muscle spasms in the pelvic floor for patients that suffer painful intercourse. The Botox injections help ease pain by making the muscles stop contracting. According to doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, "Some people need injections every six to nine months. Others may only need them every 12 to 24 months." This could be something promoted as a series treatment, to keep clients coming back to your medical spa. 

  

4. Severely Cold Hands

Doctors at the Cold Hand Clinic at the University of Chicago have used Botox to treat patients with very cold hands. Botox is injected into the hand to relax muscles surrounding constricted blood vessels. As the vessels relax and enlarge, more blood can flow through to supply the rest of the hand and the fingertips. The patient could have symptom relief for up to three months. 

Now before you add any of these treatments, make sure you understand how the law governs these procedures...

"Generally speaking, physicians are free to use treatments 'off label' so long as they are trained in the off-label use and the treatment is, in the physician’s professional opinion, safe and appropriate. The law allows for off-label use and it is up to the patient, in consultation with his or her physician, to consent to such use. Off-label use of prescription drugs and treatments often provide great effect, but it is important for the physician to inform the patient of--and for the patient to understand--any risks and side effects from such use."

- AmSpa Founder and Director, Alex Thiersch  

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