The most surprising thing is the duration - three to four months. About 26 million Americans suffer from migraines, according to the American Academy of Neurology. Binder, a clinical professor of facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery, wasn't looking for a new kind of patient. But when wrinkle patients came back for a second round of shots and said they hadn't had a single headache since the first injections months earlier, he knew it was worth checking out. The shots contained botulinum toxin, the same paralyzing stuff that causes food poisoning and is part of the biological warfare arsenal.
Tiny amounts can paralyze individual muscles, stopping tremors and spasms.
That is the only use approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, doctors are allowed to prescribe drugs for uses not listed on their labels, as long as they see a benefit. Doctors using the shots to stop facial tremors noticed wrinkles vanished. Plastic surgeons have taken advantage of that side effect. Some had had daily migraines.