Well, these are all heavy weight celebrities who keep the world mesmerized not with their respective skills alone, but also with their enviable good looks that seem to remain constant forever! But apart from this, all of them have one point of similarity rumors have it that all of them have undergone botox to retain their youthful looks. Of course, cindy crawford and greta van susteren are two striking exceptions who walked off the beaten path of the hollywood stars to declare that they owe their flawless skin largely to their cosmetic surgeon and botox in particular.

Ever since FDA has approved Botox, this essentially anti aging cosmetic solution has ushered in as the next big thing after nose reshaping surgeries. Nearly 2 million American have been estimated to have undergone botox shots so far.

Botox is short for "botulinum toxin," a substance responsible for causing 'botulism', a rather severe form of food poisoning. Well, the idea of receiving a shot of such toxin material in the face or neck may not seem to be actually palatable, but there is no need to panic whatsoever; doctors have been applying Botox for nearly over a decade to treat a few skin and gland related disorders. The fact that injections reduced the wrinkle marks was regarded as the added advantage, but the companies that produced the chemical were not allowed to advertise the product just for the cosmetic purpose.

Thanks to fda, now they can. Following the FDA approval which came in April 2002, the clinics offering cosmetic solutions could now openly publicize the efficacies of Botox in defying age and challenging nature and since then the world of US plastic surgery has experienced one of history's hugest crowds queuing up the offices of cosmetic surgeons in anticipation of getting back the charms of their youth. Just to mention as a matter of fact: botox that has been labeled "the aspirin of the decade" spun into a multi million dollar market since its approval by fda.

As a cutting edge technique of minimally invasive approach of cosmetic procedures, the botox comes with several advantages over its traditional cousins: you are expected to notice dramatic disappearance of frown lines within a few hours to a next couple of days after the application of a tiny proportion of a teaspoon of Botox upon the targeted areas.

It is also preferred by those horrified by the idea of putting their skin under scalpels, for its minimal invasiveness. Of course relatively cheap pocket pinch that does not exceed several hundred dollars act as another inspiring factor. Then, botox is applied in such diluted form, that serious side effects like allergic reactions are rare. However, since results last for up to four months, the patients are expected to be re-treated every four to six months.

Well, as expected, botox is definitely not an elixir of everlasting youth; in fact it may block full range of facial expressions. Then botox may not be helpful in case of such wrinkles that resulted from the loss of elasticity causing sagging of facial skins. But these are nothing to stop botox enthusiasts from following their favorite stars' footsteps. Only you must consult with your cosmetic surgeon to know whether you are at all the right candidate for botox.