It’s now established that a lot of men use Botox and to back it up there are some data that in the last years show a turnaround. Men who use Botox far outweigh the female sex. The numbers in respect tell us that women who ask for aesthetic medical treatments are the 74% against the 85% of men, a number which looks destined to grow because of the numerous benefits shown by the use of Botox as a booster of sexual life. We talk about these recent studies and possible applications with the Doc. Nicola Macchione, urologist of the hospital San Paolo in Milan.
What do we talk about exactly when we use the term Botox?
For Botox we mean the commercial and purified form of the neurotoxin A of “clostridium botulinum”, a germ which belongs to the family of tetanus, gram + which produces spores. It’s the most toxic protein known, with a very low lethal dose, but fortunately thermolabile (you can destroy it with heat).
Having regard to its toxicity, why is it used in medicine?
The mechanism of action which is used in medicine is the ability of this toxin to cause a muscle paralysis. The botulinum toxin acts at the level of the nerve-muscle junction (where nerve and muscle come together) by inhibiting the release of acetylcholine from the nerve ending, a “messenger” of the nerve which tells the muscle to contract. This determines a “relaxation” of muscle fibers and the disappearance of the famous wrinkles.
In addition to wrinkles it seems that Botox is a real help to improve the sexual life of men, isn’t it?
As often happens in medicine, a molecule finds almost always more fields of application, in fact we try to exploit its mechanism of action in all the situations in which a reduction of the contraction of muscle fibers can be useful. Many studies to show the action of Botox on male genitals have been performed.
Tell us more details..
One of the fields in which it seems to be more beneficial is when it is used for the premature ejaculation. In fact, in a recent study, performed on a sample of 70 patients, by doing an injective treatment with the botulinum toxin at the level of Bulbospongiosus muscles (responsible of the ejaculatory reflex) they got an increase in the times of ejaculation. These data have immediately appeared encouraging, in fact other similar studies are in progress to offer another therapeutic action for the treatment of premature ejaculation.
And as regards the erectile dysfunction?
Also in this case the efficacy of Botox has been shown in many studies. The rational of this use is in the fact that the “release” of the smooth muscle fibers of the tissue of corpora cavernosa cause an increase of the blood supply to the penis, improving in this way the quality of the erection. In the near future it could represent another therapeutic line for the erectile dysfunction.
In what other circumstances is it possible to use Botox?
For example, in the issues affecting the scrotum. Better known as “scrotox”, is a surgical treatment that involves the injection of the botulinum toxin at the level of the muscle responsible for testicular contraction, which means the Cremaster. The first clinical experience, who gave the way to this treatment, dates back to 2011, when this procedure was executed on a boy affected by testicular pain, non-responsive to other therapies, related to the hypercontraction of the Cremaster. Since then, in addition to functional reasons, this treatment is also executed for “aesthetic” reasons, to reduce the tone of the Cremaster and to allow the testicles not to go up to the abdominal cavity. The aesthetic reason is in the fact that this condition determines an apparent increase of the scrotal volume. A similar effect is achieved also for the penis.
In what way this treatment can improve the penis size?
Actually, it is a similar condition, but you act on a different site. In a recent study, in fact, has been shown that by injecting Botox at the level of the subcutaneous fibromuscular tissue, the level of penile retraction in a state of flaccidity is reduced. It determines an apparent increase of the the size of the organ in a state of rest. It exists, in fact, situations (stress, cold, workout) where the reflection of the penile retraction is very high, by determining an erroneous perception of the penis size and so discomfort. For this reason, this procedure is interesting for all the patients that suffer from the “locker room syndrome”.
The effect is temporary? Are there particular contraindications?
Yes, the activity of the botulinum toxin at the level of the neuromuscular junction is reversible. The effects of Botox are limited in time. They depend on the dose and on the site of injection while the collateral effects reported in all the studies are few and far between. They are all outpatient operations, so they don’t include a hospitalization. After the treatment it’s not necessary to observe special precautions.
© All Rights Reserved