BOTOX® is a popular treatment for facial wrinkles, muscular disorders and excessive sweating, but the results don’t last forever. The effects of BOTOX® will eventually wear off, so for those who rely on its wrinkle-reducing results, the longer those effects last, the better.
One doctor may have discovered a way to lengthen the gap between return visits significantly. Houston-based Dr. Charles Sopakar, an ocular plastic surgeon as well as a biochemist, has discovered that regulating zinc levels has extended the effects of BOTOX® in patients by up to 30 percent.
Dr. Sopakar noticed some of his patients were not as receptive to BOTOX® as others. One of his residents suggested their problem may be their diet, and that suggestion got Sopakar thinking.
According to Dr. Sopakar, upwards of 50 per cent of people are zinc deficient. He began to recommend patients take zinc supplements, which he mixed with a phytase enzyme, in the form of a drug called Zytase.
Dr. Sopakar prescribes his patients a regimen of Zytase for five days: four days before the treatment, as well as the day of. By doing this, he says his patients can expect longer-lasting results.
Not only will maintaining healthy zinc levels benefit people who use BOTOX® cosmetically, but zinc supplementation could mean a great deal of relief for people who suffer from muscular disorders and eyelid spasms caused by conditions like blepharospasm disease.
Zytase is a prescription medication, so if you’re interested in extending the effects of BOTOX® treatments, you’ll have to consult your doctor. However, some insurance companies are covering Zytase when prescribed as part of getting ready for BOTOX® treatments.
