Botox® is a wonder drug for aging faces. But did you know it can help aging bladders, too?

It’s true. A new study says that besides just fixing frown lines, Botox injections below the belt can help control bladder problems, as well.

Over-Active Bladder (OAB) is a serious medical condition that can adversely affect quality of life. Incontinence, social and emotional problems, loss of self-esteem, and extreme fatigue are only some of the problems OAB sufferers have to deal with.

And since one out of every six people over 40 suffers from bladder problems, it’s easy to see that an effective therapy for the condition is no wee matter.

Botox to the rescue! A randomized, double-blind placebo trial was recently carried out at a leading British hospital in which Botox or placebo injections were administered to the bladders of a group of over-50 OAB sufferers.

These patients had all failed to get better despite medication, lifestyle modifications and bladder training. One group received Botox shots in their bladders, while a control group got placebo shots — and of course, participants didn’t know which shot they received.

Happily, after three months of treatment, the patients who received the Botox injections reported less-severe symptoms and an improved quality of life. The members of the control group reported no improvement in symptoms or quality of life factors.

The researchers involved in the study don’t claim that Botox is a cure for every patient with bladder problems resulting from age, but they are certain that Botox injections can help some people who are tormented by OAB — and that’s progress.

Click the screen below to catch this week’s Plastic Surgery News!

Organizations in the Episode:

• CosmetAssure (short-term insurance for cosmetic surgery)
• Hollister clothing
• “Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem” (PDF)
• Dove
• Girl Scouts of America
• Mental Health America
• BOTOX Cosmetic
• King’s College School of Medicine
• British Journal of Urology International
• Star Trek
• Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery
• Candela Corporation
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
• Dr. Elliot Jacobs
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Jon & Kate Plus 8 on TLC