Today, Botox is one of the most popular treatments in the world. It takes about 15 minutes, there is no cut and no stitches, and most people go straight back to work. But the story of Botox did not start in a beauty clinic. It started more than 200 years ago with spoiled sausages, a German village doctor and a lot of curiosity.
In this article we explain the history of Botox in very simple words, one step at a time. You will learn where it came from, how doctors found out it can relax muscles, how it became a wrinkle treatment, and why it is considered safe today when it is given by a trained doctor.
Quick answer: Botox comes from a natural protein made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Scientists first learned about it in the 1820s, a doctor first used it as a medicine in the late 1970s to treat crossed eyes, it was approved as a medicine in 1989, and it was approved for frown lines in 2002. Since then it has been used for wrinkles, migraine, heavy sweating and many other problems.
What is Botox, in simple words?
Botox is the brand name of a medicine called botulinum toxin type A. When a doctor injects a very tiny, measured amount into a muscle, it stops the nerve from sending the “move” signal to that muscle for a few months. The muscle relaxes. When the muscle that makes a frown or a forehead line relaxes, the skin on top becomes smoother.
The effect is temporary. Slowly, over about 3 to 4 months, the nerve makes new connections and the muscle starts working again. That is why Botox is repeated a few times a year.
History of Botox: the full timeline
Here is the whole story at a glance. We explain each step in more detail below.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1817–1822 | German doctor Justinus Kerner studies “sausage poisoning” and guesses the poison could one day be a medicine. |
| 1895–1897 | Belgian scientist Émile van Ermengem finds the bacteria that make the toxin. |
| 1920s | Scientists in California separate the toxin (type A) for the first time. |
| 1946 | Edward Schantz and Carl Lamanna make the toxin in a pure, crystal form. |
| 1949–1950s | Researchers discover how it works: it blocks the nerve signal to the muscle. |
| 1970s | Eye doctor Alan Scott tests it to treat crossed eyes (strabismus). |
| 1987 | Doctors Jean and Alastair Carruthers notice that frown lines disappear in treated patients. |
| 1989 | US FDA approves the medicine for crossed eyes and eyelid spasms. |
| 1991–1992 | Allergan buys the medicine and names it “Botox”. The first study on frown lines is published. |
| 2002 | FDA approves Botox Cosmetic for frown lines between the eyebrows. |
| 2004 | Approved for heavy underarm sweating. |
| 2010 | Approved for chronic migraine. |
| 2013 | Approved for crow’s feet (lines at the side of the eyes). |
| 2017 | Approved for forehead lines. |
| 2019–2024 | New brands arrive, including longer-lasting versions, and new uses such as neck bands. |
1817–1822: The “sausage poison” doctor
In the early 1800s, people in southern Germany were getting very sick after eating badly prepared sausages. Their eyes drooped, they could not swallow, and many could not breathe. People called it “sausage poisoning”. The Latin word for sausage is botulus, which is where the name botulism comes from.
A young doctor named Justinus Kerner studied hundreds of these cases. He noticed that the poison stopped the nerves from talking to the muscles. He even wrote that, one day, a very small amount of this poison might be used as a medicine to calm muscles that move too much. He was right, but it would take about 150 years for the world to catch up with him.
1895–1897: Finding the bacteria
In 1895, after a funeral dinner in the Belgian village of Ellezelles, several musicians fell ill after eating raw ham. Professor Émile van Ermengem examined the ham and found the tiny living germ that was making the poison. Today we call it Clostridium botulinum. For the first time, doctors knew exactly where the poison came from.
1920s–1940s: Making the toxin pure
In the 1920s, scientists at the University of California separated one type of the toxin, now called type A. This is the same type used in most cosmetic treatments today.
In 1946, Dr. Edward Schantz and Dr. Carl Lamanna managed to make type A in a pure, crystal form. This was very important. A pure product means doctors can measure the dose very accurately, and accurate dosing is the main reason Botox is safe when used properly.
1949–1950s: Understanding how it works
In 1949, British scientist Arnold Burgen and his team showed how the toxin works. Nerves use a chemical messenger called acetylcholine to tell muscles to move. The toxin stops this messenger from being released. No message means no movement, so the muscle relaxes.
In the 1950s, other researchers found that injecting a tiny amount into an overactive muscle could calm it down for a while. The idea of using the toxin as a medicine was starting to look real.
1970s: The first medical use, for crossed eyes
The real turning point came from an eye doctor in San Francisco, Dr. Alan B. Scott. He was looking for a way to treat strabismus (crossed eyes) without surgery. Working with Dr. Schantz, he tested very small doses of the toxin on eye muscles. In the late 1970s, he treated the first human patients, and it worked. One tiny injection relaxed the muscle that was pulling the eye out of line.
Dr. Scott called his medicine Oculinum, which means “lining up the eyes”.
1987: The happy accident that started cosmetic Botox
In Vancouver, Canada, eye doctor Dr. Jean Carruthers was using the toxin to treat patients with uncontrolled eyelid twitching (blepharospasm). One patient asked her to inject her forehead too, because when she was treated, her frown lines went away and she looked “untroubled”.
Dr. Carruthers told her husband, skin specialist Dr. Alastair Carruthers. Together they began studying the effect on frown lines between the eyebrows, and in 1992 they published the first scientific paper on using botulinum toxin for wrinkles. This is why many people call them the parents of cosmetic Botox.
1989–1992: Approval and a new name
In 1989, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Oculinum to treat crossed eyes and eyelid spasms. Soon after, the pharmaceutical company Allergan bought the rights and, in 1991, renamed the medicine Botox, from BOtulinum TOXin.
All through the 1990s, doctors around the world started using it “off-label” for frown lines, because the results were so clear and the safety record was good.
2002: Botox Cosmetic is officially approved
On 15 April 2002, the FDA approved Botox Cosmetic for temporary improvement of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (also called “11 lines” or glabellar lines). This was the moment Botox became a mainstream beauty treatment. Within a few years it became the most common non-surgical cosmetic procedure in the world.
2000s–2010s: Many new medical uses
Because Botox relaxes overactive nerves and muscles, doctors kept finding new ways to use it. Some of the most important approvals were:
- 2000: cervical dystonia (painful neck muscle spasms)
- 2004: severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis)
- 2010: chronic migraine in adults
- 2010: stiff, tight muscles in the arm after a stroke (upper limb spasticity)
- 2011–2013: certain types of overactive bladder
On the cosmetic side, approvals grew too: crow’s feet in 2013 and forehead lines in 2017. Doctors also use it, under medical judgement, for jaw slimming (masseter muscles), a gummy smile, neck bands and a gentle brow lift.
2009 onwards: Other brands join
“Botox” is a brand name, like “Xerox” for photocopies. Over time, other companies created their own botulinum toxin type A products. Some well-known names are Dysport (FDA approval in 2009), Xeomin (2010), Jeuveau (2019) and Daxxify (2022), a version designed to last longer. In 2020, Allergan, and with it Botox, became part of the company AbbVie.
These products are all similar, but they are not exactly the same. Their units are different, so a dose of one brand cannot simply be swapped for another. This is one reason you should always ask your doctor which product they are using.
Botox today: what 200 years of history means for you
Botox has now been studied for decades and used in millions of treatments. It is one of the most researched medicines in aesthetic medicine. History teaches us three simple lessons:
- The dose is everything. The same substance that caused “sausage poisoning” becomes a safe medicine when a trained doctor uses a tiny, exact dose.
- The product must be genuine. Pure, properly stored products are the reason Botox is predictable. Cheap, unknown or smuggled products break that safety chain.
- The injector matters. Botox was first developed by doctors who understood muscles very well. Knowing facial anatomy is what gives a natural, “fresh but not frozen” result.
Thinking about Botox in Hyderabad?
At Rida Radiance Skin & Hair Clinic in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Botox is given by a qualified doctor, using genuine products, after a proper face assessment. We aim for soft, natural results that still let you smile and express yourself.
- Learn more about our Botox treatment in Gachibowli.
- Want to know prices first? Read our Botox cost in Hyderabad guide.
- Curious about volume as well as lines? See the history of dermal fillers and our dermal filler treatments.
- Meet our doctors or book a consultation.
Frequently asked questions about the history of Botox
Who invented Botox?
No single person invented it. Justinus Kerner first described the toxin in the 1820s, Émile van Ermengem found the bacteria in 1895, Edward Schantz purified it in 1946, and Dr. Alan Scott first used it as a medicine in the 1970s. Drs. Jean and Alastair Carruthers started its cosmetic use in the late 1980s.
When was Botox first used on humans?
Dr. Alan Scott first used botulinum toxin type A in human patients in the late 1970s, to treat crossed eyes (strabismus).
When was Botox approved for wrinkles?
The US FDA approved Botox Cosmetic for frown lines between the eyebrows in April 2002. Approval for crow’s feet followed in 2013 and for forehead lines in 2017.
Why is it called Botox?
The name comes from BOtulinum TOXin. The word botulinum comes from the Latin botulus, meaning sausage, because the illness was first linked to spoiled sausages.
Is Botox safe if it comes from a toxin?
Yes, when it is a genuine, approved product given by a trained doctor in the correct dose. Cosmetic doses are extremely small. Like any medicine it can have side effects, such as mild bruising, headache or a temporary droopy eyelid, which is why a proper medical consultation comes first.
How long does Botox last?
For most people, the effect lasts about 3 to 4 months. Some newer, longer-acting products may last a little longer.
This article is for general education only and is not medical advice. Botox is a prescription medicine. Please consult a qualified doctor to find out whether it is right for you.